Edward Seaga, Jamaica’s fifth Prime Minister and longest-serving Member of Parliament, has died.
He passed away in a Miami hospital on Tuesday, May 28, where he had been receiving treatment for cancer.
Seaga was known for a foreign policy that realigned Jamaica firmly with U.S. interests, including supporting the U.S. invasion of Grenada and supporting the blockade against Cuba. At home, he pushed for policies where privatizations were paramount to his economic policies.
“It is with great sadness that I inform the nation of the passing of the Most Honourable Edward Phillip George Seaga, the fifth Prime Minister of Jamaica,” said current Prime Minister Andrew Holness in remembrance of Seaga.
He transitioned today at approximately 1:00 pm Jamaica time. Mr Seaga was receiving treatment in the United States and had his family with him.
Today marks Seaga’s 89th birthday.
The family of Mr Seaga has asked me to express gratitude on their behalf for the many prayers and messages of comfort and support offered by the people of Jamaica.
Seaga served as prime minister of Jamaica between 1980 and 1989.
Mr. Seaga’s tenure as Prime Minister was very challenging and was fraught with social and political upheaval. Political clashes and violence was the order of the fay during Seaga’s reign in JA. Not even the legendary Bob Marley could get cooler heads to prevail.
Seaga’s conservative, and capitalist leaning government paralleled the Reagan administration which ruled from 1980 to 1988. His fiscal and social welfare policies were in direct contrast to his predecessor Michael Manley who was close to Castro’s Cuba and who focused more on the establishment of socialist based programs.
Though the jury is still out on the level of effectiveness of Seaga’s reign, I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity join other DNO posters in extending condolences to the family of a leader who served his country earnestly while trying to make our region a better place.
Eugenia and Seaga , History will not judge lightly . Their Pro-American stance , in Dominica’ case , we have nothin to show for helping put back Grenada in the basket of Subjects , “cockroach have no part in fowl business”. Mr Seaga collaborated with disaster in 79/80 Jamaica , We were seeing Regime then , and Mr Seaga was front and center , His Hell may have just started .
Mr. Seaga I was born in the US but chose to reject his US citizenship to serve the country of his parents, Jamaica!. Compare that to the Evil and very poisonous Viper that was born here and a minister of government here, but chose to become a French Citizen, just to not serve under a good Patriot like Pierre Charles. Yet we have that Evil 😈 viper distroying Da. Like the Apostle Paul once said, I wish to God that these vipers that distroyed us would go home and never to return. DA sure would be a better place. God bless the Seagas and all those that truly mourn his passing
A great Caribbean leader that served Jamaica and the Caribbean very well. Our region would surely be a better place if those evil leaders were like Seaga. May the Lord comfort his family, friends and those that want to see a better region
Well, he certainly went to the wrong country to get treatment.
I was in JA then the 80’s. One friend me introduced me to his friend upon arrival in Kingston. So the guy asked where was the bro from. MY JA friend replied Dominica. So he began asking about crime on DA. The other bro responded before I could.:”They are not developed in the crime aspect yet.
Today, over the last 15 yrs we are almost on par with JA nearly 3 decades plus after my encounter with that question. During those yrs you can see it was white decendents who ruled JA reason for despite it decades away in Physical development etc it has some of the most ignorant citizens in the region. Despite me having met some extremely warm ,loving peaceful people there. Now upon returning home I think DA has become JA in many ways.