Building a Better Jamaica

William Alexander Bustamante (1884-1977) was Jamaica's first Prime Minister. He campaigned for workers' rights, and he was imprisoned for standing up for his beliefs. He founded the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union [BITU], the first trade union in Jamaica. Later he founded the Jamaica Labour Party [JLP]. Son of an Irish planter named Robert Constantine Clarke and a coloured Jamaican woman , Mary Clarke. He was registered William Alexander Clarke but later changed his name by deed poll. Bustamante attended Primary school at Cacoon and Dalmally and also did private...

Sir Donald Sangster was the son of W.B. Sangster, a land surveyor, and his wife Cassandra. He was born in Black River, St. Elizabeth on October 26, 1911. He was educated at Munro College in the parish and was a solicitor by profession. He began his political career at the age of 21 when he was elected to the St. Elizabeth Parish Council in 1933. He later became a member of the House of Representatives for South St. Elizabeth and then for North East Clarendon.

Political Career

He was elected to the...

The Most Hon. Hugh Lawson Shearer, Jamaica’s third Prime Minister, was born in the village of Martha Brae just outside of Falmouth, Trelawny on May 18, 1923. His parents were James Shearer a World War One ex-serviceman and Esther Lindo, a dressmaker.

He attended the Falmouth Primary school and from there he won the parish scholarship to St. Simon’s College, a privately owned high school in Kingston. He graduated from St. Simon’s in 1940.

Mr. Shearer entered the workforce during a period of...

The Most Honourable Edward Philip George Seaga, O.N. P.C., M.P., LL.D. (Hon.), former Prime Minister, 1980-89, Leader of the Opposition between 1989 and 2006, was born on May 28, 1930 to the late Philip George Seaga and Erna (nee Maxwell). He was educated at Wolmer’s Boys’ School in Jamaica and graduated from Harvard University in 1952 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in the Social Sciences.

 Political Career

Mr. Seaga’s political career began in 1959...

Bruce Golding was born on 5th December 1947, the son of Tacius Golding and Enid Golding (nee Bent), both teachers. He was the third of four children, the second (the only girl) died shortly after birth. He was actually born in Clarendon at the home of his godmother, Mrs. Winnifred Stewart (who was the mother of Mrs. Percival Broderick) where his mother was staying in order to be close to her doctor. However, a few days after he was born he was taken to the family home at Ginger Ridge, St Catherine where his birth was officially registered.

In 1949...