John Compton

Infobox_Prime Minister
name = Sir John G M Compton
order = 1st, 5th & 8th Prime Minister of Saint Lucia
term_start = February 22, 1979 – July 2, 1979
May 3, 1982 – April 2, 1996
December 11, 2006
term_end = September 7, 2007
vicepresident =
predecessor = Michael Pilgrim (1982)
Kenny Anthony (2006)
successor = Allan Louisy (1979)
Vaughan Lewis (1996)
Stephenson King (2007)
birth_date = birth date|1925|4|29
birth_place =
death_date = death date and age|2007|9|7|1925|4|29
death_place = flagicon|Saint Lucia Tapion Hospital, Castries, Saint Lucia
party = United Workers Party
spouse = Lady Barbara Janice Compton nee Clarke
religion = Anglican
nicknames = Daddy Compton, Compy, Father of the nation
languagesspoken =

Sir John George Melvin Compton, KBE (April 29, 1925 – September 7, 2007) was the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia in 1979, from 1982 to 1996, and from 2006 until his death. Compton, who previously led Saint Lucia under British rule from 1964 to 1979, was the country's first leader when it became independent in February 1979. He led the conservative United Workers Party (UWP) from 1964 until 1996, and again from 2005 to 2007.

Early life and beginnings of political career

Compton was born in 1925 in Canouan, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. [http://www.pm.gov.lc/former_prime_ministers/john_g_m_compton/cv.htm CV] at government website.] Albert Brandford, [http://www.nationnews.com/story/289783887632118.php "People's servant to the end"] , nationnews.com, September 9, 2007.] In September 1939, he was taken to Saint Lucia. [http://www.pm.gov.lc/former_prime_ministers/john_g_m_compton/biography.htm Biography] at government website.] While studying law and economics, Compton attended the University College of Wales from 1948 to 1949 and the London School of Economics from 1949 to 1951; he was called to the Bar on August 7 1951. His political career began in 1954, when he ran as an independent for the seat from Micoud/Dennery in Saint Lucia and was elected. He was appointed to the Executive Council and, under the Committee System then used, became Member for Social Affairs until the end of the Committee System in 1956. In the latter year, he joined the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP). He notably participated in a sugar workers' strike in 1957, and was fined for obstructing roads. Re-elected in 1957, he became Minister for Trade and Production in 1958, and also became deputy leader of the SLP, under George Charles. In 1960 he was named Minister of Trade and Industry under Charles, who became Chief Minister. Compton was again re-elected in 1961, but chose not to join the Executive Council; objecting to the choice of ministers, he quit the SLP and along with his supporters he formed a new party, the National Labour Movement, in the same year.

In 1964, together with another opposition party, the People's Progressive Party, he and the National Labour Movement formed a new party, the United Workers' Party (UWP). This new party won the election held in June 1964, and Compton became Chief Minister.

Administration under British rule, 1964–1979

In office, Compton worked for Saint Lucia's independence from British rule. When Saint Lucia became an Associated State of the United Kingdom, a move closer to independence that placed the Saint Lucian government fully in charge of the island's internal affairs, on March 1 1967, Compton became Premier. [http://www.stlucia.gov.lc/stluciasilver/constitutional_development.htm "Constitutional development"] , Saint Lucian government website.] At the conference leading to this, from April to May 1966, Compton sharply criticized the British government for excluding certain issues, and accused it of favoring "second-class citizenship for people of another color". [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/08/news/CB-GEN-St-Lucia-Obit-Compton.php "John Compton, Prime Minister of St. Lucia, dies at 82"] , Associated Press ("International Herald Tribune"), September 8, 2007.] In 1968, he married Barbara Janice Clarke, with whom he would have five children.

Following the UWP's victory in the 1974 election, Compton pushed for negotiations leading to independence, which was achieved on February 22 1979; Compton became the newly independent nation's first Prime Minister.

As Prime Minister and in opposition, 1979–1996

A few months after independence, the UWP was defeated in an election by the SLP, and Compton became Leader of the Opposition. The SLP government collapsed in January 1982, and the UWP won the subsequent election in May 1982; Compton became Prime Minister again. He remained in office until he retired in 1996; he was replaced by his chosen successor, Vaughan Lewis. Compton became a legal consultant.

In office, Compton's policies were conservative, pro-Western and anti-communist. He also worked for increased regional integration, and upon leaving office in 1996 he mentioned it as a disappointment that the region's population remained a "divided people scattered over the Caribbean Sea".

