Patrick John became the first Prime Minister of Dominica on 3 November 1978 when the country was granted independence from Britain.
Patrick Roland John was born on 7 January 1938 and 6 July 2021. Prior is coming premier, then prime minister Patrick John was the powerful Waterfront and Allied Workers’ Union and mayor of Roseau before being elected to the legislature in 1970. He also the last Premier of Dominica. John led the country to independence from the United Kingdom.
He became premier in 1974 following the resignation of Edward Oliver LeBlanc.
After mass protest forced him to resign, John unsuccessfully attempted to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Eugenia Charles with the backing of white supremacist groups (in what became dubbed “Operation Red Dog”). As a result, he was jailed for twelve years, of which he served five years.
John died at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital in Roseau.