Background
Brizan, George was born on October 31, 1942 in Windsor Forest, St. David's.
Brizan, George was born on October 31, 1942 in Windsor Forest, St. David's.
University of the West Indies.
He moved to the top post in February, upon the resignation of Nicholas Brathwaite, and remained in office until Keith Mitchell was inaugurated on 22 June. On several occasions Brizan was called upon by governments to serve in various capacities particularly in the areas of trade and development. At various times in his long and illustrious career, Brizan served as a Trade Union leader, Economics, History and Education Lecturer and even a Sports Announcer/Commentator in the island"s annual inter-collegiate track and field competition, popularly known as "Intercol." Brizan had the distinction of working for or consulting with every Grenada government since the late 1960s. and when he became a consultant in the Ministry of Finance in the Keith Mitchell administration, he became and remains to this day the only former Prime Minister in the Caribbean to work for or serve in a successor government.
A prolific author, Brizan authored one of the seminal works on Grenada"s history, Grenada: Island of Conflict.
Brizan was instrumental in guiding and serving as a role model for hundreds of Grenadian students over the years. Indeed, it was not uncommon for students to declare a desire to be a "Brizan" (ie Economist/Historian) as their career goal.
That to this day Economics remains one of the most popular courses of study for Grenadian students is a testament to Brizan"s influence. Brizan formed and led the National Democratic Party, which later merged with the Grenada National Party (led by Herbert Blaize) and the Grenada Democratic Movement (led by Doctor Francis Alexis) in August 1984 to create The New National Party (NNP).
He was subsequently succeeded as NDC leader by Nicholas Brathwaite.
Braithwaite became Prime Minister following the NDC victory in the 1990 election, and Brizan served in Braithwaite"s Cabinet as Minister of Finance before being moved to the post of Minister of Agriculture on 27 April 1992. In both of these positions, he additionally held the portfolios of Trade, Industry, Production and Energy. After Braithwaite resigned from the party leadership in July 1994, Brizan was elected as NDC leader at a party convention on 4 September 1994.
He then became Prime Minister upon Brathwaite"s resignation from that position on 1 February 1995.
In addition to serving as Prime Minister, he took responsibility for the portfolios of External and National Security, Home Affairs, Agriculture, and Personnel and Management. Brizan remained a highly sought-after Economic and Politics expert although he considered himself semi-retired due to pressing health issues.
He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2009 New Year Honours. Brizan died at the General Hospital in Saint George"s, Grenada, on 18 February 2012, aged 69.
In April 1987, Brizan went into opposition and founded the National Democratic Congress (NDC).