Eugenia Charles: Caribbean strongwoman

From Wikipedia,
The Honourable
Dame Eugenia Charles
DBE
Charles in 1983.
Prime Minister of Dominica
In office
21 July 1980 14 June 1995
President Aurelius arie
Claren!e "ei#nore$
Cris%in "orhain&o
Preceded by 'li(er "era%hin
Succeeded by E&ison Ja)es
Personal details
Born 15 ay 1919
*oin$e i!hel+ Do)ini!a
Died , "e%$e)ber 2005 -a#e& 8,.
/or$0&e0/ran!e+ ar$ini1ue
Political party /ree&o) *ar$y
Alma mater 2ni(ersi$y o3 Toron$o
4on&on "!hool o3 E!ono)i!s
Dame Mary Eugenia Charles, DBE (15 May 1919 6 September 2005) wa !rime
Mi"iter o# Domi"i$a #rom 21 %&'y 19(0 &"ti' 1) %&"e 1995* S+e wa Domi"i$a, #irt, a"d to
date o"'y, #ema'e prime mi"iter, a we'' a t+e "atio", 'o"-et.er/i"- prime mi"iter* S+e
wa t+e e$o"d #ema'e prime mi"iter i" t+e 0aribbea" a#ter 1&$i"da da 0ota o#
t+e 2et+er'a"d 3"ti''e, a"d t+e #irt woma" e'e$ted i" +er ow" ri-+t a +ead o#
-o/er"me"t i" t+e 3meri$a* S+e wa t+e wor'd, t+ird 'o"-et.er/i"- #ema'e !rime
Mi"iter, be+i"d 4"dira 5a"d+i o# 4"dia a"d Sirima/o Ba"dara"aike o# Sri 1a"ka, a"d t+e
wor'd, 'o"-et $o"ti"&o&'y er/i"- #ema'e !rime Mi"iter e/er*
1 !ero"a' 'i#e
2 !o'iti$a' $areer
6 1i#e a#ter po'iti$
) 7e#ere"$e
5 2ote
6 F&rt+er readi"-
8 E9ter"a' 'i"k
Personal life
0+ar'e wa bor" i" t+e #i+i"- /i''a-e o# !oi"te Mi$+e' i" Sai"t 1&ke pari+, to a :$o'o&red
bo&r-eoie: #ami'y*
;1<
S+e atte"ded 0o"/e"t S$+oo' i" Domi"i$a, t+e", i'a"d, o"'y -ir',
e$o"dary $+oo', a"d be$ame i"tereted i" 'aw w+i'e worki"- at t+e $o'o"ia' ma-itrate,
$o&rt*
;1<
S+e worked #or ma"y year a aita"t to 3'atair Forbe* S+e atte"ded &"i/erity
i" =oro"to, >"tario,0a"ada, be#ore mo/i"- to t+e ?"ited @i"-dom to atte"d t+e 1o"do"
S$+oo' o# E$o"omi$* S+e wa a member o# t+e orority Si-ma 5amma 7+o* S+e paed
t+e bar a"d ret&r"ed to Domi"i$a, w+ere +e be$ame t+e i'a"d, #irt #ema'e 'awyer,
etab'i+i"- a pra$ti$e pe$ia'ii"- i" property 'aw*
;1<
0+ar'e "e/er married "or +ad $+i'dre", w+i$+ $a&ed #ri$tio" #or +er i" t+e ma'e.
domi"ated p+ere o# 0aribbea" po'iti$* 4" 1991 +e wa made a Dame 0omma"der o#
t+e >rder o# t+e Briti+ Empire*
;1<
Political career
0+ar'e meet wit+ 3meri$a" !reide"t 7o"a'd 7ea-a" i" t+e W+ite Ao&e, >/a' >##i$e abo&t o"-oi"-
e/e"t i" 5re"ada
0+ar'e be-a" $ampai-"i"- i" po'iti$ d&ri"- t+e 1960 a-ai"t retri$tio" o" pre
#reedom* S+e +e'ped to #o&"d t+e Domi"i$a Freedom !arty (DF!), a"d wa it 'eader #rom
t+e ear'y 1980 &"ti' 1995*
;1<
S+e wa e'e$ted to t+e Ao&e o# 3emb'y i" 1980 a"d
be$ame >ppoitio" 1eader i" 1985*
;1<
S+e $o"ti"&ed er/i"- a#ter Domi"i$a -ai"ed #&''
i"depe"de"$e #rom Briti+ r&'e i" 198(*
0+ar'e be$ame !rime Mi"iter w+e" t+e DF! wept t+e 19(0 e'e$tio", t+e party, #irt
e'e$tora' /i$tory* S+e took o/er #rom >'i/er Serap+i", w+o +ad +ime'# o"'y take" o/er t+e
year be#ore a#ter ma protet +ad #or$ed t+e $o&"try, #irt prime mi"iter, !atri$k %o+",
to tep dow" #rom o##i$e* S+e additio"a''y er/ed a Domi"i$a, Forei-" Mi"iter #rom 19(0
