Patrick John

Colonel Patrick Roland John (born Roseau, 7 January 1938) was the Prime Minister of Dominica as well as the Premier of Dominica. During his premiership Dominica gained independence from the United Kingdom and he became the first Prime Minister of Dominica. He was leader of the Waterfront and Allied Workers' Union and mayor of Roseau before being elected to the legislature in 1970. He took on prime ministerial duties in 1974 following the resignation of Edward Oliver LeBlanc. After mass protest forced him to resign, John unsuccessfully attempted to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Eugenia Charles with the backing of white supremacist groups (in what became dubbed "Operation Red Dog"). As a result, he was jailed for twelve years, of which he served only five years.

Following his release from prison, John, formerly a member of the Dominica national football team, became a local football administrator. In 1992, he was elected President of the Dominica Football Association (DFA). Under his leadership the DFA became a FIFA affiliate in 1994. He served as President until 2006, when he was voted out of office by the local football fraternity. In 2007, he was inducted into the CONCACAF Hall of Fame. In May 2008, he was re-elected as President of the DFA.^[1] The DFA administrative headquarters is named "Patrick John Football House" in honour of John. In November 2011, John was banned by FIFA from the sport for two years and fined $3,300, for his part in an alleged bribery scheme involving FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam.^[2]

References

1. "John back at helm of football association", Antiguasun.com, May 27, 2008.
2. Associated Press (18 November 2011), FIFA bans former Dominica PM John, 5 more Caribbean officials in Bin Hammam bribery plot, The Washington Post, retrieved 19 November 2011.

External links

• Tull: Tell us about coup rumours, NationNews, 4 October 2006