Return to politics

On March 13 2005, the UWP elected Compton, then 80 years old, as its leader again at a party convention in Soufriere; he received 260 votes against 135 for Vaughan Lewis. ["Ex-prime minister regains leadership of St Lucian opposition", Caribbean Media Corporation (Bridgetown), March 14, 2005.] In spite of being labeled a geriatric by the governing St Lucia Labour Party, Compton led the UWP to a surprising victory on December 11, 2006; [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/15/news/CB_GEN_St._Lucia_Prime_Minister.php "Sir John Compton, father of St. Lucia's independence, sworn in as prime minister"] , Associated Press, December 15, 2006.] Rickey Singh, [http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20061211T000000-0500_116559_OBS_UPSET_IN_ST_LUCIA_.asp "Upset in St Lucia"] , "Jamaica Observer", December 12, 2007.] he was elected to the seat from Micoud North, winning an easy victory over SLP candidate Silas Wilson. He was sworn in as Prime Minister on December 15. His cabinet was sworn in on December 19; with Compton as Prime Minister and Finance Minister. [Anselma Aimable, [http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/cgi-script/csArticles/articles/000048/004841.htm "St Lucia swears in new government ministers"] , Caribbean Net News, December 20, 2006.]

As Compton prepared for and campaigned for the 2006 poll, he faced doubts about how capable he was of holding office, considering his advanced age. Compton, however, gave the appearance of being fit and ready for leadership. He was quoted as saying that he was not preparing to run in the Olympics but for leadership of the nation. [Donna Sealy, [http://www.nationnews.com/story/313630520175676.php "Pa Pa's journey"] , "The Nation" (Barbados), December 15, 2006.]

Election history

John Compton dug his political roots in the eastern sugar belt in 1954 and thanks to his involvement in the 1957 sugar strike, they remained planted there throughout a full half century.

His immense popularity there was sustained through three generations so much so that when he returned to the fray for the very last time in the elections of 2006, after being 10 years and two elections away, he was bluntly told by supporters that he need not organize any major campaign. The result: Compton easily won the contest by more than 1,000 votes to become the representative of Micoud North for the very first time.

Compton as an Independent won his debut election contest in 1954 carrying away 51 percent of the total votes. But after the 1957 strike his personal popularity soared and in successive elections his share of the votes was often in excess of 90 percent.

In nearby Dennery, he was able to call the shots there as well as to who should run that constituency. But all that changed in 1979 when Compton’s stranglehold on the eastern felt began to flag. In that year,

1954--MICOUD DENNERY J.G.M Compton (Ind.) 1404L. Williams (PPP) 546James L. Charles (SLP) 402Francis G. Charles 389

1957-- MICOUD DENNERYJ.G.M Compton (SLP) 3621Harold F.C.Simmons (PPP) 137

1961 MICOUD-PRASLINJ.G.M Compton (SLP) 1488Antoine Theodore (PPP) 96

1964—MICOUD-PRASLINJ.G.M Compton (UWP) 1532George Murray (SLP) 80J.L. Lubin (Ind). 45

1969—MICOUD-PRASLINJ.G.M Compton (UWP) 2047George Murray (SLP) 185

1974—MICOUD SOUTH

J.G.M Compton (UWP) 1009Francis Flood (Ind.) 227

1979—MICOUD SOUTHJ.G.M Compton (UWP) 1221Raymond Flood (SLP) 469

1982—MICOUD SOUTHJ.G.M Compton (UWP) 1529Henry. Marquis (SLP) 169S. Mathurin (PLP) 78

6th. April 1987—MICOUD SOUTHJ.G.M Compton ( UWP) 1589Henry Marquis (SLP) 289Lazarus Jn. Baptiste (PLP) 145

30th. April 1987—MICOUD SOUTHJ.G.M Compton (UWP) 1792Henry Marquis (SLP) 357

1992—MICOUD SOUTHJ.G.M Compton (UWP) 1792Vernantius James (SLP) 680

2006—MICOUD NORTHJ.G.M Compton (UWP) 2142Silas Wilson (SLP) 1091

Patrick Joseph (Ind) 110

Illness and death

On May 1 2007, Compton was hospitalised in New York City after he suffered a series of strokes which left him physically impaired. [Anselma Aimable, [http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-1579--20-20--.html "St Lucia PM remains in New York hospital after stroke"] , Caribbean Net News, May 18, 2007.] [ [http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070516/carib/carib1.html "Compton suffered series of strokes"] , "The Jamaica Gleaner", May 16, 2007.] He fell ill while visiting a doctor for a normal checkup. [ [http://www.stluciastar.com/NewsHome/LocalNews/tabid/571/newsid1152/2094/Default.aspx "Lady Janice speaks publicly about her husband"] , "St. Lucia Star", July 10, 2007.]

