Donald Keith Duncan

{{Short description|Jamaican dental surgeon and politician (1940–2020)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Use British English|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Donald Keith Duncan | honorific_suffix = CD | image = Donald_keith_Duncan.jpg | office = Minister of National Mobilization & Human Resource Development | monarch = Elizabeth II | governor_general = Sir Florizel Glasspole | prime_minister = Michael Manley | term_start = 1977 | term_end = 1980 | predecessor = | successor = | monarch1 = | governor1 = | prime_minister1 = | office1 = | term_start1 = | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = | successor1 = | birth_name = | birth_date = 1940  | birth_place = St. Ann, Colony of Jamaica | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2020|09|17|1940}} | death_place = Kingston, Jamaica | party = People's National Party | spouse = {{Marriage|Beverley Manley (née Anderson)|2012}} | children = 5 | alma_mater = | awards = }}

'''Donald Keith "D.K." Duncan''', CD, (1940 – 17 September 2020) was a Jamaican dental surgeon and politician, representing the People's National Party (PNP). He served as Minister of National Mobilization & Human Resource Development (1977–1980).<ref name=gleaner3/>

==Early life and education== Duncan was born in 1940 in Brown's Town, St. Ann. He attended Jamaica College in the 1950s.<ref name=jc>{{cite news|url=http://www.jcobaca.org/other-scholars/ |title=Scholarships Awarded to Jamaica College Students Since 1936 |publisher=Jamaica College OBA (Canada) |access-date=2020-09-18}}</ref>

==Dental career== Duncan attended McGill University in Canada where he obtained a degree in dentistry in 1965. He operated private dental practices in Kingston and in Brown's Town.<ref name=loop/>

==Political career== Duncan became National Organiser for the People's National Party in 1972 before being elevated to the position of General Secretary in June 1974, succeeding Kenneth Chin-Onn.<ref name=loop>{{cite news |url=https://www.loopjamaica.com/content/dk-duncans-contributions-conflicts-and-controversies |title=DK Duncan's contributions, conflicts and controversies |publisher=Loop News |date=September 17, 2020 |access-date=2020-09-17 |archive-date=26 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026124228/https://www.loopjamaica.com/content/dk-duncans-contributions-conflicts-and-controversies |url-status=dead }}</ref> He first ran for elected office in December 1976 when he won the general election from the St. Andrew East Central constituency, polling 9,301 votes to the JLP's Ashley Williams (4,209).<ref name=ecj2>{{cite news|url=https://ecj.com.jm/election-results/general-election-1976/ |title=General Election 1976 |publisher=Electoral Commission of Jamaica |access-date=2020-09-18}}</ref> He was appointed Minister of Mobilization in January 1977 and served in that post until 1980. Although the PNP lost the 1980 general election, Duncan was returned to Parliament from the constituency, but lost the seat when the PNP decided not to contest the 1983 election.<ref name=nlj1>{{cite news|url=https://nlj.gov.jm/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Election-Results-1944-2016.pdf |title=Members of Parliament(Election Results from 1944-2016) |publisher=National Library of Jamaica |date= November 1, 2016 |access-date=2020-09-17}}</ref> After 1983, Duncan returned to his dental practice. He was briefly affiliated with the New Beginnings Movement political pressure group in the 1990s. In 1996, Duncan joined the Bruce Golding-led National Democratic Movement. He remained a member until his return to the PNP in 2007.<ref name=buzz>{{cite news|url=https://buzz-caribbean.com/life/here-are-some-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-dr-dk-duncan/ |title=Here are some things you probably didn't know about Dr DK Duncan |publisher=Buzz Caribbean News |date= September 17, 2020 |access-date=2020-09-17}}</ref> Duncan contested the 2007 general election on behalf of the PNP and was elected from the Hanover Eastern constituency. He went on to serve two terms in Parliament. Duncan retired from representational politics in 2016.

Duncan served as a member of the former Electoral Advisory Committee (1981–1982) and subsequently as a member of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) from 2010 to 2014.<ref name=ecj1>{{cite news|url=https://ecj.com.jm/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ECJ_History_Report.pdf |title=History of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica |publisher=Electoral Commission of Jamaica |page=47 |date= September 1, 2014 |access-date=2020-09-17}}</ref>

==Honors and awards== * In 2019, Duncan was conferred with the Order of Distinction, Commander class, for services to the Electoral Commission of Jamaica.<ref name=rjr1>{{cite news|url=http://radiojamaicanewsonline.com/local/over-100-persons-to-be-conferred-with-national-honours-and-awards |title=Over 100 persons to be conferred with national honours and awards |publisher=Radio Jamaica |date= August 6, 2019 |access-date=2020-09-18}}</ref>

== Personal life and death == Duncan was first married to Joan Rennals, whom he met at McGill University in the 1960s.<ref name=jmmb>{{cite news|url=https://www.jmmb.com/december-joan-duncan |title=Joan Duncan |publisher=Jamaica Money Market Brokers |date=December 14, 2018 |access-date=2020-09-17}}</ref> He then married Grace Verona Powe in December 1976. She died on 10 September 2010.<ref name=overdose>{{cite news|url=https://entertainmentoverdose.co.uk/news/dr-dk-duncan-dead-iconic-jamaican-political-leader-dies-at-80-278740.html |title=Dr. DK Duncan Dead: Iconic Jamaican Political Leader Dies at 80 |publisher=Entertainment Overdose (UK) |date= September 18, 2020 |access-date=2020-09-18}}</ref> Duncan then married Beverley Manley (née Anderson) on 21 January 2012. Duncan has 8 children: Keith Duncan, Donna Duncan-Scott, Patricia Duncan-Sutherland, Dawn Duncan, Imani Duncan-Price, Josina Duncan and David Duncan.<ref name=gleaner3>{{cite news|url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20200917/five-facts-about-dk-duncan |title=Five facts about DK Duncan |publisher=Jamaica Gleaner |date= September 17, 2020 |access-date=2020-09-17}}</ref> Duncan tested positive for COVID-19 on 30 August 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Jamaica and was admitted to hospital.<ref name=observer3>{{cite news|url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Dr_DK_Duncan_tests_positive_for_COVID?profile=1228 |title=DK Duncan tests positive for COVID-19 |publisher=Jamaica Observer |date=August 30, 2020 |access-date=2020-09-17}}</ref>

He died from complications of COVID-19 at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, on 17 September 2020, aged 80.<ref name=wiredja>{{cite news |url=https://wiredja.com/index.php/news/local-news/jamaica-dr-donald-keith-dk-duncan-is-dead-at-age-80 |title=Dr. Donald Keith (DK) Duncan is dead at age 80 |publisher=Wired Jamaica Online News |access-date=2020-09-17 |archive-date=4 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004185049/https://wiredja.com/index.php/news/local-news/jamaica-dr-donald-keith-dk-duncan-is-dead-at-age-80 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duncan, Donald Keith}} Category:1940 births Category:2020 deaths Category:Date of birth missing Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Jamaica Category:People from Saint Ann Parish Category:Government ministers of Jamaica Category:People's National Party (Jamaica) politicians Category:Members of the House of Representatives of Jamaica Category:McGill University alumni Category:Jamaican dentists Category:People educated at Jamaica College