. ▁It ▁remained ▁in ▁opposition ▁following ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁elections , ▁but ▁was ▁vict orious ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁and ▁was ▁therefore ▁the ▁Government ▁when ▁J ama ica ▁gained ▁its ▁political ▁independence ▁from ▁Great ▁Britain ▁on ▁ 6 ▁August ▁ 1 9 6 2 . ▁ ▁B ust am ante ▁suffered ▁a ▁stroke ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁and ▁largely ▁with d rew ▁from ▁politics . ▁ ▁However , ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁rel in qu ish ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁party ▁leader ▁for ▁another ▁de cade . ▁ ▁Donald ▁Sang ster ▁took ▁over ▁as ▁acting ▁prime ▁minister ▁after ▁B ust am ante ' s ▁stroke . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁named ▁First ▁Deput y ▁Le ader ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁party ▁to ▁victory ▁as ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 1 ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁elections . ▁Sang ster ▁suffered ▁a ▁brain ▁hem or rh age ▁and ▁died ▁about ▁six ▁weeks ▁after ▁the ▁elections , ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁prepar ing ▁for ▁his ▁budget ▁presentation . ▁ ▁Hugh ▁She ar er ▁succeeded ▁Sang ster ▁as ▁First ▁Deput y ▁Le ader ▁and ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁defe ating ▁David ▁Clement ▁( DC ) ▁T av ares ▁by ▁two ▁votes ▁in ▁a ▁run - off ▁by ▁of ▁the ▁J LP ▁parliament ari ans . ▁T av ares ▁had ▁come ▁out ▁on ▁top ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁ball ot , ▁with ▁She ar er ▁and ▁Robert ▁Light bourne ▁being ▁the ▁other ▁candidates . ▁Under ▁She ar er , ▁the