Three Days of National Mourning for Dominica’s First Prime Minister
ROSEAU, Dominica – Dominica Monday began three days of national mourning for its first prime minister, Patrick Roland John, who died on July 6. He was 84 years old.
Former Prime Minister Patrick John (File Photo)A government statement said that flags will be flown at half-staff on all public buildings during the three-day period, in honor of John, who served as Dominica’s first prime minister from November 3, 1978, to June 21, 1979, after leading the island to political independence from Britain.
It said that John’s body will lie in state on Tuesday for specially invited groups and the general public at the forecourt of the Windsor Park Sports Stadium in the capital.
“Due to COVID-19 protocols, a maximum of 10 persons will be allowed to view at a time. The body will also lie in state on Wednesday at the State House Conference Center for Parliamentary and Government Officials.
The statement said that the funeral service will be held at the St. Gerald’s Cathedral Chapel in Roseau commencing at 2:00 pm (local time) and burial will be at the Anglican Church grounds.
“In light of the COVID-19 protocols, attendance will be limited to family members and invitees only,” the statement said, adding that the funeral service will be streamed live on various outlets including, the state-owned DBS radio.
The cause of John’s death has not been disclosed, but he had in recent years been suffering from diabetes and had one of his legs amputated in 2016.
John was also leader of the Waterfront and Allied Workers’ Union and mayor of Roseau before being elected to the legislature in 1970.
He entered Parliament as a member of E.O. LeBlanc’s ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP), holding several ministerial posts, and when LeBlanc resigned in 1974, John succeeded him as prime minister.
But on May 29, 1979, in the face of widespread protests to his austere leadership, soldiers fired on demonstrating crowds. In the ensuing melee, a young man was shot dead and several persons were injured. Resistance to his rule strengthened as public servants went on strike and the country was completely shut down. He was eventually forced to resign in June 1979 after several of his cabinet ministers deserted the party.
Prior to his removal from office, John was given the position of colonel in the now defunct Dominica Defense Force (DDF), and he will be remembered mostly for the 12-year-jail sentence that was imposed on him in 1985 on a charge of conspiracy to overthrow the government in a 1981 plot with United States mercenaries.
John is survived by his wife Desiree and children Rennick, Patrick Jnr., Nyerere and Ishah John, Patricia Anselm, Hephelia Dailey and Paula Jean-Jacques.
