Herbert Eldemire
{{Short description|Jamaican politician (1930–2010)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix = The Honourable Dr.
|name = Herbert Wellesley Eldemire
| nationality = Jamaican
|honorific-suffix = CD
|image =
|office = Minister of Health
| monarch = Elizabeth II
| governor_general = Sir Kenneth Blackburne
Sir Clifford Campbell
| primeminister = Alexander Bustamante
Donald Sangster
Hugh Shearer
|term_start = 6 August 1962
|term_end = 1 March 1972
|predecessor =
|successor = Kenneth McNeill
|office2 = Member of Parliament
for Saint James North Western
|term_start2 = 1962
|term_end2 = 1967
|predecessor2 = Allan G. S. Coombs
|successor2 = Howard Cooke
|office3 = Member of Parliament
for Saint James Central
|term_start3 = 1967
|term_end3 = 1972
|predecessor3 =
|successor3 = Francis Tulloch
|office4 = Member of Parliament
for Saint James East Central
|term_start4 = 1976
|term_end4 = 1980
|predecessor4 =
|successor4 = Winston Spaulding
|birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1930|10|16|df=y}}
|birth_place = Montego Bay
|death_date = {{Death date and age|2010|05|20|1930|10|16|df=y}}
|death_place =
|party = Jamaica Labour Party
|spouse =
|alma_mater = Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
}}
Herbert Wellesley Eldemire, CD (16 October 1930{{spnd}}20 May 2010), was a Jamaican politician who served as independent Jamaica's first Minister of Health from 1962 to 1972.
Early life and education
Eldemire was born to father Arthur Wellesley Eldemire and mother Alice Hyacinth Eldemire (née Holmes) in Montego Bay, Jamaica on 16 October 1930. He was educated at Munro College.{{cite news|url=http://discoverjamaica.com/enames.htm|title=Eldemire, Herbert Wellesley|publisher=Discover Jamaica (Jamaica Gleaner)|access-date=23 August 2020}}
Career
=Medical career=
Eldemire was trained as a medical doctor at the Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians (Ireland). He was a medical professional and ran a practice in Montego Bay for over 40 years. Eldemire founded the Herbert Eldemire Hospital, a private healthcare institution, in Montego Bay.{{cite news|url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130425/lead/lead9.html|title=The old Eldemire Hospital no longer exists|newspaper=Jamaica Gleaner|date=25 April 2013|author=Christopher Thomas|access-date=24 August 2020}}
=Political career=
Eldemire was first elected to Parliament in 1962 from the Saint James North Western constituency, representing the Jamaica Labour Party.{{cite news|url=http://digjamaica.com/m/blog/electionja-know-your-constituency-st-james-north-western/|title=Know Your Constituency: St James North Western|publisher=DigiJamaica (Jamaica Gleaner)|access-date=23 August 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://ecj.com.jm/election-results/general-election-1962/|title=General Election 1962 Results|publisher=Electoral Commission of Jamaica|access-date=23 August 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://nlj.gov.jm/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Election-Results-1944-2016.pdf|title=Election Results (1944–2016)|publisher=National Library of Jamaica|access-date=24 August 2020}}
He was Jamaica's Minister of Health from 1962 to 1972. Eldemire pioneered the development of the health system immediately after the country gained independence. One of the most significant advances during his tenure was the introduction of the National Family Planning Program.{{cite news|url=http://www.nlj.gov.jm/MinistryPapers/1969/45.pdf|title=Ministry Paper No 45 - Family Planning (1969)|publisher=National Library of Jamaica|access-date=24 August 2020}} He also campaigned for the development of medical infrastructure, such as the Cornwall Regional Hospital{{cite news|url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100604/news/news4.html|title=Eldemire lauded as a 'great man'|author=Noel Thompson|date=4 June 2010|newspaper=Jamaica Gleaner|access-date=23 August 2020}} and the Cornwall School of Nursing.
From 1967 to 1972 he was also Chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party. In 1976, Eldemire was elected a third time to the House of Representatives as the first Member of Parliament from the newly created Saint James East Central constituency.{{cite news|url=http://digjamaica.com/m/blog/electionja-know-your-constituency-st-james-east-central/|title=Know Your Constituency: St James East Central|publisher=DigiJamaica (Jamaica Gleaner)|access-date=23 August 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://ecj.com.jm/election-results/general-election-1976/|title=General Election 1976 Results|publisher=Electoral Commission of Jamaica|access-date=23 August 2020}} He was a member of parliament as a member of the opposition until 1980.
Personal life and death
Eldemire was married and had four children. His daughter Denise Eldemire-Shearer was married to Hugh Shearer, who was Prime Minister from 1967 to 1972.{{cite news|url=http://www.nlj.gov.jm/BN/Shearer_Hugh/bn_shearer_hl_043.pdf|title=Hugh Shearer Weds|publisher=National Library of Jamaica|access-date=24 August 2020}} He died at his home in Reading, St, James, on 20 May 2010, at the age of 79.{{cite news|url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100521/lead/lead6.html|title=Herbert Eldemire dies at age 79|newspaper=Jamaica Gleaner|date=21 May 2010|access-date=24 August 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://jis.gov.jm/official-funeral-service-for-dr-herbert-eldemire-may-28/|title=Official funeral Service for Dr. Herbert Eldemire May 28|publisher=Jamaica Information Service|date=28 May 2010|access-date=24 August 2020}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{succession box | title={{Cl|Ministers of health of Jamaica|Minister of Health of Jamaica}}| before=Ivan Lloyd | after=Kenneth McNeill|years=1962–1972}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eldemire, Herbert}}
Category:People from Montego Bay
Category:Commanders of the Order of Distinction
Category:Jamaica Labour Party politicians
Category:Members of the House of Representatives of Jamaica