Former NAR minister Jennifer Johnson dies

JENNIFER Johnson, former Minister of Youth, Sport, Culture and the Creative Arts, and one of the government ministers who was held hostage in the July 27, 1990 coup attempt, has died.

Johnson, who would have celebrated her 77th birthday on February 17, died at her home after a short period of illness on Wednesday, a statement said.

She was first elected MP for Princes Town under the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) in 1986.

She served one term (1986-1991) in the 3rd Republican Parliament in the Arthur NR Robinson administration.

However, her political career started more than a decade before, as member of the strategy committee of the Democratic Action Congress, which Robinson also headed.

She also contested the San Fernando East constituency in 1976, but lost to late prime minister Patrick Manning.