Minister of Culture Olivia Grange has acknowledged the passing of Professor Edward Baugh, reflecting on the immense legacy he has left behind through his profound body of work.

Baugh, a well-known Jamaican poet, author, and professor, died on Saturday at 87 years old.

The culture minister expressed that it is with great sadness that she notes the passing of the distinguished professor and poet extraordinaire who lectured at the University of the West Indies (UWI).

“The voice of Professor Baugh has now gone quiet but the body of great works he leaves behind is a worthy legacy to Jamaica. My condolences to his immediate family, The UWI family, his friends and associates. May his soul rest in peace,” said Grange.

Baugh spent almost 30 years at The UWI, where he served as an English professor from 1978 until his retirement in 2001.

His body of work included poems such as Truth and Consequence, The Carpenter’s Complaint, and The Warner Woman, all of which were highly praised.

The professor was especially known for his study on the work of St Lucian Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott and his edit of Walcott’s Selected Poems.

Baugh was awarded a Gold Musgrave Medal by the Institute of Jamaica in 2012. He was also the co-recipient of the 2021 Bocas Henry Swanzy Award along with colleague and fellow poet Professor Mervyn Morris.