MICHAEL MANLEY JAMAICA PRIME MINISTER FREE

An inequitable Masters and Servants Act was repealed, as were laws permitting arbitrary arrest and detention of persons on flimsy grounds of suspicion.

MICHAEL MANLEY JAMAICA PRIME MINISTER FREE

Among other legislative measures, they established a national minimum wage, maternity leave with pay, gender equity in pay scales, the right of workers to join trade unions, a land-reform programme, a national literacy programme, free education to tertiary level, a law that ended discrimination against children born out of wedlock, and a National Housing Trust that received statutory contributions from taxpayers, for which they are credited, and dispensed benefits by lottery to contributors in need of housing. Michael Manley and his Government embarked on the most profound and wide-ranging programme of social and economic reform in JamaicaвЂ™s history. Mr Manley was sworn in two days later as JamaicaвЂ™s fourth Prime Minister. The PeopleвЂ™s National Party (PNP) won thirty-seven of the fifty-three seats in the House of Representatives in the election held on Leap Year Day 1972. He advocated a deepening of democracy, donned bushjacket suits and mobilised reggae artists to write and perform songs that carried his message, вЂњPower for the PeopleвЂќ. He attacked the human-rights record of the Administration. Too many in the society вЂњface the blank wall of poverty,вЂќ he asserted. While acknowledging significant economic growth in the decade under the JLP Government (1962-72), he contended that the benefits were restricted to a small minority. He inveighed against social injustice and inequality, which, he claimed, pervaded Jamaica. Manley zeroed in on the failings of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration, which had held the reins since independence in 1962. He was consequently appointed Leader of the Opposition. After his fatherвЂ™s retirement, he comfortably won the PeopleвЂ™s National Party (PNP) contest for party leadership. Michael Manley entered representational politics in the 1967 general election, winning the Central Kingston constituency.

Michael manley jamaica prime minister