Donald Sangster

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=125 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="0c3085a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Jamaica  ~ Noamie's Negril.Com </B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jamaica Noamies Negril.Com "><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> back to  <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jamaica Noamies Negril.Com "><U><B>Jamaica  ~ Noamie's Negril.Com </B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Welcome to the Noamie's Negril Web Site</B></I><B> ~Noamie's - Jamaican Tea Room...An Innovative Walk into Traveling & Reality </B></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Negril: The Place I'll Rather Be</B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FF66FF" FACE="Arial Narrow" ><I><B>...</B></I></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FF66FF" FACE="Desdemona" ><B>Jamaica ~ Negril </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CCCCE4" FACE="Eurostile" ><A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My BookWest Cliffe"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="0c4d2e83.jpg"> <div> <I>Negril: The Place I'll Rather Be</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>...</I><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FF66FF" FACE="Desdemona" >Jamaica ~ Negril</FONT></div> <bR> <div>  <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FF66FF" FACE="Dauphin" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jamaica Noamies Negril.Com "><U><B>Country Road</B></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="West Cliffe The Place I Called Home"><U><B>Cross Road</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BarBBarn Negril Cooking it up with Norm"><U><B>The Garden</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Who is Noamie?"><U><B>Who is Noamie?</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id50.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Paracme"><U><B>Paracme's Memories</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id87.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jamaica Cowboy"><U><B>Remembering:- Jamaica Cowboy</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id74.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Frog That Would Not Let Me Forget"><U><B>A Frog That Would Not Let me Forget</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BarBBarn Negril Cooking it up with Norm"><U><B>Norm's Negril</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 1 A Star is Born ... The Road T"><U><B>+</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Noamies Chat Corner"><U><B>Noamie's Chat Corner</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=355 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="24cb8f80.jpg" border=0 width="184" height="248" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Rt. Honourable Sir Donald Sangster</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> (October 26, 1911 to April 11, 1967)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Remembering Sir Donald Sangster</B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#666699" FACE="Comic Sans MS" > </FONT></div> <div> The face of Sir Donald Sangster appears on the Jamaican one hundred dollar note. A few places, including one of our national airports, are named after him. Most older Jamaicans, especially the people of Negril/Orange Hill, remembered Donald Sangster in various ways. </div> <div> Thousands of Jamaicans and visitors arrived at the Sangster international Airport on a daily basis, with little to no thoughts as to who this man was. </div> <bR> <div> Prime Minister <B>Donald Sangster</B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#666699" FACE="Comic Sans MS" > </FONT>died 1967, while in office. He had only served three months.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#666699" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Who was Donald Sangster?</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#666699" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>-----</B><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Elephant" ><B>---</B></FONT><B>---</B><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#FF00FF" FACE="Elephant" ><B>---</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Elephant" ><B>---</B></FONT><B>---</B><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Elephant" ><B>---</B></FONT><B>------</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Donald Sangster -- Jamaica's second prime minister -- died on April 11, 1967. He was appointed to act as prime minister and minister of external affair and defence in January 1965 as a result of the illness of then prime minister, Alexander Bustamante. He served for three months.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#666666" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> "Was not Donald Sangster one of the foremost leaders in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and did he not save the 1966 Commonwealth Heads of Government in crisis? </div> <bR> <div> <B>I believe so. Here's why? </B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>-----</B><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Elephant" ><B>---</B></FONT><B>---</B><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#FF00FF" FACE="Elephant" ><B>---</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Elephant" ><B>---</B></FONT><B>---</B><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Elephant" ><B>---</B></FONT><B>------</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> He 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.