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Ronald George Thwaites (born February 12, 1945) is a Jamaican attorney-at-law and politician, representing the
People's National Party The People's National Party (PNP) (PNP; ) is a Social democracy, social democratic List of political parties in Jamaica, political party in Jamaica, founded in 1938 by Norman Manley, Norman Washington Manley who served as party president unti ...
(PNP). He was Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Kingston Central, serving from 1989 to 2002, and again from 2007 to 2020. He served as Minister of Education from 2012 to 2016.


Early life and education

Thwaites was born on February 12, 1945, in
St Andrew Andrew the Apostle ( ; ; ; ) was an apostle of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was a fisherman and one of the Apostles in the New Testament, Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus. The title First-Called () used by the Eastern Orthodox Chu ...
. He is the son of Ronald George Thwaites and Lena May Thwaites (née D'Costa). He received his early education at Westbrook Preparatory School and St George's College. Thwaites was awarded the Jamaica Scholarship to
Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
, where he was editor-in-chief of ''
The Cornell Daily Sun ''The Cornell Daily Sun'' is an independent newspaper at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. It is published twice weekly by Cornell University students and hired employees. Founded in 1880, ''The Sun'' is the oldest continuously independent ...
'' and a member of the
Quill and Dagger Quill and Dagger is a senior honor society at Cornell University, founded in 1893. In 1929, ''The New York Times'' stated that election into Quill and Dagger and similar societies constituted "the highest non-scholastic honor within reach of unde ...
society. In 1968 he won a
Rhodes Scholarship The Rhodes Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford in Oxford, United Kingdom. The scholarship is open to people from all backgrounds around the world. Established in 1902, it is ...
to
Campion Hall, Oxford Campion Hall is one of the four permanent private halls of the University of Oxford in England. A Catholic hall, it is run by the Society of Jesus and named after Edmund Campion, a martyr and fellow of St John's College, Oxford. The hall is lo ...
. He also attended the
University of the West Indies The University of the West Indies (UWI), originally University College of the West Indies, is a public university system established to serve the higher education needs of the residents of 18 English-speaking countries and territories in t ...
, and
Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wale ...
, London.


Legal career

Thwaites founded the Kingston Legal Aid Clinic in 1972 and was its managing director from 1972 to 1975. He also co-founded the Montego Bay Legal Aid Clinic in 1974. He has been a partner in the law firm Daly, Thwaites and Company since 1979.


Political career

Thwaites was first elected Member of Parliament for the constituency of Kingston Central in the 1997 general election, polling 6,907 votes to 4,643 for Christine Davis for the
Jamaica Labour Party The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP; ) is one of the two major political parties in Jamaica, the other being the People's National Party (PNP). While its name might suggest that it is a social democratic party (as is the case for "Labour" parties in se ...
(JLP). He did not seek re-election in the 2002 general election, but was again re-elected to Parliament in 2007, polling 5,210 votes to the JLP's Charlton Collie (3,745). In May 2011 he was named the Opposition Spokesperson on Education and in January 2012 was appointed Minister of Education in the Portia Simpson-Miller cabinet after the PNP won the 2011 general election. In 2020, Thwaites decided not to seek re-election in the 2020 general elections.


Personal life

Thwaites is married to Marcia Veronica Thwaites (née McKenley) and has five sons and two daughters.


See also

* List of education ministers of Jamaica


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thwaites, Ronald 1945 births People from Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica Education ministers of Jamaica Government ministers of Jamaica Jamaican Rhodes Scholars People's National Party (Jamaica) politicians Cornell University alumni Living people Members of the 13th Parliament of Jamaica People educated at St. George's College, Jamaica