Percival James Patterson, Former Jamaica Prime Minister

Percival James Patterson was born in 1935.  His parents Henry Patterson, a farmer and Ina James, a primary school teacher were both from the parish of Hanover. he went on to the University of the West Indies (UWI) at Mona, and graduated in 1958 with a B.A. (Honours) in English.

He studied Law at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he was awarded the Leverhume Scholarship and the Sir Hughes Parry prize for Excellence in the Law of Contracts.  He graduated from that institution in 1963 with an LL.B.  Mr. Patterson was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1963 and also admitted to the Jamaican Bar in that year.

As its President, he presided at the first political address given in the Caribbean by the late Dr. Eric Williams, founder of Trinidad and Tobago’s People’s National Movement.

Mr. Patterson’s distinguished Cabinet career began in 1972, with his appointment as Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism.  Since then he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (1978-1980); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development, Planning and Production (1989-1990) and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Planning (1990-1991).

He was appointed Prime Minister of Jamaica in March 1992, following his election as President of the PNP, on the retirement of former Prime Minister the late Michael Manley. Mr. Patterson was returned to office following the national elections of 1993, and now has the distinction of being the first Prime Minister to be sworn in for a fourth consecutive term of office, after he led the PNP to victory in the elections of October 2002.

Noted among Prime Minister Patterson’s list of achievements is his decision to make education be Administration’s top priority.  To this end, the largest portions of successive national budgets have been allocated towards the sector.  His goal is to integrate Information Technology throughout all levels of the education spectrum and the wider society.  Mr. Patterson also created the National Commission on Science and Technology in 1993 and was the first to directly link Jamaica’s science and technology initiatives with the nation’s industrial policy.

As Prime Minister, he spearheaded Jamaica ’s cessation of an 18-year borrowing relationship with the International Monetary Fund, which effectively created a platform for Jamaica to once again exercise control over its economic affairs.  Prime Minister Patterson has also promulgated a National Industrial Policy, a blue print for the nation’s growth and development in the 21^st century.

Prime Minister Patterson is respected worldwide as an astute international statesman who has made a mark in such organisations as the United Nations, the Group of 77, the Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement, the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group, the Association of Caribbean States, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and many others.

                                                                                                          

Source: http://hanoverchamberofcommerce.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=97:the-rt-hon-percival-james-patterson-1935-&catid=1