Patrick Allen (governor-general)

His Excellency The Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen ON GCMG CD KStJ
Allen in 2011
6th Governor-General of Jamaica
Incumbent
Assumed office 26 February 2009
Monarchs	Elizabeth II Charles III
Prime Minister	Bruce Golding Andrew Holness Portia Simpson-Miller Andrew Holness
Preceded by	Kenneth O. Hall
Personal details
Born	Patrick Linton Allen (1951-02-07) 7 February 1951 (age 73) Fruitful Vale, Colony of Jamaica[1]
Spouse	Patricia Beckford
Children	3
Alma mater	Andrews University

Sir Patrick Linton Allen ON GCMG CD KStJ (born 7 February 1951) is a Jamaican statesman and former Seventh-day Adventist pastor, who has served as the sixth and current governor-general of Jamaica since 26 February 2009.

The fourth of five children in a family of subsistence farmers, Allen spent over a decade as a teacher and principal, before leaving education to be trained as an Adventist minister at Andrews University in the United States. After becoming a pastor, Allen went on to serve in a number of leadership roles within the Seventh-day Adventist Church, eventually becoming the leader of the West Indies Union of Seventh-day Adventists, which had jurisdiction over Jamaica, The Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Allen became Jamaica's sixth appointed governor-general (eighth overall, including two acting governors-general). He replaced Kenneth O. Hall, who resigned for health reasons. Allen's appointment was controversial due to his strong ties to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and because of concerns that he would be unable to attend functions on Saturdays due to his faith's strict observation of the Sabbath. Allen resigned from his leadership of the West Indies Union prior to becoming Governor-General, however.