Region mourns loss of former CDB President Dr William Warren Smith

– A true friend of the nation, says President Ali

The region is mourning the recent passing of the former President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr William Warren Smith. A distinguished Caribbean citizen, development practitioner and proud son of Jamaica. Dr Smith led the CDB from May 1, 2011, to April 30, 2021, following his election in October 2010 and re-election for a second term in 2015. During his decade at the helm, he guided the institution and its Borrowing Member Countries through an era marked by profound global and regional shocks, including two major global crises that heavily impacted the Caribbean. President of Guyana, Dr Irfaan Ali, on Saturday extended his condolences to Dr Smith’s family and the CDB.

“I extend my sincerest condolences to the Caribbean Development Bank on the death of Dr William Warren Smith, its fifth President, and to his beloved wife, Dr Anne-Marie Irvine, his family, relatives and loved ones. Dr Smith served our region with rare distinction. The Caribbean is poorer for his passing,” he said. President Irfaan Ali highlighted that during Dr William Warren Smith’s tenure as President of CDB, the partnership between Guyana and the institution was significantly strengthened. He noted that Dr Smith believed in Guyana’s potential long before it became widely recognised and consistently acted as a trusted partner in the country’s national development.
“During his tenure, the partnership between Guyana and the CDB was significantly strengthened. He believed deeply in Guyana’s promise long before it became fashionable to do so and stood firmly with us as a trusted partner in national development. Dr William Warren Smith will long be remembered as a true friend of Guyana.” Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh also expressed his deepest sympathies on social media.
“Sincerest condolences to the Caribbean Development Bank on the passing of Dr William Warren Smith, the Bank’s fifth President, as well as to his dear wife, Dr Anne-Marie Irvine, and his entire family. Dr Smith served with distinction as CDB President from 2011 to 2021. His leadership marked a defining era in the history of the CDB and in the Caribbean’s development journey. His strong stewardship, unwavering commitment to the region and deep belief in the potential of the Caribbean people strengthened the Bank’s role as a trusted and transformative development partner to its borrowing member countries. Guyana’s long and valued relationship with the CDB was further deepened during Dr Smith’s tenure. Under his leadership, Guyana benefited from the Bank’s thoughtful engagement, strategic support and shared vision for economic resilience, inclusive growth and sustainable development.” Dr Singh recalled an interview with Dr Smith in 2014, when, in a pre-oil Guyana, the bank President described the country’s development story as inspirational.
Meanwhile, Daniel M Best, President of CDB, paid tribute to his predecessor, stating, “Dr Smith was a mentor and a guide to me at many critical junctures during my career. He devoted his life’s work to the proposition that Caribbean people deserve strong, modern institutions that are fully on their side. When he assumed office as President of CDB in 2011, he guided the institution through some of its most challenging moments with steadiness, resolve and an unwavering belief in what the Bank could and should represent for the region. He demanded excellence from those around him because he believed deeply in our collective responsibility to serve the Caribbean with integrity, rigour, and purpose. His legacy lives on in the institution he helped strengthen, the people he shaped and the development path he helped chart for our region.”
The CDB will, in the coming days, work with Dr Smith’s family to share further information on arrangements to celebrate and honour his life and contribution. A condolence book will be available for signing at the bank’s Barbados Wildey headquarters from 10:00h on Monday, February 2, 2026. The CDB also extended heartfelt sympathy to all who mourn his passing and joined the wider Caribbean community in giving thanks for his exemplary leadership and a lifetime devoted to advancing the region’s development.