VI’s trailblazer, pioneer, nation builder & visionary Robert A. Mathavious passes
According to reports, the Virgin Islander and son of the soil died while at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, after declining health for the past five years.
The deceased is survived by his wife Prudence and daughter Jaydn. He was 73 years old and was born on September 1, 1952.
Following a long career of over thirty-five years in public service, Dr Robert A. Mathavious, OBE, had formally retired from the BVI Financial Services Commission (FSC) as both its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer on December 31, 2020.
A visionary has passed
According to a January 8, 2020, release from the FSC, Dr Mathavious is known as a visionary for the financial services industry in the Virgin Islands and was the Commission's first MD/CEO. He also received an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen's 2020 Birthday Honours.
From the inception of his career, Dr Mathavious was a trailblazer, and nation builder who dedicated himself to developing and enhancing the Virgin Islands' attractiveness as a jurisdiction for legitimate cross border financial services.
Dr Mathavious' work for the past two decades was solely devoted to building the foundation for the development of the Virgin Islands' financial services industry.
In announcing his retirement from the Commission, Dr Mathavious said: "whenever I reflect on our country's journey and development as an International Finance Centre (IFC), how we had done it and where we started – we've got so much to be thankful for”.
A nation builder
In 2021 the Board of Governors of the HL Stoutt Community College unanimously approved the renaming in his honour the Robert Mathavious Institute for Financial Services. Outside of his pioneer work in the Financial Services Industry, the late Mathavious served as Acting Governor of the Virgin Islands from December 22 to December 29, 2017. He also served as Acting Governor in June and July 2016 and August 2017.
He also served as the Territory’s Financial Secretary in his career development. The late Mathavious is described as an example of quiet grace and cheerful perseverance.
The Staff and Management of Virgin Islands News Online offer our condolences to his immediate family and other loved ones.
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13 Responses to “VI’s trailblazer, pioneer, nation builder & visionary Robert A. Mathavious passes”
Power
Sir, you have worked extremely hard and tirelessly for us and we are grateful beyond words. Sleep on, Brother Mathavious. We love you and will miss you. You have fought the good fight and you have finished the race. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Sleep on my Brother. Sleep on.
May the mercies and consolations of The Lord be multiplied to you at this most difficult time.