Eric Anthony Abrahams
representing East Portland (1980–1983)
representing Kingston East and Port Royal (1983–1989)
1980–1989
1980–1984
University of Oxford
Eric Anthony Abrahams (5 May 1940 – 7 August 2011) was a Jamaican public servant and broadcaster. He was director of tourism from 1970 to 1975, and minister of tourism and information from 1980 to 1984. After leaving office, he co-created a radio show with
When Abrahams returned to Jamaica, he became involved in the tourism industry, overseeing increased efforts to advertise Jamaica and its culture as the youngest director of tourism yet. Abrahams was a member of the
After leaving office, Abrahams sought to develop a tourism consultancy, pursued libel cases, primarily against the Gleaner Company, and co-ran a radio show, The Breakfast Club.
Early life and education
Eric Anthony Abrahams, also known as "Tony",
Abrahams occasionally participated in civil rights protests while at Oxford,[9] emerging as a leader at the college known for being charismatic, a talented speaker and criticizing racism.[10] In early 1964 Abrahams became involved in the Oxford Union, a debating society. He was secretary in spring of that year, and was elected to a one year term as president in June.[11] Around 1964 he gave a speaking tour across the Middle East.[10] Abrahams organized the debate held in December 1964, picked the topic, secured funding and television coverage from the BBC, and invited speakers[12] including Malcolm X, who accepted.[2][8] Abrahams hosted the debate.[13] While Malcolm X was at Oxford for the debate, Abrahams was "gated" in his apartment under house arrest after 6:00pm as he had protested Nelson Mandela's arrest. Protests relating to apartheid had been banned during the visit of the Ambassador of South Africa to the United Kingdom.[14]
Early career
After graduation, Abrahams worked at the BBC, in 1965 becoming the first black TV reporter there.
As director, Abrahams sought to improve worldwide advertising about traveling to Jamaica, to improve vacation quality there, and make tourism a larger part of Jamaican society. The ministry was restructured under his oversight and new branches established. His initiatives included a "Meet the People" program, October "Tourism Month", and a "Courtesy Corp" tourist police.[3][17][22] Abrahams also oversaw the establishment of the Jamaican Association of Villas and Apartments (JAVA), which organized owners who were willing to rent properties into a cooperative. He sought to play into the culture and tradition of Jamaica to make it more appealing to visitors. Some tourist attractions offered windows into rural Jamaican life or Arawak life.[23] Abrahams also worked to develop programs such as rafting on the Martha Brae River.[24]
From 1970 to 1976 Abrahams was executive director of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica.[25][8] He was also chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board around the same time, overseeing a large increase in tourism—tourist arrivals rose 40 percent and "foreign travel receipts" 56 percent, almost doubling the number of guest rooms on the island. Abrahams resigned from his role as director of tourism and the board in April 1975.[26][27] He also directed Air Jamaica, served on the Jamaican Government Air Policy Committee and negotiated air travel agreements. Abrahams was on the Public Passenger Transport Board and Chairman of the Jamaica Hotel School from 1974 to 1976.[28]
Political career
Abrahams was also a politician, initially representing the parliamentary constituency of
In 1980 he was made minister of the Jamaica Labour Party and was elected to
Prime Minister Edward Seaga supported the 1983 invasion of Grenada by the United States, as did Abrahams. This may have been an outgrowth of hostility towards Michael Manley's People's National Party. According to an interview he later gave, he was in the Jamaican delegation that met with members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and led to an early request for American involvement in Grenada. Abrahams and Neville Gallimore were later the main Jamaican representatives at a Caribbean Community conference where intervention in the region was further discussed and shortly afterwards a formal plea was issued for American intervention. Abrahams worked to persuade Trinidad to support the invasion and made use of his contacts from Oxford with politicians such as Wahid Ali, president of the senate. He was largely unsuccessful.[36] In 1984 Abrahams told a conference of the Inter American Press Association that poverty posed the largest threat to freedom and defended intervention in Grenada as a necessary "rescue mission".[37]
Seaga removed Abrahams from his ministerial post after a disagreement,[15][25] although he formally resigned in 1984 for "personal reasons".[38][39] Abrahams told The Daily Gleaner the resignation was aimed at allowing him to develop his career in tourism consulting internationally.[39] Upon Abrahams departure from the post Seaga publicly said "I pay tribute to the job he has done in managing the recovery of tourism during his three and a half years as minister. The current success now enjoyed is in no small measure due to his efforts." The Daily Gleaner praised his accomplishments but maintained that he had not completely revealed "all the circumstances" surrounding his resignation.[38] The paper speculated that the move might have been provoked by Abraham's anger at the party's choice to fire several people or the party feeling he had peaked.[39] Abrahams left the party, remaining in parliament as an independent.[15][25] In 1986 Abrahams sought to be made Leader of the Opposition, a request that was not entertained.[40] That same year he announced that he would not seek re-election due to "the political violence and character assassination which was the order of the day." Abrahams intended the withdrawal to be temporary and reinforced his intent to work on developing a tourism consultancy.[41] He left parliament in 1989.[25]
Libel suit
In 1987, the
In 1987, Abrahams sued The Daily Gleaner and The Jamaica Star for libel. He also filed a defamation suit against the author
Later career
In 1990
When
Death and funeral
Abrahams died on 7 August 2011,[50] and his funeral was held at the St Andrew Parish Church. He had two children and six grandchildren at the time of his death. A tribute was paid by Prime Minister of Jamaica Bruce Golding, who said "He was never afraid to challenge the status quo or demand change. He broke down many barriers".[50]
Notes
References
- ^ ProQuest 386760909. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ a b "The Jamaican who brought Malcolm X to Oxford University". Jamaica Observer. 18 January 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Eric Anthony Abrahams (1940–2011)". The National Library of Jamaica. 26 February 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ Tuck 2014, p. 94.
