Denzil Douglas
Denzil Llewellyn Douglas (born 14 January 1953) is the Prime Minister of the twin-island Caribbean nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Minister of Finance, Sustainable Development, Human Resources Development, Constituency Empowerment and Social Security. He represents residents of St. Christopher #6 (which comprises the communities of Newton Ground, St. Pauls, Dieppe Bay, Parsons, Saddlers and Harris') as their Member of Parliament (MP). Dr. Douglas is a former high school teacher and avid sports enthusiast. He has an impressive record of community service including leadership of the 4H movement. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in 1977 and his medical degree with honours from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica in 1984. When he returned to Saint Kitts after qualifying as a medical doctor he opened private/family practice in 1986. He has served as President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Medical Association. Dr. Douglas was the first Young Labour Representative to sit on the National Executive of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (which was established in 1935). He was elected as Deputy Chairman of the Party in 1987. Two years later, in 1989, he ran for public office and was elected for the first time as a Member of Parliament for St. Christopher #6, serving the communities of Newton Ground, St. Pauls, Dieppe Bay, Parsons, Saddlers and Harris'. Following the island's general election of 1989 and his ascension to Parliament, Dr. Douglas was appointed Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. Soon after, he was elected National Leader of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party. In the 1993 general election held on 29 November, Douglas successfully led the Labour Party to win an outright majority popular vote but due to outdated electoral boundaries the near two thirds majority popular vote only secured 4 of the 8 seats in St. Kitts while the remaining 3 seats (out of 11 total) on Nevis were taken between two minority parties. The Governor General swore in a Government that only commanded the support of 5 out of the 11 seats. Labour, which had received the majority popular vote, with its 4 seats, along with 2 from Nevis, as the majority elected seated in Opposition, were totally ignored.