P. J. Patterson

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P. J. Patterson bigraphy, stories - Jamaican Prime Minister

P. J. Patterson : biography

10 April 1935 –

Percival Noel James Patterson, ON, QC, PC, OE (born 10 April 1935), is a former Jamaican politician who served as the sixth Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1992 to 2006. He was the leader of the People’s National Party from 1992 to 2006 and as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Westmoreland South Eastern from 1970 to 1980 when he lost to the Jamaica Labour Party Euphemia Williams, and again from 1989 to 1993. Following a constituency reorganization, he served as the MP for Westmoreland Eastern from 1993 to 2006. He retired from all of these positions in March 2006.

Cabinet positions held during his political career include Minister of Industry and Tourism; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; Minister of Development, Planning and Production; Minister of Finance and Planning.

Memberships and awards

Upon becoming the Prime Minister of Jamaica in 1992 Patterson was invested with the Order of the Nation, allowing him to be known as "The Most Honourable" and to use the post-nominal letters "ON".

In 2006 he was invested with the Order of Excellence of Guyana, allowing him to use the post-nominal letters "OE".

International service

Patterson is a member of the Club de Madrid, a group that consists of more than 80 former Presidents and Prime Ministers of democratic countries, which works to strengthen democracy and democratic leadership worldwide.

Patterson has contributed to numerous Conventions and Statements in the international arena including the Valletta Statement on Multilateral Trade and the Gozo Statement on Vulnerable Small States. These have helped to shape north-south relationship and influence the negotiating position of developing countries.

He played a seminal role in the process that marked the transition from the first steps in integration of the Caribbean region to the founding of CARIFTA and its evolution into CARICOM. He drew upon his expertise in law and trade, to steer the regional body toward the development of a Caribbean jurisprudence through the Caribbean Court of Justice, and a borderless regional economy through the CARICOM Single Market, which came to fruition in 2005 and 2006 respectively.

During his tenure as Jamaica’s Foreign Minister he served as President of the ACP/EU Ministerial Council and led negotiations for the ACP group of countries with the European Community. As Chairman of the ACP/EEC Ministerial Conference, he played a pivotal role in forging an agreement on the basic framework for the original Lomé Convention, which influenced the outcome of subsequent negotiations that led to the Convention signed in 1975. He has served as President and Spokesman of the ACP Ministerial Council on a number of occasions.

A passionate opponent of apartheid, he was an ardent proponent of South Africa’s liberation movement.

Early political life

Patterson entered the Parliament of Jamaica and an Opposition Senator in 1969, appointed by Opposition Leader Norman Manley. He was elected the youngest ever Vice President of the People’s National Party later that year at age 33.

When in 1969 his predecessor as Prime Minister of Jamaica, Michael Manley, launched his campaign for the Presidency of the PNP, he turned to P. J. Patterson, youngest of the highest-ranking segment of the party executive, to lead his campaign. This was the beginning of a partnership which endured over the next 23 years, and allowed for an exchange of political ideas and perspectives that proved beneficial to both.

Patterson was elected the Member of Parliament for Westmoreland South Eastern in the constituency’s by-election of 1970. The constituency borders were reorganized prior to the general election of 1993 and he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Eastern in that election, a seat he held until his retirement in 2006.

He was Campaign Manager for the People’s National Party’s bid for power in the General Elections of 1972, demonstrating skill as a political organizer that played a significant role in the party’s victory at the polls that year. This led to his first appointment to the Jamaican Cabinet. As his political career advanced, Patterson held diverse portfolio responsibilities in the Jamaican government for areas as varied as trade and industry, tourism, foreign affairs, finance and planning.