John Osborne (Montserrat politician) explained

John Alfred Osborne
Office:Chief Minister of Montserrat
Order:3rd
Predecessor:Percival Austin Bramble
Successor:Reuben Meade
Predecessor2:David Brandt
Successor2:Lowell Lewis
Party:People's Liberation Movement
Birth Name:John Alfred Osborne
Birth Date:1935 5, df=yes
Birth Place:St. Peter's, Montserrat
Death Place:Kentucky, United States
Spouse:Mary Elizabeth Eleanor Osborne née Flemming (1958). Ardith Osborne
Children:Joan Osborne, Shirley Osborne, David Mervyn Osborne, Brenda Osborne, Donald Sylvester Osborne (Deceased), John Patrick Osborne, Audison Osborne, Tuyen Osborne, Tarique Osborne
Occupation:Engineer, Shipwright, Businessman
Mawards:is not set -->
Term Start:November 1978
Term End:10 October 1991
Term Start2:5 April 2001
Term End2:2 June 2006

John Alfred Osborne (27 May 1935 – 2 January 2011)[1] was a chief minister of Montserrat.

He first came to that position in November 1978, as a member of the People's Liberation Movement, and continued until losing legislative council elections on 10 October 1991. By 2001 he had switched parties, joining the New People's Liberation Movement. Under his leadership, the NPLM won 7 of 9 seats in legislative council elections on 2 April 2001,[2] and he served as chief minister from 5 April 2001 until 3 June 2006 when he resigned after elections in which his party was defeated. A major issue for his government has been the continuing recovery of the island of Montserrat after a volcanic eruption which devastated the southern part of the island, burying the capital city of Plymouth in ash and forcing its population to flee, in many cases off the island due to lack of housing. The eruption, which began in July 1995, continues today on a vastly reduced scale, the damage being confined to Plymouth and the surrounding areas., a new airport and docking facilities have opened and Montserratians and tourists alike are beginning to return.

In July 2008, Gerald's Airport in Montserrat was renamed John A. Osborne Airport in his honour.[3] His daughter Shirley Osborne is the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Montserrat.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Former Montserrat Chief Minister Osborne dies . Stabroek News . 12 July 2020 . 2 January 2011.
  2. http://www.thecommonwealth.org/YearbookInternal/140416/140427/montserrat/ Entry on Montserrat
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20090826211224/http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/26416-Montserrat-renames-its-airport Montserrat renames its airport