Jamaica’s first government ministers

Jamaica’s first general elections under self-government was held in December 1944. This election was won by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), led by Alexander Bustamante. Bustamante was majority leader in the House of Representatives. The then 15 -member Executive Council included five elected representatives who were appointed government ministers. I must admit that I did not know of some of them. These ministers were:

1. Hon. William Alexander Bustamante (JLP – Kingston, Western) – Minister for Communications

Trade unionist and politician, he was born on February 24, 1884. He would become Jamaica’s first prime minister in independence. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1967. In 1969, he was awarded Jamaica’s highest honour, National Hero. He died on August 6, 1977.

2. Hon. Harold Egbert Allan, OBE (Ind/JLP – Portland) – Minister of Finance and General Purposes

Legislator, politician, businessman, planter, and sportsman, Sir Harold was a famous Jamaican in his day. He was born on March 15, 1895, in Portland and was a graduate of Mico Teachers’ College. He was active in politics from 1928. He was knighted by King George VI in 1948. Sir Harold died in hospital on February 18, 1953, while still in office.

3. Hon. Edward Rupert Dudley Evans (JLP - St Andrew, Western) – Minister for Agriculture, Lands, and Commerce

Solicitor, legislator, and politician, E.R.D. Evans was born on February 5, 1899, in St Andrew. He died at his home on Maxfield Avenue in Whitfield Town on December 10, 1957.

4. Hon. Jehoida Augustus McPherson (JLP – St Thomas, Western) – Minister of Education.

Educator and politician, he was born in Westmoreland on January 18, 1900. He was also a graduate of Mico Teachers’ College. After the 1949 elections, he was appointed minister of labour. He had a fairly long career in politics. It seems that he died in 1963.

5. Hon. Frank Ainsley Pixley (JLP – Kingston Central) – Minister of Social Welfare.

Solicitor and politician, Pixley was born in Morant Bay, St Thomas on October 20, 1905. Schools he attended included Calabar High and Jamaica College. He was admitted to practice as a solicitor in 1929. From Gleaner reports, Frank A. Pixley had serious ethics troubles in the 1950s and was struck from the list of solicitors in 1972 for grave misconduct.

The JLP again won the general elections held in 1949. The Constitution was further amended in 1953 when Sir Alexander Bustamante became chief minister and a Cabinet was appointed. Two more ministers were also appointed. These were:

6. Hon. Allan Mozzolin Westley Douglas, JP (JLP – Trelawny, Northern) - Minister of Trade and Industry

Solicitor and politician, he was born in Falmouth on July 5, 1908. He attended Browne’s High School. He was admitted to practice as a solicitor in 1939. He retired from political life in 1972. He died at his home in Falmouth, Trelawny, on June 5, 1990.

7. Hon. Rose Agatha Leon (JLP- St. Andrew, Western) - Minister of Health and Housing

A cosmetologist, businesswoman, and politician, Madame Leon was the first woman to hold a ministerial post. She was born in St Ann on October 20, 1911, and attended Wolmer’s Girls’ School. She also had professional training in New York. She started her political career in the 1940s and retired in 1980. Regrettably, Rose Leon was murdered at her home in August 1999.

Submitted by Marcia Thomas, history enthusiast