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Melford Hazel: Sam Hazel's father and one of Sint Maarten's 'early nation builders'

A short profile of Melford Augustus Hazel, father of Commissioner Sam Hazel, whose family founded the Sea View Hotel in Philipsburg; the Governor named him among Sint Maarten's early nation builders in 2020.

By SXM Daily ·

Melford Augustus Hazel, a Sint Maarten figure whose family founded the Sea View Hotel in Philipsburg, is the father of Sam Hazel, who went on to serve as Commissioner and acting Lieutenant Governor. His full name is given by both The Saba Islander and the StMaartenNews obituary of his son.

Illustrative: the Great Salt Pond, Philipsburg

Illustrative photo: Richie Diesterheft, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Family

The StMaartenNews obituary says Sam Hazel was born to Melford Augustus Hazel, and The Saba Islander, writing in August 2015, also describes Melford as Sam's father. According to the obituary, Sam Hazel was a Commissioner from 1971 to 1985 and acting Lieutenant Governor from 1972 to 1977.

The Sea View Hotel

Visit St. Maarten describes the Sea View as the original hotel on St. Maarten, dating back to 1947 and founded by the Hazel family. The Saba Islander places Melford Hazel at the family's Sea View Hotel.

"Early nation builders"

In her Emancipation Day speech of 1 July 2020, the Governor named him among "our early nation builders, such as Lionel Bernard Scot, Melford Hazel, Claude Wathey and Jose Lake Sr."

Sources

  • https://thesabaislander.com/2015/08/11/my-friends-in-the-hazel-family/
  • https://stmaartennews.com/obituaries/sam-hazel/
  • https://www.visitstmaarten.com/seaview-beach-hotel-introduces-artist-in-residence-program/
  • https://web.archive.org/web/2021/https://www.kabgsxm.com/governors-journal.aspx?id_journal=151&language=EN

Source: https://stmaartennews.com/obituaries/sam-hazel/

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