Wife of former US President Jimmy Carter dies

Last Updated on Sunday, 19 November 2023, 17:22 by Denis Chabrol

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.

Rosalynn Carter, the wife of former United States President Jimmy Carter- who played a key role in Guyana’s electoral reforms- died on Sunday.

Mrs Carter died in hospice care after her family ann0unced in May, 2023 that she was suffering from dementia and had joined Jimmy in hospice care.

Rosalynn and her husband last visited Guyana in 2018 when he met with top Guyanese political leaders.

The Carter Centre had observed several of Guyana’s general elections since Mr Carter’s first visit to Guyana in 1990 when he had brokered several major electoral reforms including a fresh voters list and counting of the votes at the place of poll.

That breakthrough came in talks with then Guyana President Desmond Hoyte and Mr Carter, after several decades of local, regional and international pressure from the Cheddi Jagan-led People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Working People’s Alliance, other political parties and civil society organisations.

Originally scheduled for 1990, the elections were held in 1992 and were certified as the first free and fair elections in almost 30 years. Dr Jagan and his PPP returned to office and remained in power until 2015 when a People’s National Congress Reform-led coalition clinched a narrow victory.

Mr Carter had, during a 2004 visit to Guyana, expressed frustration that the Bharrat Jagdeo-led PPP administration and the Robert Corbin-led People’s National Congress Reform did not find a way to have political inclusivity, implement the National Development Strategy , enact campaign financing legislation and reform the structure of the Guyana Elections Commission