News Americas, New York, NY, December 16, 2024: The family feud over the multi-billion-dollar estate of the late Jamaican-born hotel mogul, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, has spilled further into the public eye, with a newly issued open letter adding fuel to the dispute surrounding the Sandals Resorts empire.
Since Stewart’s passing in January 2021, legal battles over his will and the management of his Bahamian-held estate have embroiled his family members in courts in Jamaica and the United States. The latest development sees U.S.-based Cheryl Hamersmith-Stewart, her three children, and Robert ‘Bobby’ Stewart, another of Butch’s Jamaican-born children, addressing an open letter to Adam Stewart, the CEO of Sandals Resorts International and ATL Group.
In the letter, the signatories accuse Adam of engaging in a media campaign via the Jamaica Observer, where he serves as executive chairman, to allegedly misrepresent their late father’s intentions for his estate.
“We are deeply disappointed that you have chosen to submit Butch’s family – our family – to this ‘trial by media,’” the letter states. “We cannot allow you to impugn the integrity of your father’s closest advisers and friends.”
The letter further claims that Butch Stewart left clear instructions for the division of his assets, which include provisions for a family-run board of directors with representation from all sides of the family. According to the letter, Adam Stewart was intended to receive a 16.67% share of the estate, rather than total control.
The authors of the letter allege that Adam has sought to overturn his father’s wishes and “resist the proper administration” of the estate. They accuse him of attempting to replace the current executors and withholding necessary financial information, which they claim has delayed the process of distributing the estate’s assets.
“These actions have disproportionately affected those siblings whom you have excluded from the benefits of the companies founded by your father,” the letter asserts, further stating that such resistance raises concerns about the future of the businesses and the interests of Sandals’ loyal employees.
The family members emphasize their commitment to ensuring that Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart’s wishes are honored. “We remain absolutely committed to seeing to it that your father’s wishes are implemented, not defied, and that the businesses he worked so hard to create will flourish for the benefit of all stakeholders, not just you.”
The public nature of this dispute underscores the deep divisions within the Stewart family and casts a shadow over the legacy of one of the Caribbean’s most iconic business moguls.
