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21-586: The party was founded by Eric Gairy in 1950. It contested the first elections held under universal suffrage in 1951, and won six of the eight seats. The 1954 elections saw the same outcome. In the 1957 elections it lost four seats, whilst two other parties, the Grenada National Party and the People's Democratic Movement also won two seats, with the GNP's leader Herbert Blaize becoming leader of

42-589: A by-election in July 1961 and became Chief Minister, as his party held a majority in the Legislative Council since winning the 1961 general election . He served as Chief Minister and Minister of Finance from August 1961 until April 1962 when he was dismissed by the British colonial Governor for the questionable use of state funds. Gairy's party lost the 1962 general election and he served as leader of

63-596: The Lago Oil and Transport Company . Eric Gairy returned to Grenada in December, 1949 to enter trade unionism and politics. In 1950 he founded the Grenada Manual & Mental Workers Union (GMMWU) and was deeply involved in encouraging the 1951 general strike for better working conditions. This sparked great unrest - so many buildings were set ablaze that the disturbances became known as the "Sky Red" days - and

84-536: The United States until 1983, when the United States, backed by some Caribbean allies – notably, Dame Eugenia Charles , Prime Minister of Dominica and Edward Seaga , Prime Minister of Jamaica – invaded to topple a military government which had overthrown and killed Bishop. Gairy then returned to Grenada and campaigned in the elections of 1984 , claiming to be a changed man. However, his party lost

105-547: The British authorities had to call in military reinforcements to help regain control of the situation. Gairy himself was taken into custody. In 1950, Gairy founded the Grenada United Labour Party . He was elected as a representative of the Colony of Grenada's Legislative Council in 1951, 1954, and 1957. He was banned from political activities and lost his seat between 1957 and 1961. Gairy was returned in

126-622: The NJM began planning to overthrow the government, with party members receiving military training outside of Grenada. In 1979, a rumour circulated that Gairy would use the Gang to eliminate leaders of the New Jewel Movement while he was out of the country. In response, Bishop overthrew Gairy in March of that year while the latter was visiting the United States. On 13 March 1979, while Gairy

147-713: The contest and chanted "Swe-den, Swe-den". Four days later, organising director Julia Morley (1941-) resigned because of the intense pressure from the newspapers. Years later Johansson was reported as saying that she had been cheated out of the title. Gairy won the 1972 general election and formed a new administration as Premier of the Associated State of Grenada. Gairy became the first Prime Minister of Grenada when Grenada achieved independence from Great Britain on 7 February 1974. Gairy's term in office coincided with civil strife in Grenada. The political environment

168-401: The contest had been rigged. The BBC and newspapers received numerous protests about the result, and accusations of racism were made by all sides. Four of the nine judges had given first-place votes to Miss Sweden, Marjorie Christel Johansson , while Miss Grenada received only two firsts, yet Johansson finished fourth. Some of the audience gathered in the street outside Royal Albert Hall after

189-522: The eastern side of the island near Grenville, Grenada . He attended the LaFillette School and then the St. Andrews Roman Catholic Senior School. He was also an acolyte at St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church, next door to the school. He became a primary "student-teacher" in the LaFillette School from January 1939 to September 1941. He moved to Aruba where he worked several years in the oil refinery of

210-569: The elections, winning 36% of the popular vote but only a single seat in the House of Representatives . Attempts by Gairy and his party to return to power in 1990 and 1995 were also unsuccessful. He died in Grand Anse, Grenada, in 1997. 1961 Grenadian general election General elections were held in Grenada on 27 March 1961. Eric Gairy 's Grenada United Labour Party won eight of

231-529: The introduction of the new Constitution on 21 December 1959 real authority for governing the country was given to a Chief Minister and those from the majority party in the Legislative Council. Herbert Blaize was appointed the first Chief Minister from 1 January 1960 when the Legislative Council provisions took effect. The Constitution stipulated that at the next election the Legislature would consist of ten elected members and two nominated members. The Queen

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252-541: The island. The party regained power after winning eight of the ten seats in the 1961 elections . It lost the 1962 elections to the GNP, before returning to power in the 1967 elections . The party remained in power following the 1972 elections , but Gairy's government became increasingly authoritarian, with his secret police (the Mongoose Gang ) threatening the opposition. Following the 1976 elections , which were branded fraudulent by international observers, Gairy

273-474: The opposition between 1962 and 1967. Gairy won the 1967 general election and formed a new administration as Premier of the Associated State of Grenada. In the 1970 Miss World pageant in London, controversy followed after Grenadian contestant Jennifer Hosten won, and another black contestant from South Africa placed second. Since Gairy was on the judging panel, inevitably there were many accusations that

294-605: The overthrow of Eric Gairy with solidarity movements. One such solidarity movement existed in San Antonio, Texas and was headed by African-American activist Mario Marcel Salas , who was active in his overthrow on a number of levels. Civil strife took the form of street violence between government supporters, including the Mongoose Gang, and gangs organized by the New Jewel Movement (NJM). In the late 1970s,

315-419: The ten seats, his wife Cynthia Gairy becoming the first woman to be elected to the legislature. George E.D. Clyne of GULP became Chief Minister and served from March to August 1961 when, following the direct intervention of the British government, Gairy's political ban was lifted early, and Clyne resigned allowing Gairy to return in a by-election and become Chief Minister. Voter turnout was 55.5%. Following

336-497: Was overthrown in a coup in 1979. After democracy was restored, GULP won only a single seat in the 1984 elections and has since remained in opposition. It formed an alliance with United Labour for the 1999 elections , in which it lost parliamentary representation for the first time since 1951. However, it regained a seat when Michael Baptiste of the ruling New National Party defected to GULP in June 2000. Gloria Payne Banfield

357-470: Was at the UN, the New Jewel Movement led by Maurice Bishop launched a bloodless coup and overthrew the government. Bishop suspended the constitution, and the New Jewel Movement ruled the country with mass support from the population until 1983. Anti-Gairy activity was carried out in the United States in support of the revolution to overthrow Gairy, including activists in San Antonio, Texas. Gairy stayed in exile in

378-610: Was elected as GULP leader in February 2003, becoming Grenada's first female party leader. In the general elections the party won 3.2% of the vote but again failed to win a seat. For the 2008 elections it formed an alliance with the People's Labour Movement named the Labour Platform. The alliance fielded 11 candidates for the 15 seats, but received only 478 votes and no seats. Eric Gairy Sir Eric Matthew Gairy PC (18 February 1922 – 23 August 1997)

399-505: Was highly charged, with Gairy's secret police, the Mongoose Gang , terrorizing opponents. Gairy's party narrowly won the 1976 election but the result was declared fraudulent by international observers due to intimidation of the opposition by the Mongoose Gang. On 27 November 1978, Eric Gairy led a group including scientists and an astronaut in addressing the United Nations on the subject of UFOs . US citizens helped to support

420-405: Was represented by an Administrator with reduced powers. Grenada's Administrator at this time was James Lloyd , a Jamaican. Gairy, the leader of GULP, had been banned from political activity for five years for disrupting an opponent's political meeting on 28 October 1957, by leading a steel band through it. He was not eligible to be a candidate in 1961. Administrator James Lloyd would not raise

441-483: Was the first Prime Minister of Grenada , serving from his country's independence in 1974 until his overthrow in a coup by Maurice Bishop in 1979. Gairy also served as head of government in pre-independence Grenada as Chief Minister from 1961 to 1962 and as Premier from 1967 to 1974. Eric Matthew Gairy was the son of Douglas and Theresa Gairy, and was born 18 February 1922 in Dunfermline, St. Andrew's Parish on

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