David Thompson (Barbadian politician)
Encyclopedia
David John Howard Thompson, QC
, MP
(25 December 1961 – 23 October 2010) was the sixth Prime Minister of Barbados
from January 2008 until his death from pancreatic cancer
on 23 October 2010.
Thompson is the third sitting Prime Minister of Barbados to die in office following the deaths of Tom Adams in 1985 and Errol Barrow
in 1987. He is also the 7th head of government
of a CARICOM country to die in office since CARICOM was founded in 1973.
to Charles Thompson, an Afro
-Barbadian
porter and painter, and Margaret Knight, a White
Barbadian
author,secretary and nurse. Both parents remained strong influences in Thompson's life. Thompson was brought up with his three siblings at Fitts Village, Saint James.
Thompson attended primary school at St Gabriel’s Junior School and secondary school at Combermere School. He earned a legal education certificate from Hugh Wooding Law School. Thompson graduated with honors from the University of the West Indies
law school
in 1984. He was admitted to the Barbados bar
in 1984 and taught as a part-time tutor in law at the University of the West Indies from 1986 to 1988. His law firm
was Thompson & Associates.
Thompson was married to Mara Thompson
(née
Giraudy), who was born in Saint Lucia
. The couple had three daughters - Misha, Oya and Osa-Marie. The family resided in Mapps, St. Philip, though Thompson resided at the official Prime Minister's residence Ilaro Court
from 2008 until 2010.
, gaining his parliamentary seat for Saint John in 1987. During Erskine Sandiford's term as Prime Minister, Thompson served as Minister of Community Development and Culture from 1991 to 1993. He was subsequently appointed Minister of Finance from 1993 to 1994. Thompson became leader of the DLP when Sandiford resigned after losing a parliamentary no confidence motion. Thompson unsuccessfully led the Democratic Labour Party
in elections in 1994 and 1999. He resigned as party leader in September 2000 following his third electoral defeat as party leader in the St. Thomas by-election. However, when party leader Clyde Mascoll
switched allegiance to the Barbados Labour Party, Thompson once again became opposition leader in January 2006.
The DLP won the general election
held on 15 January 2008 with 20 seats against 10 for the Barbados Labour Party
, which was led by former Prime Minister Owen Arthur
. Thompson was sworn in as Prime Minister on 16 January, becoming Barbados' sixth prime minister and the third to serve under the DLP. Thompson was also re-elected to his own seat from St. John constituency with 84% of the vote. He announced his Cabinet on 19 January, including himself as Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Development, Labour, Civil Service and Energy; it was sworn in on 20 January.
The Governor-General scheduled a by-election for January 20, 2011 to fill the vacant seat in the House of Assembly
formerly held by the late Prime Minister. Presently Thompson's wife Mara is the DLP
-candidate contesting in the election for her late husband's former seat. She has since won that seat by an overwhelming margin, defeating BLP opponent Hudson Griffith 4 613 votes to 553.
On 30 August, Thompson re-assumed his post of Prime Minister, having returned to Barbados the day before. On 7 September, he left Barbados for New York on a trip of unknown nature. A short time later Thompson's personal physician, Richard Ishmael, informed the general public that the Prime Minister was suffering from pancreatic cancer
.
Thompson died at his home in Mapps, St. Philip, at approximately 2:10 am on 23 October 2010. His mother, wife Mara and daughters Misha, Oya and Osa-Marie were by his side, as well as his sister, Liz.
, who was appointed by Thompson as an 'Honorary Ambassador of Culture' of Barbados also expressed her sadness at the passing of the late Prime Minister. Condolences have also been extended to Barbados by the United Nations General Assembly.
