2019 -- H 6188

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LC002761

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF THE HONORABLE EDWARD

SEAGA, FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF JAMAICA

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Ranglin-Vassell, Shekarchi, Chippendale, Diaz, and
Williams

     Date Introduced: June 05, 2019

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, The Honorable Edward Seaga passed away on his 89th birthday on May 28,

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2019. He was born in 1930, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Philip and Erna Seaga, both of whom

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were of mixed Jamaican heritage. When he was three months old, his parents returned to Jamaica,

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where he was raised. He graduated from Wolmer's Boys' School in Jamaica and went to college

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in the United States, graduating from Harvard University in 1952, with a Bachelor of Arts degree

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in the Social Sciences; and

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     WHEREAS, Before embarking on his public service career, Mr. Seaga had a very

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successful career as a music promoter and producer, particularly Jamaican music. In the late

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fifties, he supervised and produced albums of Jamaican music before he founded the West Indies

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Records Limited (WIRL) in 1959, which went on to become the most successful record company

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in Jamaica and the West Indies; and

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     WHEREAS, Mr. Seaga's political career had begun before Jamaica gained its

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independence from Great Britain in 1962, when he was nominated to serve in the Upper House of

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the Parliament of Jamaica in 1959. He was the youngest member ever appointed to the

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Legislative Council of Jamaica; and

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     WHEREAS, In 1961, Mr. Seaga took part in the drafting of the Constitution of Jamaica,

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which took effect when Jamaica attained its independence in 1962. Before his passing, he was the

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last remaining member of the Jamaican leaders who had drafted the Constitution. In 1962, he was

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elected to be a Member of Parliament, representing West Kingston, a seat he held for the next

 

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forty-three years until his retirement. Mr. Seaga was the longest-serving member of Parliament in

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the history of both Jamaica and the entire Caribbean region; and

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     WHEREAS, Mr. Seaga went on to serve as a Cabinet Minister of Development and

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Welfare, where he led the way in fostering economic development in the poorer communities as

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well as the building of new schools and affordable housing, and served as the Cabinet Minister of

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Finance where he played vital roles in the development of the Jamaica Stock Exchange and

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Jamaica Citizen's Bank. He also served for thirty years as the leader of the Jamaica Labour Party,

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and was the Opposition Leader for many years before becoming Prime Minister; and

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     WHEREAS, Mr. Seaga became the fifth Prime Minister of Jamaica on October 30, 1980,

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after the Labour Party won a landslide victory in the election. He would remain Prime Minister

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for almost a decade, and garnered credit for forging closer ties with the United States, for

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spearheading economic prosperity, and for advocating for Constitutional reforms that included re-

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writing the human rights section of the Constitution, providing for a Charter of Fundamental

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Rights and Freedoms, and creating the post of Public Defender; and

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     WHEREAS, In 2005, Mr. Seaga retired from elected public service and embarked on a

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career in academia in which he taught, wrote articles, and conducted research at the University of

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the West Indies and the University of Technology; and

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     WHEREAS, Mr. Seaga was the loving husband of Carla Vendryes, and the devoted

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father of Christopher, Andrew, Anabella, and Gabrielle; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

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Providence Plantations hereby expresses its condolences on the passing of the Honorable Edward

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Seaga, former Prime Minister of Jamaica; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister

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of Jamaica, and Carla Vendryes and Family.

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