Sir Eric Matthew Gairy PC (18 February 1922 – 23 August 1997)[1] was the first Prime Minister of Grenada, serving from his country's independence in 1974 until his overthrow in a coup by Maurice Bishop in 1979. Gairy also served as head of government in pre-independence Grenada as Chief Minister from 1961 to 1962, and as Premier from 1967 to 1974.

Eric Gairy returned to Grenada from Curaçao in December, 1949 to enter trade unionism and politics. In 1950 he founded the Grenada Manual & Mental Workers Union (GMMWU) and was deeply involved in encouraging the 1951 general strike for better working conditions. This sparked great unrest - so many buildings were set ablaze that the disturbances became known as the "red sky" days - and the British authorities had to call in military reinforcements to help regain control of the situation. Gairy himself was taken into custody.

In 1951 Gairy founded the Grenada United Labour Party.[2] He was elected as a representative of the Colony of Grenada's Legislative Council in 1951, 1954, and 1957. He was banned from political activities and lost his seat between 1957 and 1961.