Barbados entered an official period of mourning
for the former Prime Minister on 23 October. On that date, the government-owned national broadcaster began airing tributes of the late Prime Minister. Such tributes included speeches and former debates of the late Thompson, as well as some local and international statements of condolences to his family, extended family, and the nation. The mourning period was also stated to be in effect for Barbados until the official state funeral
. On Monday 25 October Senator Maxine McClean announced in a televised broadcast the full arrangements for the funeral of PM Thompson; Senator McClean stated that on 28 October 2010 (from 9am-11am) Thompson would first have a closed viewing in the east-wing of the Parliament of Barbados
. That viewing will be upstairs in the chamber of the House of Assembly
and would follow Barbados' Table of Precedence
for members of Government
from the Governor General down to MPs. On that same date members of the general public could later view Thompson at the House of Assembly from 11am-5pm. On 29 October, from 2pm-5pm a public viewing would take place at Thompson's alma mater
, The Combermere School. On 30 October, a viewing for the general public will take place at the George Street Auditorium from 9am-5pm. On Monday, 1 November from 10am-5pm a general public viewing will take place in Thompson's home constituency of Saint John at the Parish Church
. On 2 November, Thompson will again have a general public viewing at the House of Assembly from 9am-5pm. The official state funeral for the late Prime Minister took place on 3 November at the Kensington Oval
stadium and was strictly a ticket only event. Over ten thousand persons, including foreign dignitaries and diplomatic representatives, attended the state funeral. Thousands more lined the streets of Bridgetown that morning to pay their respects as the official funeral procession made its way through the city en route to the Oval. Both the state funeral at the Kensington Oval and the internment at the St. John's Parish Church were broadcast live by CBC TV 8. Mr. Thompson's final resting place is in the church's cemetery and overlooks the east coast of the island.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
, MP
Barbados House of Assembly
The House of Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Barbados. It has 30 Members of Parliament , MPs are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple-majority system for a term of five years....
(25 December 1961 – 23 October 2010) was the sixth Prime Minister of Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
from January 2008 until his death from pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
on 23 October 2010.
Thompson is the third sitting Prime Minister of Barbados to die in office following the deaths of Tom Adams in 1985 and Errol Barrow
Errol Barrow
Errol Walton Barrow, PC, QC was a Caribbean statesman and the first Prime Minister of Barbados. Born into a family of political and civic activists in the parish of Saint Lucy and educated at Harrison College, his sister Dame Nita Barrow also became a social activist, humanitarian leader and later...
in 1987. He is also the 7th head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
of a CARICOM country to die in office since CARICOM was founded in 1973.
Early life
Thompson was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Charles Thompson, an Afro
Afro
Afro, sometimes shortened to fro and also known as a "natural", is a hairstyle worn naturally by people with lengthy kinky hair texture or specifically styled in such a fashion by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair...
-Barbadian
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
porter and painter, and Margaret Knight, a White
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
Barbadian
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
author,secretary and nurse. Both parents remained strong influences in Thompson's life. Thompson was brought up with his three siblings at Fitts Village, Saint James.
Thompson attended primary school at St Gabriel’s Junior School and secondary school at Combermere School. He earned a legal education certificate from Hugh Wooding Law School. Thompson graduated with honors from the University of the West Indies
University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...
law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
in 1984. He was admitted to the Barbados bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1984 and taught as a part-time tutor in law at the University of the West Indies from 1986 to 1988. His law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
was Thompson & Associates.
Thompson was married to Mara Thompson
Mara Thompson
Marie-Josephine Mara Thompson is a Saint Lucian-born Barbadian politician, educator and widow of the sixth Prime Minister of Barbados, David Thompson, who died in office on October 23, 2010...
(née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Giraudy), who was born in Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
. The couple had three daughters - Misha, Oya and Osa-Marie. The family resided in Mapps, St. Philip, though Thompson resided at the official Prime Minister's residence Ilaro Court
Ilaro court
Ilaro Court is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Barbados. Ilaro Court was designed and built in the early 1920s by Lady Gilbert Carter, an accomplished American artist whose husband Sir Gilbert Thomas Carter was Governor of Barbados from 1904 to 1911. The name Ilaro was derived from...
from 2008 until 2010.
