A popular member of staff at the Ministry of Public Works was remembered by David Burt as “an amazing public servant and an amazing person, someone who was full of life”.

Kenneth O’Neil Cann was “someone my family knew very closely and personally”, the Premier told the House of Assembly, offering condolences to Mr Cann’s wife, Terry-Lynn, mother Claudette and “to his entire family for his untimely passing”.

Derrick Burgess, the Deputy Speaker of the House, commended Mr Cann’s “great personality”, and Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the Minister of Public Works, said: “Every time you encountered him, he was a pleasant, alive, happy person with some idea about something new that he was going to do.

“It was always a joy to interact with him.”

Colonel Burch said it was traditional upon the death of a staff member for workers from every area of the ministry to gather and “have a moment to remember and honour their fallen colleague — and we invite the family”.

He told the House: “He worked out of the depot at Prospect. A huge number of his family attended the celebration.

“Even though it was a sad occasion, it was a very positive experience, because many of the staff expressed their own individual views.”

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, told MPs that “Kenny” Cann was a constituent of his in Devonshire North Central.

He added: “It was always a joy, when I canvassed — I called at the Cann complex. It’s part of the uniqueness of Bermuda where you have entire generations of the family living in the same complex.”

Mr Rabain said Mr Cann was “always smiling, always joyful”.

He said: “When I was informed of his passing on the day that he did pass, which was the day of the hurricane, I was completely shocked, just like I’m sure everyone else was.”