John, Patrick (1937– )

Dominican centre-left politician, chief minister 1974–78 and prime minister 1978–80. Having succeeded Edward Le Blanc as chief minister, John led the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) to victory in 1975, and became the country's first prime minister after independence within the British Commonwealth was secured in 1978. His increasingly authoritarian style of government, which included attempts to restrict trade-union and media freedoms, led to violent demonstrations, and in 1980 he was obliged to resign. In 1985 he was found guilty of complicity in a plot to overthrow Prime Minister Eugenia Charles in 1981, and sentenced to 12-years' imprisonment.

During the riots against his administration, the Defence Force killed two people, and an umbrella Committee for National Salvation (CNS) was formed to press for John's resignation. He submitted in 1980 after a 25-day general strike and the flight of President Frederick Degazon from the country, stepping down along with the rest of his cabinet.

Oliver Seraphine, leader of the new Democratic Labour Party, became interim prime minister until the July 1980 general election, which was won by the opposition Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), led by Eugenia Charles. The following year John was arrested for alleged complicity in a plot to overthrow Charles, precipitated by government attempts to disarm the Defence Force, which had been allegedly involved in the marijuana trade. John was acquitted of the charge at his trial in June 1982, but a subsequent trial, in October 1985, found him guilty.