1. Hugh Desmond Hoyte was a Guyanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Guyana from 1984 to 1985 and President of Guyana from 1985 until 1992.
20 Facts About Desmond Hoyte
1. 2.
Desmond Hoyte was educated at St Barnabas Anglican School and Progressive High School.
3.
Desmond Hoyte would come to serve as a legal advisor to the Guyana Trades Union Congress.
4.
Desmond Hoyte was Home Affairs Minister from 1969 to 1970, Finance Minister from 1970 to 1972, Works and Communications Minister from 1972 to 1974, and Economic Development Minister in 1974 to 1980.
5.
On Burnham's death on 6 August 1985, Desmond Hoyte became the third President of Guyana.
6.
Immediately after becoming President, Desmond Hoyte removed bans on imported food items and opened Guyana to greater international trade.
7.
Also in 1987, Desmond Hoyte established the Guyana Prize for Literature.
8.
In 1989, Desmond Hoyte first proposed a conservation area in the Guyanese rainforest; this proposal would eventually become the Iwokrama Forest.
9.
Desmond Hoyte was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1990 until 1992.
10.
Desmond Hoyte used the increased powers of the presidency to move away from policies advocated by previous president Forbes Burnham which had led to high poverty rates and high debt.
11.
Desmond Hoyte invited foreign investment and made peace with the International Monetary Fund, which angered others in his party.
12.
Desmond Hoyte announced significant electoral reforms in 1990 prior to the 1992 election, influenced by former US President Jimmy Carter.
13.
Desmond Hoyte announced that he would resign if this action continued, thus ending the demonstration.
14.
Desmond Hoyte remained leader of the PNC until his death, and Minority Leader and Leader of the Opposition.
15.
Desmond Hoyte then appointed a panel to review the event, which resulted in Green's expulsion.
16.
Desmond Hoyte was the PNC candidate in the presidential elections of 1996 and 2001.
17.
In opposition, Desmond Hoyte obstructed several initiatives proposed by the ruling party, including constitutional changes and the establishment of a commission on race relations.
18.
Desmond Hoyte conducted a campaign to overturn the results of the 1997 elections.
19.
Desmond Hoyte regularly protested the exclusion of Afro-Guyanese from government posts.
20.
Desmond Hoyte died of heart failure in Georgetown, Guyana on 22 December 2002, aged 73.