Philanthropist Felix Dennis dies at 67

British publishing millionaire Felix Dennis, who died on Sunday, has been described as a good man and a friend of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

According to a statement on his website, Dennis, 67, passed away at his home at Dorsington, England, surrounded by his loved ones after a “long and painful battle with cancer.”{{more}}

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, in a brief statement yesterday said “Felix was not only a friend of St Vincent and the Grenadines, but my own personal friend. He was an extraordinary entrepreneur, a fine poet; he lived a very colourful and in some aspects of his life, controversial, but he loved life.

“He was generous in his spirit, he loved people, inlcuding the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines. In Britain, he was a Labour man and came from the bowels of the working people and became a multimillionaire. He owned property in Mustique, and was a leader in the Mustique Company.

“We will miss him very much. On behalf of the Government and people of SVG and on my own behalf and that of my family, I express my deepest condolences to his immediate family and freinds. He was a good man.”

Dennis, through his company Dennis Publishing, had recently paid for the packaging and shipping of 12,500 laptops from China to St Vincent. His company also negotiated with Microsoft to get free Microsoft software for the laptops. Dennis Publishing also provided carrier bags and manuals for the laptops.

The laptops, which were paid for by the government of Venezuela, are presently being distributed to secondary school children across the country.

Dennis Publishing publishes several titles including The Week, Your Spectrum and Maxim.