Alexander Bustamante

The Right Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante
1st Prime Minister of Jamaica
In office 1962–1967
Deputy	Donald Sangster
Preceded by	Norman Manley
Succeeded by	Donald Sangster
Personal details
Born	24 February 1884(1884-02-24) Hanover, Jamaica
Died	6 August 1977(1977-08-06) (aged 93) Irish Town, Jamaica
Nationality	Jamaican
Political party	Jamaica Labour Party
Spouse(s)	Gladys Longbridge
Religion	Roman Catholic

Sir William Alexander Clarke Bustamante GBE, National Hero of Jamaica (24 February 1884 – 6 August 1977) was a Jamaican politician and labour leader.

He was born as William Alexander Clarke to an Irish Roman Catholic planter, Robert Constantine Clarke, and wife Mary née Wilson, who was of mixed race. He claimed that he took the name Bustamante to honour an Iberian sea captain who befriended him in his youth.

After travelling the world, including working as a policeman in Cuba and as a dietician in a New York City hospital, he returned to Jamaica in 1932 and became a leader of the struggle against colonial rule. He first brought himself to public attention as a writer of letters to the Daily Gleaner newspaper; in 1937 he became treasurer of the Jamaica Workers' Union which had been founded by labour activist Allan G.S. Coombs. During the 1938 labour rebellion he quickly became identified as the spokesman for striking workers. Coombs' JWU became the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) after the revolt, and Bustamante became known as "The Chief".^{[citation needed]}

He was imprisoned for subversive activities in 1940. However, the anti-colonial effort resulted in the granting of universal suffrage to Jamaica. He was released from prison in 1943 and founded the Jamaica Labour Party the same year, having previously been a member of the party founded by his cousin, Norman Manley, the People's National Party (founded 1938). Bustamante's party won 22 of 32 seats in the first House of Representatives elected by universal suffrage, making Bustamante the unofficial government leader (as Minister for Communications) until the position of Chief Minister was created in 1953. He held this position until the JLP was defeated in 1955. In 1947 and 1948 he also served as mayor of Kingston.

Though initially a supporter, he came to be an opponent of the Federation of the West Indies and agitated for Jamaica to become an independent state. It was Bustamante's decision that the JLP would not contest a by-election to the federal parliament that resulted in his rival and cousin, Premier Norman Manley, calling the referendum in 1961 that led to Jamaica's withdrawal and the break-up of the Federation.^{[citation needed]}

Jamaica was granted independence in 1962 and Bustamante served as the independent country's first Prime Minister until 1967. However, in 1965 he withdrew from active participation in public life, and real power was held by his deputy, Donald Sangster.^{[citation needed]}

In 1969, Bustamante was proclaimed a 'National Hero of Jamaica', along with Norman Manley, the black liberationist Marcus Garvey and two leaders of the 1865 Morant Bay rebellion, Paul Bogle and George William Gordon.^{[citation needed]}

Bustamante died in 1977 and was buried in the National Heroes Park in Kingston.

Bustamante backbone

There is a Jamaican cuisine candy named after Bustamante called the Bustamante backbone. It is a hard grated coconut and sugar confection "which is said to represent his firmness of character." Bustamante was considered a "buster", "a champion of the common man and tough article." Gizzada is a sweet that has some similarities.

External links

• Alexander Bustamante's biography

Preceded by None (New Position) or British Governors of Jamaica	Chief Minister of Jamaica 1953-1955	Succeeded by Norman Manley
Preceded by Norman Manley	Prime Minister of Jamaica 1962-1967	Succeeded by Sir Donald Sangster