to 1990, a"d a'o er/ed a $+airpero" o# t+e >r-a"iatio" o# Eater" 0aribbea"
State (>E0S)*
4" 19(1 +e #a$ed two attempted $o&p d,Btat* =+at year Frederi$k 2ewto", $omma"der o#
t+e Mi'itary o# Domi"i$a, or-a"ied a" atta$k o" t+e po'i$e +eadC&arter i" 7oea&,
re&'ti"- i" t+e deat+ o# a po'i$e o##i$er*
;2<
2ewto" a"d #i/e ot+er o'dier were #o&"d -&i'ty
i" t+e atta$k a"d e"te"$ed to deat+ i" 19(6* =+e #i/e a$$omp'i$e e"te"$e, were 'ater
$omm&ted to 'i#e i" prio", a"d 2ewto" wa e9e$&ted i" 19(6*
;2<
3'o i" 19(1, a -ro&p
o# 0a"adia"a"d 3meri$a" mer$e"arie, mot'y a##i'iated wit+ w+ite &prema$it a"d @&
@'&9 @'a" -ro&p, p'a""ed a $o&p to retore #ormer !rime Mi"iter !atri$k %o+" to power*
=+e attempt, w+i$+ t+e $o"pirator $ode"amed >peratio" 7ed Do-, wa t+warted by
3meri$a" #edera' a-e"t i" 2ew >r'ea", 1o&iia"a, a"d wa oo" #a$etio&'y d&bbed t+e
:Bayo& o# !i-: a#ter t+e #ai'ed Bay o# !i- 4"/aio"*
0+ar'e be$ame more wide'y k"ow" to t+e o&tide wor'd #or +er ro'e i" t+e 'ead.&p to
t+e ?"ited State 4"/aio" o# 5re"ada* 4" t+e wake o# t+e arret a"d e9e$&tio" o#
5re"adia" !rime Mi"iter Ma&ri$e Bi+op, 0+ar'e, t+e" er/i"- a $+air o# t+e
>r-a"iatio" o# Eater" 0aribbea" State, appea'ed to t+e ?"ited State, %amai$a,
a"d Barbado #or i"ter/e"tio"*
;1<
S+e 'ater appeared o" te'e/iio" wit+ ?*S*
preide"t 7o"a'd 7ea-a", &pporti"- t+e i"/aio"*
0+ar'e a"d +er party were $o"idered $o"er/ati/e by 0aribbea" ta"dard* Aowe/er,
ma"y o# +er po'i$ie appeared $e"trit or e/e" 'e#tit by 3meri$a" ta"dardD #or i"ta"$e,
+e did &pport ome o$ia' we'#are pro-ramme* >t+er i&e t+at were importa"t to +er
were a"ti.$orr&ptio" mea&re a"d i"di/id&a' #reedom* For +er &"$ompromii"- ta"$e o"
t+i a"d ot+er i&e, +e be$ame k"ow" a t+e :4ro" 1ady o# t+e 0aribbea": (a#ter t+e
ori-i"a' :4ro" 1ady:, Mar-aret =+at$+er)*
Life after politics
Aer pop&'arity de$'i"ed d&ri"- +er t+ird term, a"d +e a""o&"$ed +er retireme"t i" 1995*
=+e DF! &beC&e"t'y 'ot t+e 1995 e'e$tio"* 3#ter retiri"-, +e &"dertook peaki"-
e"-a-eme"t i" t+e ?"ited State a"d abroad, a"d be$ame i"/o'/ed i" #ormer ?*S*
!reide"t %immy 0arter, 0arter 0e"ter, w+i$+ promote +&ma" ri-+t a"d ober/e
e'e$tio"* >" 60 3&-&t 2005, 0+ar'e wa take" to a +opita' i" Fort.de.
Fra"$e, Marti"iC&e, #or +ip.rep'a$eme"t &r-ery a"d died #rom a p&'mo"ary embo'im o" 6
September at (6 year o# a-e*
References
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Notes
1* E %&mp &p toF
a

b

c

d

e

f

g
!att&''o, !o''y (( September 2005)* :>bit&aryF Dame
E&-e"ia 0+ar'e:* The Guardian* 7etrie/ed 3&-&t 26, 2009*
2* E %&mp &p toF
a

b
:E9.0omma"der Aa"-ed For Domi"i$a 0o&p 7o'e:* The New
York Times (3o$iated !re)* 9 3&-&t 19(6* 7etrie/ed 26 3&-&t 2009*
Further reading
5abrie' %* 0+ritia", Mamo! The ife ! Times of Dame Mary "ugenia #harles, !o"t
0ae !re, 2010*
:Memoria' Ma #or Dame E&-e"ia:
;dead link<
, The #hronicle, 11 September 2009*