Eric Gairy

Who is Eric Gairy?

Sir Eric Matthew Gairy was a Grenadian trade unionist and politician who became the first Prime Minister of independent Grenada. He was born on 18 February 1922 in Dunfermline, St Andrew's Parish, and worked as a young man in the Lago Oil and Transport Company refinery in Aruba, where he grew active in labor organizing. Returning home, he founded the Grenada United Labour Party in 1950 and was repeatedly elected to the island's Legislative Council through the 1950s. He served as Chief Minister and Minister of Finance from 1961 to 1962, before being dismissed by the colonial governor over allegations of misuse of state funds, and returned to power as Premier of the Associated State of Grenada after the 1967 election. When Grenada achieved full independence from Britain on 7 February 1974, Gairy became its first Prime Minister. His later years in office were marked by controversy, including the activity of an irregular security force known as the Mongoose Gang and his outspoken advocacy at the United Nations for international study of unidentified flying objects. On 13 March 1979, while Gairy was abroad, the New JEWEL Movement led by Maurice Bishop overthrew his government in a bloodless coup. Gairy lived in exile in the United States until 1983 and died in 1997.

Sources: Eric Gairy, Wikipedia biographical entry (cross-checked) · Encyclopedia.com, "Gairy, Eric (1922-1997)" · Caribbean Hall of Fame, "Eric Gairy" biographical profile