PRIME MINISTERS OF JAMAICA

  • Date November 27, 2020
Social Studies Skills – Grade 4 PRIME MINISTERS OF JAMAICA

 

Sir Alexander Bustamante was Jamaica’s first Prime Minister. He served from August 6, 1962 to February 27, 1967. He was made a National Hero in 1969.

He was born February 24, 1884 in Blenheim, Hanover, Jamaica
Bustamante was the second of five children of the Clarke family. He had three sisters, Louise, Iris and Maud, and a younger brother, Herbert. He also had two elder sisters, Ida and Daisy Clarke, by a previous marriage of his father.
His grandmother Elsie Clarke-Shearer was also the grandmother of Bustamante’s great contemporary, cousin and fellow National Hero, Norman Washington Manley.
 

Donald Sangster  served as Prime Minister for only six weeks.

Sir Donald Burns Sangster was Jamaica’s second Prime Minister. He served from February 22, 1967 to April 11, 1967. (Shortest serving PM)

Sir Donald was born on October 26, 1911, in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica.

The Most Honourable Hugh Lawson Shearer was Jamaica’s third Prime Minister. On the passing of Sir Donald Sangster, Mr. Shearer was chosen to be Prime Minister of Jamaica. He was sworn in on April 11, 1967.
He was born May 18, 1923 in Martha Brae just outside of Falmouth, Trelawny.
His parents were James Shearer a World War One ex-serviceman and Esther Lindo, a dressmaker. He married Dr. Denise Eldemire Shearer.  He had two sons, Howard and Lance and three daughters Hope, Hillary and Heather.
Hugh Shearer died on July 5, 2004.

 

The Most Honourable Michael Norman Manley is Jamaica’s fourth Prime Minister. He served two terms from March 2, 1972 to November 4, 1980 and from February 13, 1989 to March 30, 1992.

Mr. Manley was born on December 10, 1924 in St. Andrew.
Mr. Manley was the son of Norman Washington Manley, and wife Edna.
Mr. Manley had five wives in his lifetime:
  • Jacqueline nee Kemellardski, 1946
  • Thelma nee Varity, 1955
  • Barbara nee Lewars, 1968
  • Beverley nee Anderson, 1972
  • Glynne nee Jones, 1992
He also had three children Rachel, Sarah, Natasha, Joseph, David.
He died on March 6, 1997 at the age of 72.
The Most Honourable Edward Phillip George Seaga was Jamaica’s fifth Prime Minister from November 4, 1980 to February 13, 1989.

 He was born on May 28, 1930 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Mr. Seaga’s parents, Jamaicans Phillip George Seaga and Erna nee Maxwell brought him home when three months old. He married Marie Elizabeth ‘Mitzie’ nee Constantine in 1965. That union ended in divorce and he married Carla Frances nee Vendryes in 1996. He has four children Christopher, Andrew, Anabella and Gabrielle.

 

The Most Honourable Percival Noel James Patterson is Jamaica’s sixth Prime Minister.  He served from March 30, 1992 to March 30, 2006.
Mr. Patterson was born on April 10, 1935, on Rousseau Road in St. Andrew, Jamaica to Henry Patterson and wife Ina nee James.
He married Shirley Field-Ridley of Guyana on August 24, 1960. She died in 1982. He has two children Richard and Sharon.

 

 
 The Most. Hon. Portia Simpson Miller was Jamaica’s seventh Prime Minister and is also Jamaica’s first female Prime Minister. She served as Prime Minister of Jamaica from March 2006 to September 2007 and again from 5 January 2012 to 3 March 2016.

Mrs. Simpson Miller was born on December 12,1945 in Wood Hall, St. Catherine.

She is married to businessman, Errald Miller, a former telecoms executive with Cable & Wireless Jamaica

 
 

The Honourable Orette Bruce Golding was Jamaica’s eighth Prime Minister and served from September 11, 2007 until October 23, 2011 when he resigned from the post.

Bruce Golding was born on December 5, 1947. The son of Tacius Golding and Enid Golding (nee Bent), both teachers in Clarendon.
 
 
 
 
 

Andrew Michael Holness, ON, MP is a Jamaican politician who has been the Prime Minister of Jamaica since 3 March 2016, following the 25 February 2016 general election. Holness previously served as Prime Minister from October 2011 to January 5, 2012.
He is Jamaica’s ninth Prime Minister , youngest Prime Minister and the first Jamaican head of Government to be born after the country gained Independence in 1962. He is married to Juliet, who is a member of parliament and business woman and they have two sons, Adam and Matthew.
 
 
JAMAICA’S FIRST AND ONLY PREMIERE.

Norman Washington Manley  was born in Roxborough Manchester,Jamaica on July 4, 1893, to parents Thomas Albert Samuel Manley and Margaret. His complete name is Norman Washington Manley.
Norman Manley lived a full life and died on September 2. 1969 at the age of 76. He was named a National Hero of Jamaica later that same year.
Upon being named a national hero his title would now read:
The Right Excellent Norman Washington Manley, M.M., Q.C., B.C.L., LLD (Hon.) is Jamaica’s FIRST AND ONLY PREMIER serving between the period of July 1959 and July 1962. We call him a premier because his leadership was before we gained independence in August 1962.
His legacy include sharing with his cousin, Sir Alexander Bustamante, the honour of being one of the two ‘Founding Fathers’ of Jamaica’s Independence, attained peacefully on August 6, 1962.

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