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

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

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

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

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

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

in the Social Sciences; and

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

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

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

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

in Jamaica and the West Indies; and

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

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

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

Legislative Council of Jamaica; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the West Indies and the University of Technology; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

of Jamaica, and Carla Vendryes and Family.

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