P. J. Patterson
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| Most Hon. Percival Patterson | |
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| In office 30 March 1992 – 30 March 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Manley |
| Succeeded by | Portia Simpson-Miller |
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| Born | 10 April 1935 Hanover, Jamaica |
| Nationality |  Jamaica |
| Political party | People's National Party |
Percival Noel James Patterson, ON, QC PC (born 10 April 1935) was the Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1992 to 2006. Until February 2006 he was the leader of the Jamaican People's National Party. The new PNP leader, Portia Simpson-Miller, took over as Prime Minister on 30 March 2006. Patterson was Jamaica's longest-serving Prime Minister.
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[edit] Early life
Patterson is a graduate of the University of the West Indies Mona Campus, and the London School of Economics.
He first entered politics in 1969, winning a by-election to a seat in western Jamaica, campaigning with the slogan "Young, gifted, and black".
Patterson served in a variety of cabinet posts under Prime Minister Michael Manley, both in the 1970s, and during Manley's second prime ministership at the end of the 1980s and beginning of the 1990s.
[edit] Premiership
He became Prime Minister and leader of the People's National Party himself when Manley resigned in 1992. Prior to the resignation Patterson was tied to a controversial scandal but miraculously led the party to victory in the three successive elections, an unprecedented record in Jamaican electoral history.
He made headlines in 2004 when it was announced that Jamaica (as well as Saint Kitts and Nevis and Venezuela) would not recognize the internationally-installed government of Gérard Latortue in Haiti following the U.S. Marine invasion that removed the democratically elected Jean-Bertrand Aristide from office. Patterson was instrumental in arranging for Aristide to take up temporary residence in Jamaica during Aristide's lawsuit against the United States and France accusing the countries of kidnapping him.
Following Hurricane Katrina Patterson offered 30 trips for two, all expenses paid, to Jamaica for victims of the hurricane.
[edit] Post-premiership
Following his premiership, from 2006 to 2007, he chaired the Committee on Commonwealth Membership, which presented its report on potential changes in membership criteria for the Commonwealth of Nations at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2007 in Kampala, Uganda.
[edit] 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 "O.N."
In 2006 he was invested with the Order of Excellence of Guyana [1] allowing him to use the postnominal letters "O.E." [2]
Patterson is a Member of the Global Leadership Foundation, an organization which works to promote good governance around the world.[1]
[edit] References
| Preceded by Michael Manley |
Prime Minister of Jamaica 1992-2006 |
Succeeded by Portia Simpson-Miller |
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