Politics
Thompson came to politics in a by-election after the death of the Prime Minister Errol BarrowErrol Barrow
Errol Walton Barrow, PC, QC was a Caribbean statesman and the first Prime Minister of Barbados. Born into a family of political and civic activists in the parish of Saint Lucy and educated at Harrison College, his sister Dame Nita Barrow also became a social activist, humanitarian leader and later...
, gaining his parliamentary seat for Saint John in 1987. During Erskine Sandiford's term as Prime Minister, Thompson served as Minister of Community Development and Culture from 1991 to 1993. He was subsequently appointed Minister of Finance from 1993 to 1994. Thompson became leader of the DLP when Sandiford resigned after losing a parliamentary no confidence motion. Thompson unsuccessfully led the Democratic Labour Party
Democratic Labour Party (Barbados)
The Democratic Labour Party is a political party in Barbados, and currently the ruling party of the country. It is led by Freundel Stuart.-History:...
in elections in 1994 and 1999. He resigned as party leader in September 2000 following his third electoral defeat as party leader in the St. Thomas by-election. However, when party leader Clyde Mascoll
Clyde Mascoll
The Hon. Clyde Mascoll is a politician from Barbados. He is a former leader of the Democratic Labour Party . In 2003, Mascoll unsuccessfully led the party in an election against the ruling Barbados Labour Party...
switched allegiance to the Barbados Labour Party, Thompson once again became opposition leader in January 2006.
The DLP won the general election
Barbadian general election, 2008
A general election was held in Barbados on 15 January 2008. A concurrent referendum to determine whether or not to become a republic was initially planned but that vote was postponed....
held on 15 January 2008 with 20 seats against 10 for the Barbados Labour Party
Barbados Labour Party
The Barbados Labour Party is the main opposition party of Barbados. Led by Rt. Hon.Owen Arthur, the BLP holds 9 out of 30 seats in the House of Assembly as of January 2008...
, which was led by former Prime Minister Owen Arthur
Owen Arthur
Owen Seymour Arthur, MP was the fifth Prime Minister of Barbados who was in office from 1994 to 2008 and is the current Leader of Opposition in Barbados. To date, he is the longest serving Barbadian Prime Minister....
. Thompson was sworn in as Prime Minister on 16 January, becoming Barbados' sixth prime minister and the third to serve under the DLP. Thompson was also re-elected to his own seat from St. John constituency with 84% of the vote. He announced his Cabinet on 19 January, including himself as Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Development, Labour, Civil Service and Energy; it was sworn in on 20 January.
The Governor-General scheduled a by-election for January 20, 2011 to fill the vacant seat in the House of Assembly
Barbados House of Assembly
The House of Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Barbados. It has 30 Members of Parliament , MPs are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple-majority system for a term of five years....
formerly held by the late Prime Minister. Presently Thompson's wife Mara is the DLP
Democratic Labour Party (Barbados)
The Democratic Labour Party is a political party in Barbados, and currently the ruling party of the country. It is led by Freundel Stuart.-History:...
-candidate contesting in the election for her late husband's former seat. She has since won that seat by an overwhelming margin, defeating BLP opponent Hudson Griffith 4 613 votes to 553.
Health issues and death
At a media briefing at his official Ilaro Court residence on 14 May 2010, Thompson, accompanied by his personal physician, Richard Ishmael, said that he had been suffering with stomach pains since early March. He also revealed he had undergone tests in Barbados, which were inconclusive, and had also travelled with Ishmael to New York where additional tests were carried out. The process of testing would be ongoing and, because of this, Attorney General and Deputy Prime Minister Freundel Stuart would assume the Prime Minister's office in Thompson's absence.On 30 August, Thompson re-assumed his post of Prime Minister, having returned to Barbados the day before. On 7 September, he left Barbados for New York on a trip of unknown nature. A short time later Thompson's personal physician, Richard Ishmael, informed the general public that the Prime Minister was suffering from pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
.
Thompson died at his home in Mapps, St. Philip, at approximately 2:10 am on 23 October 2010. His mother, wife Mara and daughters Misha, Oya and Osa-Marie were by his side, as well as his sister, Liz.
