Norman Manley Biography

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Biography Part 4 - Formation of the PNP

Manley formed Jamaica's first political party, the Peoples National Party (PNP) in 1938. He was the party's first president and remained so until he retired in 1969. This socialist party championed the cause of the Trade Union Congress and the National Workers union. Bustamante was supportive of the party until 8 July 1943 when he broke away to form the a rival political party, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

Manley and Bustamante both fought for full adult suffrage in Jamaica. This was eventually granted on 20 November 1944.

In Jamaica's first election held under universal suffrage, held in on December 12 1944, Bustamante's JLP was victorious, making him the "Minister for Communications" of Jamaica. Manley lost to Bustamante again in the 1949 election. Norman Manley's PNP won the 1955 election to become the "Chief minister" of Jamaica (the position of the elected leader was given this name in 1953). Manley also won the election in 1959.

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