</div> <div> He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1945 and took over from Mr. Frank Pixley and became Minister of Social Welfare and Labour. At the death of Sir Harold Allen, Jamaica's first Minister of Finance, Sangster took over that position. After 1945, he was Deputy leader of the Opposition and on the return to power of the Jamaica Labour Party in 1962 he again became Finance Minister.</div> <bR> <div> In February 1964, Sir Donald Sangster became Acting Prime Minister when Prime Minister Sir Alexander Bustamante became ill and withdrew himself from public life. He was later selected to be Prime Minister after the JLP's victory in 1967. He became the nation's second Prime Minister.</div> <bR> <div> Donald Sangster is best remembered for his work to have Jamaica accepted in all major international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. On the national stage, he established Jamaica as a nation of sound financial integrity and a leader of the new nations in the Commonwealth and the Caribbean. He advocated for the development of the second airport in Montego Bay, which now carries his name - Sir Donald Sangster International Airport.(<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#666699" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><I>Sourse quote</I></FONT>)</div> <bR> <div> As Prime Minister, Sangster attended only one session of parliament before he suddenly became ill and was sent to Canada for specialist treatment. He however succumbed to his illness and passed away on April 11, 1967. Five days before he died, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.</div> <bR> <div> <B>My Vivid Recollection:</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#666699" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> My recollection of Donald Sangster are somewhat entwined with Bustamante, Busta, as he was called, last visit to Orange Hill. Something that had intrigued me for decades. For it was on my way from the store one day, that as Busta came to visit Orange Hill, and as he was driving up Duppy Hill, that the people mistook his sharp body turn in the land rover that he was driving, as a signal that he had snubbed them. Only when I got home, I would realized that it wasn't so, and spoke boldly in his support. There, in the open road, was Busta, sitting with the back door to the jeep, wide open and with one foot cocked-up . That was his style. </div> <div> And so, as words came later of the death of Donald Sangster, the memories of both men would reveal itself, simultaneously., even as Busta would come to live a long life. My grandmother Emma, would always felt the pain, in that the men who came to her for her advise and her help; didn't get it in time. Could i have save him? Could a child he wanted to adopt, have save him, from been poisoned, simply by giving him a spiritual warning? </div> <bR> <div> So, on this journey, I began looking for any clues.Ten years had passed since I had began this very research that would support what I remembered; what I was a witness to, that was said about Donald Sangster. I wanted to know something more about this man, the man who had begged for my adoption. </div> <bR> <div> It wasn't unusual in the Jamaican culture, only my father who had never met me, said no. My father left for England when my mother was still pregnant. So, my father would only meet me for the first time, when I was almost eight years old, August 27, 1968. </div> <div> Perhaps, after ten years, I had finally stumbled upon the clue, or should I say, the rift that cause the death of Donald. I was only six years of age, but I remembered all too well.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The Donald Sangster who Visited Orange Hill:</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#666699" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Donald Sangster death same as a shock to may people in Orange Hill. Some wasn't so surprise. People like my grandparents who knew the man more intimate. </div> <div> Just weeks before his death, Donald visited the people in Orange Hill. He visited my grandmother. He had returned to inquiry, words from my father who was in England, as I would later come to learn. Donald was disappointed that my father had said no to his request. Donald Sangster had asked if he could adopted me, this little girl who was known for her bright personality and her dancing. </div> <bR> <div> When words got to Orange Hill that Donald was gravely ill, the news also came that, unknown to him, there was a plot against him, a plot in which he was poison. </div> <div> People in Orange Hill gathered under the Cedar Tree at the gate of my grandparent home, and wept openly. Donald had led-on that he was concern about his safety in Kingston.Therefore, his passing came as no surprise to some. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>35 years after Donald Sangster</B></div> <div> TODAY (April 11) is 35 years since Jamaica's second prime minister of independent Jamaica, Sir Donald Sangster, passed away. Today is also 35 years since Hugh Shearer was sworn in as independent Jamaica's third prime minister. This year, Jamaica celebrates 40 years of political independence. But for the first five years between 1962 and 1967, the old guard Sir Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley, was still in place.</div> <bR> <div> Bustamante took ill in 1964. Sangster acted as prime minister until 1967 when Bustamante did not stand for re-election. For all practical purposes, Bustamante handpicked Sangster to succeed him. On February 21, 1967, the JLP won a second straight term. The following day, February 22, 1967, Donald Sangster was sworn in as Jamaica's second prime minister. It was the beginning of the change of the guard from Bustamante and Norman Manley.</div> <div> In a real way, the changing of the guards began and ended with Bustamante. Although he did not seek re-election to the House of Representatives in 1967, Bustamante remained JLP leader until 1974, when a special position of "chief" was created. And he still had the final say in the JLP until 1977 when he died.