On May 16, Leonard Montoute, who serves as St. Lucia's Sports Minister and deputy leader of the United Workers Party, said that Compton was unable to stand or walk on his own and that the cabinet would select a new Prime Minister to lead the island nation. [ [http://www.cbc.bb/content/view/10838/45/ "Sir John will no longer be Prime Minister"] , Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, May 16, 2007.]

Compton returned to Saint Lucia on May 19. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/21/news/CB-GEN-St.-Lucia-Premier.php "St. Lucia prime minister returns from U.S. following treatment for strokes"] , Associated Press ("International Herald Tribune"), May 21, 2007.] He temporarily resumed power in early June to oversee a cabinet reshuffle, in which he remained Prime Minister but gave up the finance portfolio to Acting Prime Minister Stephenson King. [Ernie Seon, [http://www.nationnews.com/story/375067931015624.php "Sir John shakes up Cabinet"] , Nationnews.com, June 7, 2007.] King said on June 8 that Compton's condition was improving. [ [http://www.radiojamaica.com/news/story.php?category=6&story=36661 "St. Lucian Prime Minister’s health improves"] , Radiojamaica.com, June 8, 2007.] On July 11, he attended a meeting with several cabinet ministers, the first time he had done so since the strokes. [ [http://www.cbc.bb/content/view/11727/45/ "Sir John makes first public appearance"] , cbc.bb, July 11, 2007.]

In late July, it was announced that Compton would resign by the end of 2007. [Rickey Singh, [http://www.nationnews.com/editorial/308373562152975.php "Our Caribbean – A hobbled government in St Lucia"] , Nationnews.com, August 10, 2007.] On August 26, Compton was admitted to the Tapion Hospital in Castries because he was having trouble breathing [http://www.cbc.bb/content/view/12408/45/ "Sir John flies to Martinique for medical aid"] , cbc.bb, September 1, 2007.] due to pneumonia.Kurt Reynolds, [http://www.stluciastar.com/NewsHome/LocalNews/tabid/571/newsid1152/2578/Default.aspx "Finally, Sir John’s doctors speak!"] , "St. Lucia Star", September 10, 2007.] While there, it was learned that he had suffered another stroke while recovering from the previous strokes. [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/02/news/CB-GEN-St-Lucia-Premier.php "St Lucia's ailing prime minister flown to Martinique for medical treatment"] Associated Press ("International Herald Tribune"), September 1, 2007.] On September 1, he was flown to Martinique for treatment [http://www.stlucia.gov.lc/addresses_and_speeches/stephenson_king/address_to_the_nation_by_hon_stephenson_king_on_the_passing_of_sir_john_compton_sept_8_2007.htm "Address to the Nation By Acting Prime Minister Honourable Stephenson King on The Passing of Sir John Compton September 8, 2007"] , Saint Lucian government website.] of his pneumonia. While there, his condition worsened and he was placed on a ventilator. On September 4, doctors decided that his condition was hopeless; on September 5, he was returned to the Tapion Hospital in Saint Lucia to die. He died there on September 7 2007. Acting Prime Minister King declared two weeks of mourning, beginning on September 8.

A state funeral was held for Compton in Castries, at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, on September 18. [Anselma Aimable, [http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-3603--20-20--.html "Final farewell to Sir John Compton in St Lucia"] , Caribbean Net News, September 19, 2007.] Despite Compton's Anglican faith, the local Catholic church was used due to the large number of mourners [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/19/news/CB-GEN-St-Lucia-Compton.php "High honors paid to late prime minister as St Lucia bids final farewell"] , Associated Press ("International Herald Tribune"), September 18, 2007.] and at the request of Sir John. The funeral services held in Micoud on 16 September and at the Minor Basilica on 18 September were in keeping with the requests of Sir John for his funeral service, including the hymns which were specifically requested by him. He was cremated on 19 September and his ashes spread in the Troumasse River at his estate in Mahaut upon his request. [Jeannine Compton, daughter ]

In a by-election held on November 26 2007, Compton's daughter Janine Compton-Rambally won his constituency of Micoud North. ["Daughter of St Lucia's former premier wins by-election", Caribbean Media Corporation (nl.newsbank.com), November 27, 2007.]

References

External links

* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,2165623,00.html Obituary, "The Guardian", 9 September 2007]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2418769.ece Obituary, "The Times", 10 September 2007]