# Burchell Whiteman

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Burchell_Whiteman
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Burchell_Whiteman.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burchell_Whiteman
> Source revision: 1347542950
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Jamaican politician and diplomat}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [The Honourable](/source/The_Honourable)
| name             = Burchell Whiteman
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=JAM|size=100%|OJ}}
| image            =
| caption          = 
| office           = [Jamaican High Commissioner to the United Kingdom](/source/High_Commission_of_Jamaica%2C_London)
| prime_minister   = [Portia Simpson-Miller](/source/Portia_Simpson-Miller)<br/>[Bruce Golding](/source/Bruce_Golding)
| term_start       = January 2007
| term_end         = January 2010
| predecessor      = [Gail Mathurin](/source/Gail_Mathurin)
| successor        = [Anthony Johnson](/source/Anthony_Johnson_(diplomat))
| birth_name       = Burchell Anthony Whiteman
| birth_place      = [May Pen](/source/May_Pen), [Clarendon](/source/Clarendon_Parish%2C_Jamaica), Jamaica
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|1938|3|30|df=y}}
| relations        = 
| alma_mater       = {{plainlist|
* [University College](/source/University_of_the_West_Indies)
* [Birmingham University](/source/Birmingham_University)
}}
| occupation       = 
| spouse           = Joline
| children         = 2 
}}

'''Burchell Anthony Whiteman''' {{post-nominals|country=JAM|size=100%|OJ}} (born 30 March 1938) is a Jamaican former politician. A member of the [People's National Party](/source/People's_National_Party) (PNP), he served as a [Member of Parliament](/source/Parliament_of_Jamaica), the Jamaican [High Commissioner to the United Kingdom](/source/High_Commission_of_Jamaica%2C_London), Minister of Education, and Minister of Information.

==Early life==
Burchell Anthony Whiteman was born on February 21, 1938 in May Pen, the son of educator Edgar James Whiteman and homemaker and social worker Merab Whiteman.<ref name=observer>{{cite news|url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/THE-MUNRO-COLLEGE-OLD-BOYS-ASSOCIATION-HALL-OF-FAME-------_59075?profile=&template=PrinterVersion|title=The Munro College Old Boys Association Hall of Fame|date=1 May 2016|newspaper=Jamaica Observer}}</ref> He studied at Munro College from 1949 to 1955 on a government scholarship that he earned on the basis of being the top student in [Clarendon Parish](/source/Clarendon_Parish%2C_Jamaica), Jamaica.<ref name=observer/> While at Munro, Whiteman was active in sports and performance arts, while also serving as house captain and head prefect. Whiteman graduated from the [University College of the West Indies](/source/University_of_the_West_Indies) (now University of the West Indies) with a degree in English with French and later obtained a master's degree in education from [Birmingham University](/source/Birmingham_University).<ref name=observer/>

==Career==
Whiteman was the principal of York Castle High School and Brown’s Town Community College.<ref name=jis>{{cite web|url=https://jis.gov.jm/cabinet-approves-appointment-burchell-whiteman-utech-council/|publisher=Jamaica Information Service|title=Cabinet Approves Appointment of Burchell Whiteman to Utech Council|date=11 July 2014|accessdate=10 May 2020}}</ref> He also chaired the board of the University Council of Jamaica.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Jamaica Information Service|url=https://jis.gov.jm/ambassador-whiteman-gets-special-award/|title=Ambassador Whiteman Gets Special Award|date=11 January 2013}}</ref> He entered politics in 1989 as a member of the [People's National Party](/source/People's_National_Party) (PNP) and was elected as Member of Parliament for [Saint Ann North Western](/source/Saint_Ann_North_Western).<ref name=observer/> In 1992, Whiteman became Minister of Education.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://moey.gov.jm/about|title=About|publisher=Ministry of Education, Youth, and Information|accessdate=10 May 2020}}</ref> In 2002, he was appointed Minister of Information.<ref name=observer/> In 2007, he was appointed [High Commissioner to the United Kingdom](/source/High_Commission_of_Jamaica%2C_London), a position he held till end-December 2009.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Jamaica Information Service|url=https://jis.gov.jm/uk-jamaicans-say-thank-you-to-high-commissioner-whiteman/|title=UK Jamaicans Say Thank You to High Commissioner Whiteman|date=15 December 2009|accessdate=10 May 2020}}</ref> In 2014, he received an appointment to the council of the [University of Technology, Jamaica](/source/University_of_Technology%2C_Jamaica).<ref name=jis/>

He contributed a foreword to ''Education Theory and Practice: Caribbean Perspectives'' (2003).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LG1BPQAACAAJ|title=Education Theory and Practice: Caribbean Perspectives|editor-last=Bastick|editor-first=Tony|year=2003|publisher=Department of Educational Studies, University of the West Indies|isbn=978-9-766-32038-6}}</ref>

==Recognition==
On 29 March 2006, Whiteman was awarded the [Order of Jamaica](/source/Order_of_Jamaica) in recognition of his contribution to education and to the legislature.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://jis.gov.jm/senator-burchell-whiteman-awarded-order-of-jamaica/|title=Senator Burchell Whiteman Awarded Order of Jamaica|date=28 March 2006|publisher=Jamaica Information Service|accessdate=10 May 2020}}</ref> In January 2013, the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ) honoured Whiteman for his contributions to education in Jamaica: "(he) recognised the uniqueness of the colleges that are strategically placed, making it easier for students to access quality education at an extremely affordable cost."<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Jamaica Observer|url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/burchell-whiteman-recognised-for-work-in-education|title=Burchell Whiteman recognised for work in education|date=10 January 2013}}</ref> In October 2015, he was conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of the West Indies.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20150630/rita-marley-burchell-whiteman-and-others-be-awarded-honorary-degrees-uwi|title=Rita Marley, Burchell Whiteman And Others To Be Awarded Honorary Degrees By UWI|date=30 June 2015|newspaper=The Gleaner}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whiteman, Burchell}}
Category:1938 births
Category:Living people
Category:High commissioners of Jamaica to the United Kingdom
Category:Education ministers of Jamaica
Category:People from Clarendon Parish, Jamaica
Category:University of the West Indies alumni
Category:Alumni of the University of Birmingham
Category:People educated at Munro College

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Burchell Whiteman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burchell_Whiteman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burchell_Whiteman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.