Arthur Chung
Encyclopedia
Arthur Chung was a President of Guyana from 1970 to 1980. He was the first ethnic Chinese (Hakka
) head of state in a non-Asia
n country. During his time as President of Guyana, the office was that of a ceremonial head of state, with real power in the hands of Prime Minister Forbes Burnham
.
Chung was born at Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara in Guyana; he was the youngest of Joseph and Lucy Chung's eight children. He was educated at Windsor Forest, Blankenburg and Modern High School.
Before civic service Chung was an apprentice surveyor and sworn land surveyor. In the early 1940s Chung entered the Middle Temple
of London, England and qualified as a barrister
in 1947. He returned to Guyana and was later appointed an acting magistrate. In 1954, he became a magistrate and in 1960 a senior magistrate. He also served as Registrar of Deeds and of the Supreme Court. He then became a puisne judge and finally an Appeal Court Judge in 1963.
When Guyana became a republic under the leadership of Forbes Burnham in 1970, the National Assembly
elected Chung as the country's first President; he took office on March 17, 1970. Ten years later, a constitutional revision transformed the presidency into an executive position and Burnham succeeded Chung as President on October 6, 1980.
Chung died on June 23, 2008 at his home. In the two months prior to his death he had been hospitalized a number of times, and he was last released from the hospital on June 20.
In 1954, Chung married another native of Windsor Forest, Doreen Pamela Ng-See-Quan, with whom he had one daughter and one son.
Hakka people
The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China....
) head of state in a non-Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n country. During his time as President of Guyana, the office was that of a ceremonial head of state, with real power in the hands of Prime Minister Forbes Burnham
Forbes Burnham
Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham was the leader of Guyana from 1964 until his death, first as Premier from 1964 to 1966, then as the Prime Minister from 1966 to 1980 and finally as President from 1980 to 1985....
.
Chung was born at Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara in Guyana; he was the youngest of Joseph and Lucy Chung's eight children. He was educated at Windsor Forest, Blankenburg and Modern High School.
Before civic service Chung was an apprentice surveyor and sworn land surveyor. In the early 1940s Chung entered the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
of London, England and qualified as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
in 1947. He returned to Guyana and was later appointed an acting magistrate. In 1954, he became a magistrate and in 1960 a senior magistrate. He also served as Registrar of Deeds and of the Supreme Court. He then became a puisne judge and finally an Appeal Court Judge in 1963.
When Guyana became a republic under the leadership of Forbes Burnham in 1970, the National Assembly
National Assembly of Guyana
The National Assembly is the parliament of Guyana. It has 65 members, 53 members elected for a five-year term by proportional representation and 12 members delegated by local government councils...
elected Chung as the country's first President; he took office on March 17, 1970. Ten years later, a constitutional revision transformed the presidency into an executive position and Burnham succeeded Chung as President on October 6, 1980.
Chung died on June 23, 2008 at his home. In the two months prior to his death he had been hospitalized a number of times, and he was last released from the hospital on June 20.
In 1954, Chung married another native of Windsor Forest, Doreen Pamela Ng-See-Quan, with whom he had one daughter and one son.