Pearnel Charles

Pearnel Patroe Charles OJ CD (born 31 August 1936) is a Jamaican politician with the Jamaica Labour Party who was the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Early life Charles was born in Brown’s Town, St. Ann on 31 August 1936. He attended Lime Tree Garden Elementary School, West Indies College, and the City College of the University of New York where he was President of the West Indian Students' Association. He graduated from City College with a bachelor's degree in political science, after which he returned to Jamaica.

Career Charles became vice-president of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union. In 1969, he was appointed as a Parish Councillor in the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation. From 1972 to 1980 he was a senator and an elected member of parliament representing Eastern St. Thomas. Charles was the deputy leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) from 1972 to 1991. In 2002, he successfully ran as a JLP candidate for North Central Clarendon. He served as the Minister of Labour and Social Security in Jamaica from 2007 to 2012. In March 2016, he was elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Fellow former minister Douglas Vaz, who arrived later with delegates from North Central St. Andrew, described the events as “the most shameful day” in the party’s history and said the disruption appeared organised. Vaz stated that his own delegates left the Arena early and advised him not to enter.

The incident took place against the background of lingering tensions from the earlier “Gang of Five” dispute within the party. A subsequent internal enquiry by the three-member Bovell Committee investigated the allegations of harassment and security failures. The JLP’s standing committee accepted the committee’s findings and recommendations on improved security arrangements for future conferences, while maintaining that there had been no plan by the party leadership to exclude Charles or his delegates.

Charles later characterised the episode as a challenge that ultimately strengthened his political resolve. He continued his career in the JLP and returned to Parliament in 2002 as the member for North Central Clarendon.

Personal life His daughter Patrece Charles-Freeman is a public health consultant and Counselling Psychologist, and also ran as the JLP candidate in East St Thomas in the 2011 election. His son Pearnel Patroe Charles Jr. serves the people of Jamaica as the member of parliament for Clarendon South Eastern and the Minister of Labour and Social Security.