Family of Sandals founder Butch Stewart says ‘differences’ have been ‘resolved’
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The family of late Jamaican hotelier Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart has announced a settlement of “differences” that erupted after his death in January 2021.
The announcement was reported by the Jamaica Observer on Wednesday, which cited a joint statement it said was issued through the Bahamian law firm LennoxPaton.
"The family of The Hon Gordon 'Butch' Stewart OJ, the founder of the Sandals & Beaches Group, are pleased to announce that they have resolved their differences that arose following Butch's death in January 2021," the statement said.
It added: "The family look forward to moving on with their lives and are excited by the continued development and success of Butch's abiding legacy, the Sandals & Beaches Group."
The Observer is part of Stewart’s estate.
The statement did not specifically address the legal disputes that arose after Stewart's death, nor did it indicate how the matters were resolved.
The Gleaner sought a comment from LennoxPaton on Thursday.
Stewart, one of the Caribbean's most celebrated entrepreneurs, died on January 4, 2021, at the age of 79.
Following his death, a protracted legal battle emerged that broadly pitted his United States family, led by his common-law American widow Cheryl Hammersmith-Stewart, against some members of his Jamaican family, principally his son and Sandals executive chairman Adam Stewart.
The disputes played out in several jurisdictions, including The Bahamas and Jamaica, and centred on competing positions regarding Stewart's reported final wishes and the future ownership and governance of businesses associated with his estate, including Sandals Resorts International (SRI), the crown jewel.
Sandals, a leading all-inclusive hotel group in the Caribbean, is one of Jamaica's largest private employers and foreign exchange earners.
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