Dominica's first PM Patrick John passes away

Dominica: Dominica has witnessed with great shock today, as the first Prime Minister of Dominica, Patrick John, popularly known as PJ, left this world at the age of 83 due to heart disease.Notably, he took his last breath at Dominica-Friendship Hospital on Tuesday, a few hours after being taken to the institution on Monday night.The present prime minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, paid his condolences to his family and loved ones.He said that Patrick Ronald John had made a “tremendous contribution” to the socio-economic development of the island."There are a number of interventions he would have done in his tenure and prime minister of Dominica. Being in political life is a huge challenge. Often times the gratitude is not displayed and extended by our citizens and I am sure Patrick John would have experienced this,” Skerrit added.

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Prime Minister Skerrit further noted, "We are saddened by his death but we know he has not been well for some time. He is known in sports, particularly football and he has really made his contribution, and so may his soul rest in peace."Additionally, PM informed, "We will also have the flag flown at half-mast,” Patrick Roland John, born in Roseau on 7 January 1938, was the 1st Prime Minister of Dominica, also its last Premier. He led Dominica to independence from the land of the United Kingdom (UK). He was a leader of the Waterfront and Allied Workers' Union and mayor of Roseau before being named to the legislature in 1970. He became Premier in the year 1974, following the resignation of Edward Oliver LeBlanc. Subsequent mass turmoil forced him to resign; John unsuccessfully attempted to overthrow the government of PM Eugenia Charles with the lining of white supremacist groups (in what became dubbed "Operation Red Dog"). As an outcome, he was jailed for twelve years, of which he served five years.