Former Tourism Director Andrew Vladimir — whose controversial tenure ended when his house was firebombed — has died aged 76.

Mr. Vladimir, originally from New York, arrived in Bermuda with an impressive track record in March 1984 as the then United Bermuda Party Government shook up a Department which was in turmoil during tourism's heyday.

However, his reign was dogged by political rows and, shortly after his monthly $2,000 housing perk was disclosed, Molotov cocktails were hurled through the windows of Mr. Vladimir's luxury house.

He was away and his wife and two children, who were at home, were not injured.

Before the end of 1985, Mr. Vladimir had returned to the United States, where he resumed a fascinating career which included spells as a public relations officer, teacher, travel agent, consultant and author.

He died at his home in Miami on Monday last week after being diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, although his wife Ute Carey Vladimir told the Miami Herald the illness had only disabled him a week earlier.

His time in Bermuda was controversial even before it began.

A successful publicity man with a background in travel and tourism, he was recruited to what was then considered the top civil service job — and a $67,000 salary — after specialist consultants insisted on a major overhaul.

Before Mr. Vladimir arrived, the Opposition Progressive Labour Party had claimed no serious consideration had been given to Bermudian candidates, and soon after taking on the post it became clear members of the tourism industry were unhappy with him.

Some reports suggest he wasn't liked because he was an American.

The PLP used the Parliamentary questions system to discover he had a $2,000 subsidy for his home Blackburne Place, and shortly after came the firebombing incident.

Mr. Vladimir walked away by mutual consent half way through his three-year contract and claimed a golden handshake of nearly $85,000.

At the time he rejected claims he had been fired because of mounting opposition, telling The Royal Gazette: "There has been a great deal of mental anguish with my family over some recent events.

"And it seemed in view of that that my departure was the wisest course of action for everybody."

According to the Miami Herald, Mr. Vladimir had begun his career in advertising, helping create and sell some well-known commercials, taking on clients such as Royal Castle hamburger restaurants and Florida Power and Light.

Colleagues are quoted in the Herald describing him as a creative genius and showman.

After his spell in Bermuda, Vladimir returned to Florida where he taught for a decade and became active with a disabled sailing programme 'Shake-a-Leg'.

But Bermuda remained close to his heart, and he gave an interview to this newspaper in 2002 about how he hoped tourism could be revived.

Warning against taking more mega cruise ship passengers than the Island could cope with, he said: "Government must walk a fine line between accepting what the market is offering and spoiling the reputation that Bermuda has built up as a quiet, unspoilt corner of Paradise.

"Sure you could have 300,000 cruise ship passengers a year coming to Bermuda, but you have to think whether it would change the Bermuda experience."

Stressing he had no hard feelings against the island, he said then: "I still really love Bermuda and I really miss it."