Eighth Prime Minister of Jamaica
Orette Bruce Golding
Bio
The Hon. Orette Bruce Golding
EIGHTH PRIME MINISTER: September 11, 2007 – 2011
Bruce Golding was born on December 5, 1947. He was educated at Alpha Primary School (1955-1957), St. George’s College (1958-1962) and Jamaica College (1963-1966). He entered the University of the West Indies in 1966 and earned a BSc degree in Economics in 1969. In that same year (1969) he was elected to the Central Executive of the Jamaica Labour Party at the age of 21 and was subsequently elected to Parliament in 1972 at the age of 24. He served as General Secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party (1974-1984) and Chairman (1984-1995). He has had 19 years experience as a Member of Parliament representing the constituencies of West St. Catherine and Central St. Catherine as well as 9 years experience as a Senator.
He was appointed Minister of Construction in 1980 serving in that position until 1989 and in that capacity was elected Chairman of the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements (1984-1985). He was the Opposition Spokesman on Finance and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (1989-1995). He has served as a member of the Electoral Advisory Committee, the Board of Governors of the Institute of Jamaica and the Board of Directors of the National Lotteries Commission.
In 1995 he resigned from the Jamaica Labour Party and was one of the founders of the National Democratic Movement, serving as its first President (1995-2001). In 2002, he rejoined the Jamaica Labour Party and in November 2003 was again elected Chairman of the Party. He was appointed Senator and Opposition
Spokesman on Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in 2002, and held both positions up to April 2005. On February 20, 2005, he was elected Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party. On April 13, 2005 he was elected Member of Parliament for West Kingston. He was of Leader of the Opposition from April 21, 2005 – September 10, 2007. He was sworn in as Jamaica’s eighth Prime Minister on September 11, 2007.
Mr. Golding is a businessman. He and his wife, Lorna, were married in 1972 and have one son and two daughters.