Jamaica gets new Governor General

Dr. Patrick Linton Allen is set to be sworn in as the 6th Governer General of Jamaica at a ceremony  to be held at King’s House beginning at 5:30 pm today. The previous Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall is exiting office early  due to ill health, after serving in the nations highest position for three years.

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Dr. Patrick Linton Allen

The governor-general represents the Jamaican monarch and head of state who holds the title of King or Queen of Jamaica (now Queen Elizabeth II), on ceremonial occasions such as the opening of Parliament, the presentation of honours and military parades.

Biography

Dr. Patrick Linton Allen was born on February 7th 1951 in the farming community of Fruitful Vale, Portland, the fourth of five children of Ferdinand Allen and his wife, Christiana (nee Grant).

He attended the Fruitful Vale All-Age School and, after successfully completing his GCE examinations in 1968 by private study, he joined the staff of the school as a pre-trained teacher at the age of 17. Two years later, he enrolled in the Moneague Teacher’ College. Following his graduation, he taught at the Water Valley All-Age School in St. Mary for three years before being appointed Principal of the Robins Bay Primary School in St. Mary in 1976. In 1978 he became Principal of the Hillside Primary School in St. Mary which had an enrolment four times the size of Robins Bay All-Age School.

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