- ISBN 978-1-351-71531-7– via Google Books.
- ^ a b Tuck 2014, pp. 94–97.
- ^ "Rhodes Scholar Database". Rhodes Trust. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d "JLP's new man in E. Portland" (PDF). J. D. N. 27 September 1976 – via National Library of Jamaica.
- JSTOR 23425460.
- ^ a b Tuck 2014, p. 93.
- ^ Tuck 2014, pp. 97–98.
- ^ Tuck 2014, pp. 97–100.
- ^ Ambar 2014, p. 102.
- ^ Ambar 2014, p. 14.
- ^ a b c d e "Mr Anthony Abrahams was born to be the man he was" (PDF). The Daily Observer. 10 August 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Barbara Blake Hannah: The first black female reporter on British TV". BBC News. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Biography: Hon. Eric Anthony Abrahams" (PDF). Agency For Public Information (Jamaica). 7 September 1981. Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via National Library of Jamaica.
- ^ Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Assistant Director of Tourism". The Daily Gleaner. 27 October 1967. p. 2.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ Alexander, Dick (23 August 1981). "The shaping of tourism in Jamaica". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 134. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Henry, Paul (8 August 2011). "Anthony Abrahams, dead at 71" (PDF). The Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "Tourism director resigns post" (PDF). Jamaica Daily News. 26 April 1976. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "Eric Anthony Abrahams" (PDF). From: Jamaica. 23 April 1975.
- ^ a b "Abrahams quits Senate" (PDF). The Daily News. 31 August 1977. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ a b Myers, Tony (21 October 1997). "Portland Eastern". The Jamaica Gleaner. p. A15.
- ^ "Constituency Profile: East Kingston & Port Royal". The Jamaica Gleaner. 9 December 2011. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ^ Bryan 2011, p. 238.
- ^ a b Williams, Linda (7 October 1989). "Big Ad Agency Is Charged in Kickback Deal : Young & Rubicam Bribed Jamaica Official to Win Account, Indictment Says". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ProQuest 196900444. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- Newspapers.com.
- JSTOR 27865150.
- ^ "Poverty is greatest foe of freedom". The Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ^ a b Bryan 2011, p. 267.
- ^ a b c "Mr. Abrahams Goes". The Daily Gleaner. 25 August 1984. p. 8.
- ^ Bryan 2011, p. 282.
- ^ "Anthony Abrahams not seeking reelection". The Daily Gleaner. 2 May 1986. p. 2.
- ^ Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b CPJ 1997, p. 121.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Jamaica decriminalises defamation". International Press Institute. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ Gourevitch & Murphy 2000, p. 121.
- ^ "Jamaica Observer Limited". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "Spy scandal rocks JLP". The Daily Gleaner. 10 April 1990. p. 1.
- ^ a b c Cunnincham, Anastasia (18 August 2011). "Anthony Abrahams laid to rest". The Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ProQuest 304369103– via ProQuest.
- ^ Gonzalez, David. "A Killing Shocks Jamaicans Into Soul-Searching". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ProQuest 369257067.
Bibliography
- Gourevitch, Philip; Murphy, Richard (2000). Attacks on the press in 1999. Committee to Protect Journalists. ISBN 978-0-944823-19-4.
- Attacks on the press in 1996 : a worldwide survey. Committee to Protect Journalists. 1997. ISBN 978-0-944823-16-3.
- Ambar, Saladin (2014). Malcolm X at Oxford Union: Racial Politics in a Global Era. OUP USA. ISBN 978-0-19-997547-1.
- Bryan, Patrick E. (2011). Edward Seaga and the Challenges of Modern Jamaica. University of the West Indies Press. ISBN 978-976-640-222-8.
- Tuck, Stephen (2014). The Night Malcolm X Spoke at the Oxford Union: A Transatlantic Story of Antiracist Protest. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-95998-9.
External links
- Abrahams Calogero, Hope (23 January 2015). "A Tribute to Eric Anthony Abrahams – by his sister". TORCH. Oxford University.