Former Jamaican Prime Minister PJ Patterson is celebrating his 90th birthday today, but he has organized a ceremonial celebration for Saturday at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona campus. A pan-Africanist mural will be unveiled as part of the festivities at the PJ Patterson Institute for Africa Caribbean Advocacy, where he has been involved since his retirement in 2006.
Given Patterson’s standing as a pan-Africanist who is well-known for his fervent support of African-Caribbean ties, the mural’s unveiling is entirely appropriate.
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Although PJ Patterson was born on April 10, 1935, to farmer Henry Patterson and educator Ina James, he was raised in Hanover and went to Somerton Primary School in St James. He attended Calabar High School, where he received a Purscell Trust Scholarship, and graduated in 1953. He then enrolled in the University College of the West Indies, which is now known as the UWI, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in English in 1958.
He received the Leverhume Scholarship and the Sir Hughes Parry Prize for Excellence in the Law of Contracts while pursuing his legal studies at the London School of Economics.
He received his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1963, was admitted to the Jamaican Bar, and was summoned to the Middle Temple Bar.
After joining the People’s National Party (PNP), Patterson advanced through the ranks gradually and gained invaluable expertise that helped him become one of the nation’s top political organizers.
On March 28, 2006, at a meeting of both Houses of Parliament, then-opposition leader Bruce Golding stated that Patterson’s impact on Jamaica should be evaluated by the impact he was able to make and the degree to which he influenced the nation’s future. He also mentioned Patterson’s participation in international trade negotiations, beginning with the Lomé convention, the African Caribbean and Pacific/European Union (ACP/EU) partnership agreements, and other bilateral agreements.
Golding said that Patterson should be held accountable for the numerous important initiatives, programs, and structures put in place during his tenure as well as for helping to eradicate some of the negative traits that have plagued Jamaican politics over the years.
Golding stated, “Whatever criticisms that have been made of him in the past and whatever may be made in the future as his legacy is scrutinized and analyzed, no one can question his commitment to his country, his love for the Jamaican people, or the sincerity of his intentions.”
In an interview with a local newspaper, Patterson stated that he planned to have “as quiet a day as is possible” at his St Andrew house for his 90th birthday.
He stated, “I know people will pass through, I can’t stop that, but…whether I like it or not, the 90th is the 90th and I couldn’t escape anything, so we had to find a reasonable location and we decided eventually on our space at the institute…so the celebration will be on Saturday.”
