In Guyana, the president is the head of state. However, when the country became independent in 1966 until it became a Republic in 1970, there was no presidential title. Instead, there were first, from 1961 to 1966, two premiers of what was then British Guiana: Cheddi Jagan (1961-1964) and LFS Burnham (1964-1966).
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Arthur Chung
Upon independence, LFS Burnham took the title of prime minister from 1966-1980, when he was installed Oct 6, 1980 as executive president of the country. However, from 1970 to 1980 Arthur Chung was given the ceremonial title of president of Guyana.
Subsequently, Guyana’s history records Arthur Chung as the first president of the Republic of Guyana, while Edward Luckhoo is recorded as acting president from Feb- March 1970.
Arthur Chung
A qualified land surveyor by 1940, Chung ventured into law in 1945, studying in England and qualifying as a barrister before returning to then British Guiana in 1948 to begin his law career. He was appointed acting magistrate in 1953, magistrate in 1954 and senior magistrate in 1960. He became an Appeal Court judge in 1963, and in 1970 president of the Republic of Guyana. Arthur Chung died June 23, 2008.
Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham
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Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham
Born Feb 20, 1923, and later a British Guiana Scholarship recipient, Burnham received his bachelor of law degree from the University of London, and returned to Guyana where in 1949 he formed the People’s Progressive Party along with Cheddi Jagan. In 1957 Burnham broke away from the PPP and formed his own party, the People’s National Congress. In coalition with another party he became premier in 1964, and led the country into independence in 1966 as prime minister.
In 1970 he declared the country a republic, and in 1980 himself its first executive president. A position he held until his death on Aug 6, 1985.
Hugh Desmond Hoyte, often referred to as Desmond Hoyte, became president of Guyana upon the death of Burnham in Aug 1985, and remained in power until Oct 9 1992.
He had served as Guyana’s prime minister from 1984.
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Hugh Desmond Hoyte
Earning his BA and LLB degrees from the University of London, Hoyte, born in March 1929, had served in various government ministries under Burnham before becoming prime minister. He was the country’s first vice-president and prime minister.
In October 1992 Hoyte and his PNC party were defeated at the national election after a more than quarter century regime. He died Dec 22, 2002.
Cheddi Bharat Jagan
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Cheddi Bharat Jagan
Remaining active in the opposition during the PNC reign, Jagan was returned to power in the 1992 election, considered the country’s first free and fair election since the PNC had come to power 28 years before.
Born March 22, 1918, Jagan went to study in the US in 1935 and returned to Guyana in 1943 after graduating in 1942 with a degree in dental surgery (DDS) and a BSc.
He was president of Guyana from 1992 until his death on March 6, 1997.
Samuel Archibald Hinds
Born in Dec 1943, Hinds is a chemical engineer by profession who entered politics as head of the Civic component of the PPP/ Civic at the 1992 election, and who became prime minister upon the PPPC’s victory at the 1992 polls.
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Samuel Archibald Hinds
At the December 1997 election Janet Jagan, who had been appointed prime minister, was the presidential candidate, and when the PPP/ Civic won, she became president and appointed Sam Hinds prime minister.
He remains the prime minister of Guyana to date.
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Janet Jagan
Janet Jagan
However, ailing health forced her to resign Aug 11, 1999 after almost two years as president. Born Oct 20, 1920 in Chicago in the US, the country’s first foreign-born leader died March 28, 2009, after more than 60 years in politics.
Bharrat Jagdeo
Bharrat Jagdeo became president of Guyana on Aug 11, 1999 when he was sworn in due to Janet Jagan’s resignation due to ill health.
Born Jan 23 1964, Jagdeo earned his Master’s in Economics in 1990 before returning to Guyana and entering into politics at a relatively young age where he became the country’s youngest prime minister.
His 1999 appointment as Guyana’s president made him among the youngest heads of state in the world.
He demitted office Dec 3, 2011, due to an amendment of the constitution, the first Guyanese president to do so. (Taken from Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
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