Bill Duff laid to rest

Dubai: To the skirl of bagpipes, Bill Duff, the man who many believed was instrumental in building Dubai, was laid to rest yesterday at Christ Church in Jebel Ali. In his lifetime Duff served as Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s trusted financial expert.

Duff passed away of natural causes on February 14 at the age of 92 and is survived by his wife, Irenka, two daughters, Diana and Sheila, and four grandchildren.

The ceremony was attended by family and friends who prayed and reflected on his loving personality and commitment to Dubai’s development.

His grandson, Nicholas Duff Earles, recalled his grandfather’s kind spirit and love of food and dogs, while his granddaughter, Caroline Duff Earles, remembered him as someone who was always there for her.

Sir Maurice Flanagan and Nicholas P. Earles, who spoke at the ceremony, recalled Duff as a young man at Oxford and his contribution to establishing key organisations in the Emirates.

To name a few of these contributions: Duff set up the Dubai Department of Finance and Dubai Customs. He was also a founder member of the Seamens Mission and also instrumental in the establishment of Dubai Ports World and Jebel Ali Free Zone.

During his four-decade service to Dubai, he also established the Dubai English Speaking School, and was the founding member of the Christian Cemetery Committee and the Dubai Electricity Co, which is now the Dubai Water and Electricity Authority.

Gulf News spoke to people who worked with Duff and they remembered him as a fair and humble man who did his job well. Kasim Pillai, an Indian employee who was hired by Duff in 1965 at Dubai Customs, said: “He was a very nice and a humble man who had an open-door policy with all of his employees and business associates.” Pillai said Duff had a way of solving problems that he faced, which was one of the many good traits that he admired about him.

Sultan Al Joker, who has worked with Dubai Customs since 1968, said Duff was a great man.

“He was a decision maker and a man with a vision. He was a successful manager and Shaikh Rashid really depended on him,” said Al Joker, now adviser to the director-general of Dubai Customs.

With inputs from Janice Ponce de Leon, Staff Reporter