On October 8, Aziz Hadeed was knighted by Prince William at Windsor Castle, receiving the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George. Simultaneously, his wife was bestowed with the title Mahasen, Lady Hadeed.
He was accompanied by close family and friends who were invited to share this touching and auspicious occasion.
Sir Aziz is well known for his charitable contributions to Community and National Welfare over a generous portion of time. He financially supported Team Antigua Island Girls, and funded Antigua and Barbuda’s participation in the Atlantic rowing challenge which began in December 2018, donating 400,000 Eastern Caribbean Dollars. This assisted in the promotion of Antigua as a tourism destination, while raising awareness for charitable causes. He was also able to make a significant contribution to their follow up event for charity, The 2023 World’s Toughest Row Pacific Challenge across the Pacific.
He was appointed as the inaugural Chairman of the UWI Five Islands Campus (UWI FIC) Board in 2019. Sir Aziz has been instrumental in transforming the campus. Under his leadership, student enrolment grew from 178 to over 1,100 in just five years. Due to the outstanding quality of his contributions, he was reappointed as Chairman in 2024 for another five-year term, extending his leadership until 2029.
He played a pivotal role in securing $80 million USD to support campus expansion, envisioning a facility capable of accommodating 5,000 students in five years. His strategic guidance includes plans for new classrooms, sports facilities, and dormitories (to accommodate up to 500 students), bringing the campus in line with the scale of other UWI campuses in the Caribbean which are incidentally more than 10 times older. The expansion, with the dormitories, will make it possible for other students in the nearby Eastern Caribbean islands to have more readily available lodging.
Sir Aziz has personally donated over 1.2 million EC dollars to support the campus’s startup. He also provides annual scholarships for over 10 students and has already committed an increase to 14 scholarships in 2024 —- and 24 in 2025. His dedication ensures that affordable tertiary education remains accessible to less fortunate students in Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Caribbean.
Under his guidance, UWI FIC has expanded its curriculum to include programmes in Artificial Intelligence, Climate Change, and the Blue Economy, aligning educational offerings with critical areas of sustainability and technological advancement. These programmes equip students with skills crucial for addressing the unique challenges faced by small island nations like Antigua and Barbuda in particular, and the Caribbean in general.
This expansion project will also involve relocating and constructing impressive new facilities for the Five Islands Primary School, which will be adopted by UWI FIC. The new school will offer accessible education to over 300 primary students, providing critical support for underserved areas.
During the pandemic, Sir Aziz contributed $500,000 Eastern Caribbean Dollars to the government’s food programme and worked with the Jumby Bay Fund to commit 1.5 million Eastern Caribbean Dollars to distribute food to families affected by economic hardship. This effort provided over 3000 food packages weekly for over 18 months.
His 4 million Eastern Caribbean Dollar contribution to the Antigua and Barbuda Public Utilities Authority helped provide utility vouchers for vulnerable and elderly citizens, ensuring access to essential services during the COVID 19 Pandemic. Many residents experienced immediate unemployment with the closure of the island’s main industry, tourism.
Sir Aziz contributes approximately 300,000 Eastern Caribbean dollars each year to assist those in need, covering medical expenses and supporting local hospitals, with total donations exceeding 1 million Eastern Caribbean dollars over the past five years.
Sir Aziz donated 1.5 acres of prime land, valued at 900,000 EC dollars, to ABYSO for the construction of a 1,000-seat performance centre.
ABYSO, founded in 2018, provides high-quality, accessible music education to young musicians and music educators in Antigua and Barbuda. As the first youth symphony orchestra of its kind in the Leeward Islands, ABYSO’s mission is to “inspire and empower youth to harness and develop musical excellence.” Through year-round, after-school programmes that include a junior and youth orchestra and a youth choir, ABYSO engages over 250 young people, promoting creativity, teamwork, and cooperative learning.
This dedicated performance space will enable ABYSO to expand its programmes, providing a state-of-the-art venue for rehearsals, performances, and educational activities. It will foster cultural growth and offer young Antiguans and Barbudans the opportunity to develop their talents and gain exposure to the arts.
Sir Aziz’s extensive contributions have had a transformative impact on Antigua and Barbuda, advancing education, community welfare, economic stability, and cultural development. His vision and dedication have positioned him as a key figure in national progress, making him a deserving candidate for this Knighthood.