</div> <bR> <div> In the other scenario, Norman Manley stepped down as PNP president and opposition leader in February 1969. Norman Manley died on September 2, 1969 while Bustamante would continue to "call the shots" in the JLP camp for another eight years. This is why the changing of the guards began and ended with Bustamante.</div> <bR> <div> And Bustamante's predictions were to come true the minute he stepped down as prime minister. In his book Alexander Bustamante and the Modern Jamaica, George Eaton pointed out that Bustamante confided in him that he feared the moment when he would leave the scene as there would be serious disunity within the JLP.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Robert Lightbourne was sworn in after the other ministers of government. He was angry that he had not been appointed deputy prime minister. The story at the time was that Sangster sought Bustamante's advice on the appointment of a deputy prime minister.</I></div> <div> <I>According to the rumour, Bustamante said "Donald yu mad? Appoint none." </I><I>The appointment of anyone to that position was bound to create trouble. Lightbourne, however, thought again and was sworn in the following day. </I><I>But a few days after the opening of parliament, less than four weeks after becoming prime minister, Sangster took ill. He was rushed to a hospital in Montreal, Canada, officially with a brain haemorrhage.</I></div> <bR> <div> David Clement Tavares was sworn in as acting prime minister during Sangster's illness. The rationale was that he was the second deputy, leader of the JLP, Sangster being the first deputy while Bustamante remained the party boss even after stepping down as prime minister. There were daily reports out of Montreal, Canada, about the progress or retrogression of Sangster's health.</div> <bR> <div> Then on April 11, 1967, Sangster died. But who was Donald Sangster? </div> <div> Born on October 26, 1911, he was not quite 56 when he died. He was part of the Sangster family from St Elizabeth. Educated at Munro, he eventually became a solicitor at a time when the legal profession was divided between solicitors and barristers.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#666699" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> While at school, Sangster was involved in just about every sport including boxing, which was then one of the sports competitions in the high schools. He eventually was captain of the St Elizabeth Nethersole cricket team. Sangster was also involved at a high level in the Boys Scouts movement. He never married, although he had at least one son.</div> <bR> <div> And a certain accusation regarding sexual preference was levelled at him. The difference, though, is that the PNP under Norman Manley never stooped to the level of using that in any political campaign. This was in complete contrast to the election campaign in North East St Ann a year ago when the chi-chi man song was used to sway voters.</div> <bR> <div> At the age of 21, Donald Sangster was elected to the St Elizabeth parish council (called the parochial board in those days). He eventually served first as vice chairman and later chairman of the parochial board. If it were now, he would have been the mayor.</div> <div> In 1944, when Sangster was 33 years-old, Jamaica was granted Universal Adult Suffrage. This meant that all of Jamaica's adult citizens (the age being 21 at the time but 18 since 1972). Sangster ran as an Independent candidate, but lost to BB Coke who ran on a JLP ticket that year.</div> <bR> <div> In 1944, the JLP won 23 of the 32 seats available. The PNP, which ran in 19 seats, won four and Independents won five. One Independent, FLB Evans, swung to the PNP giving the PNP five seats to the Independents four. In 1949, Sangster ran for JLP while BB Coke ran as an Independent. Sangster won by 48 votes.</div> <bR> <div> The JLP won power again in 1949 although the PNP received more votes. Sangster became the minister of social welfare. On the death of Sir Harold Allan in 1953, Sangster became minister of finance and leader of the house. In 1950, Sangster became first deputy leader of the JLP.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> In 1955 when the PNP won power for the first time, Sangster lost to BB Coke who ran for the PNP. But a by-election in Eastern Clarendon in December 1955 would bring Sangster back into the House of representatives. Space does not allow me to elaborate on the circumstances surrounding what caused that by-election, itself a colourful part of Jamaica's modern history.</div> <div> In 1958, Jamaica would enter into a federation. Like Lightbourne, Sangster was privately in favour of federation but kept his mouth shut because Bustamante was against it. Sangster won his Clarendon seat again in 1959 although the JLP lost again.</div> <bR> <div> In 1962, the JLP won power and Sangster became the deputy prime minister and minister of finance. Acting as prime minister and minister of external affairs between 1964 and 1967, Sangster became prime minister after the 1967 election. He did not live long enough to make an impact as prime minister.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Source: Dictionary of Place Names in Jamaica by Inez K. Sibley (1978) Why Heritage: A Guide to the Importance of our Jamaican Story by Joanne M.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#666699" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>Simpson (2002)</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#666699" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> http://jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/20020410T200000-0500_23875_OBS____YEARS_AFTER_DONALD_SANGSTER.asp (MICHAEL BURKE,Thursday, April 11, 2002)</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>