Former President of Guyana Desmond Hoyte passes away
Desmond Hoyte
One of the Caribbean's best-known politicians and trade unionists, Desmond Hoyte, a former president of Guyana, died on Sunday at the age of 73.
Hoyte, who was the leader of the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) apparently had a heart attack. He had a history of heart troubles and underwent triple by-pass surgery in New York in 199
As President of Guyana between 1985-1992, Hoyte will be remembered for the far-reaching electoral and economic reforms which laid the foundation for Guyana's economic recovery and a strengthening of the democratic culture.
Hoyte, who celebrated his seventy-third birthday in March, died at around 8:15 am. He collapsed on the stairs as he was taking a cup of tea to his wife of more than four decades, Joyce, according to the Stabroek News in Guyana.
The newspaper said Hoyte had suffered heart failure shortly after the 1992 elections and had to be rushed to New York for surgery. There, he was in critical condition for several days before making a full recovery and returning to politics as opposition leader.
Hoyte has been leader of the PNC since August 6, 1985 when he acceded to the office of President of Guyana on the death of PNC Founder-Leader, Forbes Burnham. He was elected as PNC leader, at the PNC Congress a fortnight later.
As leader of the party he moved it away from its socialist ideology to embrace a market economy and within the past month gave his blessing to the party's shift in accepting shared governance as the way out of the political and economic troubles plaguing Guyana.
Hoyte entered politics in 1969 when he was appointed a Minister of State by then Prime Minister Burnham.
From that time to when he acceded to the Presidency of Guyana on August 6, 1985 on the death of then President Burnham, Hoyte held many ministerial portfolios including those of Home Affairs, Finance, Works and Communications and Economic Development. Hoyte is also the architect of the regional administration system.
Hoyte was appointed First Vice President and Prime Minister in August 1984 to August 6, 1985 when he succeeded Burnham as President of Guyana and Leader of the People's National Congress.
Hoyte as President is the architect of the Iwokrama Rainforest Project and as Minister of the Government he had at various times responsibility for African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) affairs under the Lome Convention and was the group's spokesman for sugar from 1981-1983.
A British trained lawyer, Hoyte received his BA and LL.B degrees from the University of London and was called to the Bar of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple. He was admitted to the Guyana Bar in 1959. In 1969 he was appointed a Queen's Counsel which designation changed to Senior Counsel in 1970 when Guyana became a Republic.