Eugenia Charles 1771448 220839634 2008-06-21T21:28:16Z Cydebot 1215485 Robot - Moving category Politicians of Dominica to Dominica politicians per [[WP:CFD|CFD]] at [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2008 June 9]]. <!-- Spelling: UK --> {{Infobox Prime Minister | name =Eugenia Charles | image =Dame Eugenia Charles.jpg | order =3rd [[Prime Minister of Dominica]] | term_start =[[21 July]] [[1980]] | term_end =[[14 June]] [[1995]] | deputy = | predecessor =[[Oliver Seraphin]] | successor =[[Edison James]] | birth_date ={{birth date|1919|5|15|mf=y}} | birth_place =[[Pointe Michel]], [[Saint Luke Parish, Dominica]] | death_date = {{death date and age|2005|9|6|1919|5|15|mf=y}} | death_place =[[Fort-de-France]], [[Martinique]] | spouse = | constituency = | party =[[Dominica Freedom Party]] | languagesspoken =[[English language|English]] }} '''Dame Eugenia Charles''', [[Order of the British Empire|DBE]] ([[May 15]] [[1919]] &ndash; [[September 6]], [[2005]]) was the [[Prime Minister of Dominica|Prime Minister]] of [[Dominica]] from [[July 21]] [[1980]] until [[June 14]] [[1995]]. She was the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, and the first woman elected in her own right as [[head of government]] in [[North America]]. She was Dominica's first and to date only female prime minister. Born '''Mary Eugenia Charles''' in [[Pointe Michel]] in [[Saint Luke Parish, Dominica|Saint Luke]] parish, she studied overseas at universities in [[London]], [[England]], and [[Toronto]], [[Canada]]. she began campaigning in politics during the 1960s against restrictions on press freedom. She helped to found the [[Dominica Freedom Party]], which she served as leader from the early 1970s until 1995. She was elected to Parliament in 1970 and became Opposition Leader in 1975. Though she and her party were frequently described as conservative, this was partially in comparison to socialist leaders in the Caribbean, as she did support some social welfare programmes. Other issues that were important to her were anti-corruption measures and individual freedom. [[Image:REAGANEugeniaCharles.jpg|thumb|left|Charles meets with [[United States President|American President]] [[Ronald Reagan]] in the [[White House]]'s [[Oval Office]] about ongoing events in [[Grenada]]]] Eugenia Charles became Prime Minister when her party won elections shortly after Dominica gained full independence from [[United Kingdom|British]] rule in 1979. She became more widely known to the outside world during the US [[invasion of Grenada]] in 1983, when, in her role as chairman of the [[Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States]] (OECS), she appeared on television with [[Ronald Reagan]] to offer her support. For her uncompromising stance on this and other issues, she became known as the "Iron Lady of the Caribbean" (after the original "Iron Lady", [[Margaret Thatcher]]). Shortly after her retirement from politics her party lost the 1995 elections. She also served as [[Foreign Minister]] of Dominica from 1980 to 1990. She was awarded a [[Dame (title)|damehood]] in 1992. On [[30 August]] [[2005]], Dame Eugenia Charles was taken to a hospital in [[Fort-de-France]], [[Martinique]], for hip replacement surgery and died from complications soon after on [[6 September]], aged 86. ==External links== * [http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,1564852,00.html Obituary] from ''[[The Guardian]]'' * [http://www.caricom.org/jsp/projects/personalities/dame_mary.jsp?menu=projects Caricom Biography] {{start box}} {{succession box|title=[[Prime Minister of Dominica]]|before=[[Oliver Seraphin]]|after=[[Edison James]]| years=1980&ndash;1995}} {{end box}} {{DominicaPMs}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Charles, Eugenia}} [[Category:1919 births]] [[Category:2005 deaths]] [[Category:Dominica politicians]] [[Category:Prime Ministers of Dominica]] [[Category:Female heads of government]] [[Category:Deaths from surgical complications]] [[Category:Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics]] [[Category:Dominica women]] [[de:Mary Eugenia Charles]] [[fr:Eugenia Charles]] [[he:יוג'יניה צ'ארלס]] [[it: Eugenia Charles]] [[nl:Mary Eugenia Charles]] [[ja:ユージェニア・チャールズ]] [[pl:Eugenia Charles]] [[sv:Eugenia Charles]]