Everything about Eric Gairy totally explained
Sir Eric Matthew Gairy (
February 18,
1920 -
August 23,
1997) was a
Grenadian politician. He was born in St. Andrew's Parish, near Grenville, Grenada.
Gairy in Office
He founded the
Grenada United Labour Party in
1950, which began as a
labour union but later took part in
elections, and served as Chief Minister from
1954 to
1960 and from
1961 until
1962 when he was dismissed for corruption. He served as Premier between 1967 and 1974, and became the first
Prime Minister of Grenada from
1974. He led his country to independence from Britain in
1974. Gairy's term in office coincided with civil strife in Grenada. The political environment was highly charged and although Gairy won a general election in 1976, the opposition didn't accept the result as legitimate. The civil strife took the form of street violence between government supporters including the
Mongoose gangs and gangs organized by the
New Jewel Movement. In the late 1970s, the NJM began planning to overthrow the government. Party members began to receive military training outside of Grenada.
On
March 13,
1979 while Gairy was out of the country, the New Jewel Movement under
Maurice Bishop launched an armed revolution and overthrew the government. Bishop suspended the constitution and the New Jewel Movement ruled the country by decree until 1983.
Exile in the United States
Gairy stayed in exile in the
United States until
1983, when the United States, backed by some Caribbean allies - notably, Dame
Eugenia Charles, then-Prime Minister of
Dominica - invaded to topple a 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 the elections, and attempts by Gairy and his party to return to power in
1990 and
1995 were also unsuccessful. He died in Grand Anse, Grenada.
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