Bharrat Jagdeo
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Bharrat Jagdeo
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 11 August 1999 |
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| Prime Minister | Sam Hinds |
| Preceded by | Janet Jagan |
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| In office 9 August 1999 – 11 August 1999 |
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| President | Janet Jagan |
| Preceded by | Sam Hinds |
| Succeeded by | Sam Hinds |
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| Born | 23 January 1964 Unity Village, Guyana |
| Political party | People's Progressive Party |
| Spouse | Varshni Jagdeo (Divorced) |
| Religion | Hindu |
Bharrat Jagdeo (born 23 January 1964) has been the President of Guyana since 11 August 1999. Prior to his presidency he was Minister of Finance[1] and became President after Janet Jagan resigned for health reasons; he has since won two elections, in 2001 and 2006. He is the youngest head of state of the Caricom countries. He is of Indo-Guyanese descent.
Jagdeo was born in Unity Village on the East Coast of Demerara. He joined the youth wing of the People's Progressive Party (PPP), the Progressive Youth Organisation, when he was 13, and became a member of the PPP itself at age 16. He subsequently rose to local leadership positions in the party.[1]
After obtaining a Master's in Economics from Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University in Moscow in 1990, Jagdeo returned to Guyana and worked as an economist in the State Planning Secretariat until the PPP/Civic election victory in the October 1992 election. After this he became Special Advisor to the Minister of Finance.[1]
Jagdeo was appointed as Junior Minister of Finance in October 1993, and a few weeks later, at the PPP's 24th Congress, he was elected to the party's Central Committee. He later became a member of the Executive Committee of the PPP. In the Cabinet, he was promoted to Senior Minister of Finance in May 1995.[1]
On August 8, 1999, Janet Jagan announced that she was resigning as President for health reasons and that Jagdeo would be her successor.[2] Because the Prime Minister is the President's legal successor, Jagdeo took office as Prime Minister on August 9 so that he would be positioned to succeed Jagan.[3] He was then sworn in as President on August 11.[4]
Jagdeo was re-elected for another five-year term on August 28, 2006, with the PPP garnering 54.6 percent of the votes and expanded its majority by two to 36 seats in the 65-member parliament. He was sworn in for another term on September 2. It should be noted that the 2006 election, was not free unlike previous elections, but was said to be peaceful and deemed free and fair by paid foreign observers. Although there were some administrative issues, the nature of the election was a major milestone for the country and President Jagdeo had promised to unite the various races to promote ethnic unity. Nevertheless, a race war was fueled between African and Indians in Guyana which aided ina further division of the people. [1] [2]
At the PPP's 29th Congress, Jagdeo received the highest number of votes (777) in the election to the party's Central Committee,[5][6] held on August 2, 2008.[5] He was then elected to the PPP Executive Committee[5][7] on August 12, 2008.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d "Meet the New Cabinet Members", GINA.
- ^ "Guyanese president resigns for health reasons", Associated Press (nl.newsbank.com), August 9, 1999.
- ^ "Jagan's heir sworn in as prime minister in Guyana", Associated Press (nl.newsbank.com), August 9, 1999.
- ^ "Guyana's new president urges racial tolerance", Associated Press (nl.newsbank.com), August 12, 1999.
- ^ a b c Press release on Central Committee election, August 3, 2008.
- ^ "Donald Ramotar re-elected General Secretary of PPP", Guyana Times, August 13, 2008.
- ^ a b "PPP GENERAL SECRETARY, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELECTED", PPP press statement, August 12, 2008.
[edit] External links
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Janet Jagan |
President of Guyana 1999 – present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Preceded by Sam Hinds |
Prime Minister of Guyana 1999 |
Succeeded by Sam Hinds |
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