State funeral and mourning
As news of Thompson's death spread, regional and international dignitaries expressed their condolences. to the Thompson family and the nation. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI was among the international condolences for the late Prime Minister and stated that he "invokes God’s blessings upon the late Prime Minister’s family and the people of Barbados." Barbadian popstar RihannaRihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
, who was appointed by Thompson as an 'Honorary Ambassador of Culture' of Barbados also expressed her sadness at the passing of the late Prime Minister. Condolences have also been extended to Barbados by the United Nations General Assembly.
Barbados entered an official period of mourning
Mourning
Mourning is, in the simplest sense, synonymous with grief over the death of someone. The word is also used to describe a cultural complex of behaviours in which the bereaved participate or are expected to participate...
for the former Prime Minister on 23 October. On that date, the government-owned national broadcaster began airing tributes of the late Prime Minister. Such tributes included speeches and former debates of the late Thompson, as well as some local and international statements of condolences to his family, extended family, and the nation. The mourning period was also stated to be in effect for Barbados until the official state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
. On Monday 25 October Senator Maxine McClean announced in a televised broadcast the full arrangements for the funeral of PM Thompson; Senator McClean stated that on 28 October 2010 (from 9am-11am) Thompson would first have a closed viewing in the east-wing of the Parliament of Barbados
Parliament of Barbados
The Parliament of Barbados is the national legislature of Barbados. It is accorded legislative supremacy by Chapter V of the Constitution of Barbados. The Parliament is bicameral in composition and is formally made up of: HM Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Barbados The Parliament of Barbados is the...
. That viewing will be upstairs in the chamber of the House of Assembly
Barbados House of Assembly
The House of Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Barbados. It has 30 Members of Parliament , MPs are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple-majority system for a term of five years....
and would follow Barbados' Table of Precedence
Table of precedence for Barbados
The following is the Barbadian Table of Precedence.#The Queen of Barbados #The Governor-General of Barbados #The Prime Minister #The Chief Justice#The Members of the Cabinet...
for members of Government
Government of Barbados
Government of Barbados consists of: The Monarch, HM Queen Elizabeth II ; The Prime Minister, The Hon. Freundel Stuart, and his Cabinet; as legislature, divided into two chambers , and an independent judiciary...
from the Governor General down to MPs. On that same date members of the general public could later view Thompson at the House of Assembly from 11am-5pm. On 29 October, from 2pm-5pm a public viewing would take place at Thompson's alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, The Combermere School. On 30 October, a viewing for the general public will take place at the George Street Auditorium from 9am-5pm. On Monday, 1 November from 10am-5pm a general public viewing will take place in Thompson's home constituency of Saint John at the Parish Church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
. On 2 November, Thompson will again have a general public viewing at the House of Assembly from 9am-5pm. The official state funeral for the late Prime Minister took place on 3 November at the Kensington Oval
Kensington Oval
The Kensington Oval is located to the west of the capital-city Bridgetown on the island of Barbados. "The Oval" is one of the major sporting facilities on the island and is primarily used for cricket...
stadium and was strictly a ticket only event. Over ten thousand persons, including foreign dignitaries and diplomatic representatives, attended the state funeral. Thousands more lined the streets of Bridgetown that morning to pay their respects as the official funeral procession made its way through the city en route to the Oval. Both the state funeral at the Kensington Oval and the internment at the St. John's Parish Church were broadcast live by CBC TV 8. Mr. Thompson's final resting place is in the church's cemetery and overlooks the east coast of the island.
External links
- http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/Barbados-in-mourning-PM-Thompson-is-dead/
- http://www.nationnews.com/story/PM-NOT-WELL-FRONT-PAGE-LEAD
- Government profile
- The Democratic Labour Party
- Cabinet ready for business
- Interview with the first lady Mara Thompson
- http://www.nationnews.com/index.php/articles/view/pm-thompson-and-wife-and-children/