Premier Ewart Brown has gone to Spanish Town, Jamaica, to attend the funeral of his aunt Alma Jones.

Dr. Brown was sent to live with his aunt as a teenager and has previously spoken of the impact the experience had on him.

He told the Inter-American Economic Council's fifth annual congressional meeting in Washington a year ago: "I myself spent a portion of my formative years in Jamaica.

"In fact, I credit my exposure to the politics of Norman Manley and Alexander Bustamante with igniting in me the fire of political interest.

"I had absolutely no idea, no clue, what would happen to a ten-year-old boy who dared to sneak out of his aunt's home in Spanish Town to be mesmerised by the oratory of Jamaica's political giants."

He said this week of Mrs. Jones, the sister of his late father D. A. Brown: "She was a sweet and energetic woman who was kind enough to take me into her home, sight unseen, at a time when not many were willing to do so."

Dr. Brown is due to return to Bermuda tomorrow.