Burchell Whiteman
{{Short description|Jamaican politician and diplomat}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| name = Burchell Whiteman
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=JAM|size=100%|OJ}}
| image =
| caption =
| office = Jamaican High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
| primeminister = Portia Simpson-Miller
Bruce Golding
| term_start = January 2007
| term_end = January 2010
| predecessor = Gail Mathurin
| successor = Anthony Johnson
| birth_name = Burchell Anthony Whiteman
| birth_place = May Pen, Clarendon, Jamaica
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1938|3|30|df=y}}
| relations =
| alma_mater =
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| occupation =
| nationality =
| spouse = Joline
| children = 2
}}
Burchell Anthony Whiteman {{post-nominals|country=JAM|size=100%|OJ}} (born 30 March 1938) is a Jamaican former politician. A member of the People's National Party (PNP), he served as a Member of Parliament, the Jamaican High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Minister of Education, and Minister of Information.
Early life
Burchell Anthony Whiteman was born on February 21 1938 in May Pen, the son of educator Edgar James Whiteman and homemaker and social worker Merab Whiteman.{{cite news|url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/THE-MUNRO-COLLEGE-OLD-BOYS-ASSOCIATION-HALL-OF-FAME-------_59075?profile=&template=PrinterVersion|title=The Munro College Old Boys Association Hall of Fame|date=1 May 2016|newspaper=Jamaica Observer}} He studied at Munro College from 1949 to 1955 on a government scholarship that he earned on the basis of being the top student in Clarendon Parish, Jamaica. While at Munro, Whiteman was active in sports and performance arts, while also serving as house captain and head prefect. Whiteman graduated from the University College of the West Indies (now University of the West Indies) with a degree in English with French and later obtained a master's degree in education from Birmingham University.
Career
Whiteman was the principal of York Castle High School and Brown’s Town Community College.{{cite web|url=https://jis.gov.jm/cabinet-approves-appointment-burchell-whiteman-utech-council/|publisher=Jamaica Information Service|title=Cabinet Approves Appointment of Burchell Whiteman to Utech Council|date=11 July 2014|accessdate=10 May 2020}} He also chaired the board of the University Council of Jamaica.{{cite web|publisher=Jamaica Information Service|url=https://jis.gov.jm/ambassador-whiteman-gets-special-award/|title=Ambassador Whiteman Gets Special Award|date=11 January 2013}} He entered politics in 1989 as a member of the People's National Party (PNP) and was elected as Member of Parliament for Saint Ann North Western. In 1992, Whiteman became Minister of Education.{{cite web|url=https://moey.gov.jm/about|title=About|publisher=Ministry of Education, Youth, and Information|accessdate=10 May 2020}} In 2002, he was appointed Minister of Information. In 2007, he was appointed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, a position he held till end-December 2009.{{cite web|publisher=Jamaica Information Service|url=https://jis.gov.jm/uk-jamaicans-say-thank-you-to-high-commissioner-whiteman/|title=UK Jamaicans Say Thank You to High Commissioner Whiteman|date=15 December 2009|accessdate=10 May 2020}} In 2014, he received an appointment to the council of the University of Technology, Jamaica.
He contributed a foreword to Education Theory and Practice: Caribbean Perspectives (2003).{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LG1BPQAACAAJ|title=Education Theory and Practice: Caribbean Perspectives|editor-last=Bastick|editor-first=Tony|year=2003|publisher=Department of Educational Studies, University of the West Indies|isbn=978-9-766-32038-6}}
Recognition
On 29 March 2006, Whiteman was awarded the Order of Jamaica in recognition of his contribution to education and to the legislature.{{cite web|url=https://jis.gov.jm/senator-burchell-whiteman-awarded-order-of-jamaica/|title=Senator Burchell Whiteman Awarded Order of Jamaica|date=28 March 2006|publisher=Jamaica Information Service|accessdate=10 May 2020}} In January 2013, the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ) honoured Whiteman for his contributions to education in Jamaica: "(he) recognised the uniqueness of the colleges that are strategically placed, making it easier for students to access quality education at an extremely affordable cost."{{cite news|newspaper=Jamaica Observer|url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/burchell-whiteman-recognised-for-work-in-education|title=Burchell Whiteman recognised for work in education|date=10 January 2013}} In October 2015, he was conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of the West Indies.{{cite news|url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20150630/rita-marley-burchell-whiteman-and-others-be-awarded-honorary-degrees-uwi|title=Rita Marley, Burchell Whiteman And Others To Be Awarded Honorary Degrees By UWI|date=30 June 2015|newspaper=The Gleaner}}
References
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Category:High commissioners of Jamaica to the United Kingdom
Category:Education ministers of Jamaica
Category:People from Clarendon Parish, Jamaica
Category:University of the West Indies alumni