MANLEY – Michael

RCAF – later Jamaica Prime Minister

[Source: CG, UC]

F/ Lt Michael Manley, Jamaica, became Prime Minister. Manley served with the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. In 1945, he enrolled at the London School of Economics. In 1949, he graduated, and returned to Jamaica to serve as an editor and columnist for the newspaper Public Opinion. At around the same time, he became involved in the trade union movement, and became a negotiator for the National Worker’s Union. In August, 1953, he became a full-time official of that union. When his father was elected chief minister of Jamaica in 1955, Michael resisted the idea of entering politics, not wanting to be seen as capitalizing on his family name. He eventually relented, however, and accepted an appointment to the Senate of the Parliament of Jamaica in 1962. He later won a very close election to the Jamaican House of Representatives in 1967. After his father’s retirement, he became the leader of the People’s National Party in 1969. In that capacity, he served as leader of the Opposition until his party won in the general elections of 1972.

[Source: Wikipedia]

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