Jamaica’s Second Prime Minister, the Most Honorable Sir Donald Burns Sangster
The Most Honorable Sir Donald Burns Sangster, ON, KCVO: February 22, 1967, to April 11, 1967
Sir Donald was born in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, on October 26, 1911. Some Jamaicans consider him the “quiet gentleman” of Jamaican politics. He has often been referred to as more of a technocrat, a specialist financial administrator, than a politician. He was a deputy leader of the JLP from 1949 to 1967 and represented the South St. Elizabeth constituency from 1949 to 1955 and North-East St. Elizabeth from 1955.
Sangster first served as minister of social welfare from 1950 to 1953. He was appointed minister of finance from 1953 to 1955. In 1962 he held the same portfolio when the JLP won and was named deputy prime minister. In 1964 he acted as prime minister when Sir Alexander Bustamante was ill, and again in 1965 until the 1967 general elections when the JLP was reelected. He then became Jamaica’s second prime minister on February 22.
However, shortly after naming his Cabinet, Sir Donald was stricken with a neurological disorder and was rushed to a hospital in Montreal, Canada. Unfortunately, he never recovered and died on April 11.
Queen Elizabeth II knighted him on his deathbed. His sudden death, and brief tenure as prime minister, after years of dedicated service as a minister and deputy prime minister, placed Jamaica into a period of deep mourning. Sir Donald Sangster was greatly admired, loved, and respected as a leader of utmost integrity. Thousands of Jamaicans of all classes filed past his open casket at the Kingston Parish Church to pay their respects before his internment at the National Heroes Park, where he laid in state for several days.
The international airport in Montego Bay is named in his honor, and his image appears on the Jamaica one hundred dollar note.
