Desmond Hoyte

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Hugh Desmond Hoyte (March 9, 1929 – December 22, 2002) was a Guyanese politician. He served as Prime Minister of Guyana from 1984 to 1985 and President of Guyana from 1985 until 1992. He was born in Guyana's capital, Georgetown. He entered Parliament as a member of the People's National Congress in 1968 and soon began serving in the cabinet.

He was home affairs minister from 1969 to 1970, finance minister from 1970 to 1972, works and communications minister from 1972 to 1974, and economic development minister in 1974 to 1980. Hoyte concentrated on economic affairs during his political career. Following the December 1980 election he became one of five vice-presidents, with responsibility for economic planning, finance, and regional development, becoming a close associate of the President of Guyana and PNC leader Forbes Burnham.

In August 1984 he was made first vice-president and prime minister. President Burnham died suddenly on August 6, 1985, and Hoyte became President at a time when Guyana was undergoing prolonged economic and social problems. Tragically, three months before taking office, his two teenage daughters and sister-in-law were killed in a car crash on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

Shortly before Burnham's death, he and other members of the PNC had embarked on talks with the opposition People's Progressive Party attempting to achieve a national unity formula to deal with the country's problems. Hoyte announced his willingness to continue the dialogue, but also announced that a general election would be held on December 9. Responding to criticisms of previous elections as fraudulent, he agreed to certain reforms. Nonetheless, conduct of the election, which returned the PNC to power with an increased majority, was widely criticized for irregularities, and Hoyte's chances of achieving a national reconciliation were thereby diminished.

Hoyte was also foreign minister from 1990 until 1992. The 1992 elections were won by the People's Progressive Party, and its leader, Cheddi Jagan won presidential elections. Hoyte remained leader of the PNC until his death.

He also was the PNC candidate in the presidential elections of 1996 and 2001. He received second place both times (40.6% in 1996 and 41.7% in 2001). The PNC never regained the power that it had under the Burnham administration and his own administration. He died in Georgetown, Guyana.