PNC’s first-ever General Secretary dies

Feb 09, 2012 News

The first-ever General Secretary of the People National Congress (PNC), Joseph Abrams, has died.
He passed away following a heart attack Sunday last at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC.)
Abrams was also the first black Mayor of London Borough of Merton.

Joseph Abrams

He is to be buried tomorrow at the St. Mary’s Church, Beterverwagting Village, East Coast Demerara, following a service there.
According to Kingsley Abrams, his father was the first General Secretary of the PNC after the party under the leadership of former President Forbes Burnham split from the People’s Progressive Party.
Abrams was just 20 at the time that he became the General Secretary.
He later migrated to London where he became Chair of the London-based arm of the PNC. In 2006 after resigning as a Councilor in London he returned to Guyana.
Abrams has also served in a number of prominent positions including being the Chairman of the Equality Commission; a former member of Prison Service Commission; Vice Chairman of Greater London Employee Association (GLEA) for 18-years; former Deputy Chairman for the Racial Equality Commission, member of Education Committee and first black Trustee of the National Maritime Museum for seven years.
At the time of his death, he was living at Granville Park, Beterverwagting Village.