Lady Cynthia Bernadette Gairy was a former politician and Cabinet Minister in Grenada.

Early life

Cynthia Bernadette Gairy was born in St. David, Grenada on 25 March 1923 to Francis Clyne and Felicity Francis Clyne.

Career

Cynthia Gairy served in Grenada’s Parliament from 1961-1979 as the representative for St. Daid for the Grenada United Labour Party (GULP). She was the first elected woman to sit in the House of Representatives and was also the first woman Minister of government in 1968. As a government minister she held the portfolios of Community Development and cooperatives, education, culture among others. She was also one of the longest serving women Parliamentarians with 18 years of unbroken service.

Personal life

Lady Cynthia Gairy was the widow of former Prime Minister and Father of Independence Sir Eric Matthew Gairy. She was the mother of two daughters, Macelle a former Grenada High Commissioner to London and Jennifer.

She was a devout Catholic and she served as organist and choir director of the St. David’s Catholic Church for several years.

Death

Cynthia Gairy died on 29 January 2018 in Atlanta Georgia, USA. She was 94. A funeral mass honoring the life of Lady Cynthia Gairy was held on Saturday, 3 February 2018 in Georgia, USA. There was later a funeral service on Wednesday, 21 February 2018 at the St. David’s Roman Catholic Church, Grenada followed by entombment  at the St. David’s Cemetery, Grenada.