Mara Thompson
Encyclopedia
Marie-Josephine Mara Thompson (born October 4, 1967) is a Saint Lucia
n-born Barbadian
politician
, educator and widow
of the sixth Prime Minister of Barbados
, David Thompson
, who died in office on October 23, 2010. Thompson won the special by-election
to succeed her husband in the Saint John constituency on Thursday, January 20, 2011, holding the seat for the Democratic Labour Party
.
on October 4, 1967, to Monica and Henry Giraudy. Her father, Henry Giraudy Q.C., was a prominent Saint Lucian lawyer
and politician
, who was nicknamed "The Chairman" due to his high position within the United Workers Party
(UWP). Henry Giraudy served as the President of the Senate of St. Lucia at one point.
Thompson attended school at St Joseph’s Convent in Castries
, Saint Lucia. She was a student at the University of Western Ontario
from 1979 to 1983, where she received her Bachelor of Arts
in physical education
. She then enrolled at Howard University
in Washington D.C. from 1986 to 1988, and obtained a Master of Science
in physical education. Thompson also hold a certificate in paralegal
education from Barbados Community College, which she attended from 2005 to 2007.
Mara and her husband, the late David Thompson
, had three daughters - Misha, Oya and Osa-Marie. Thompson and her family reside in Mapps, St. Philip.
and the United States
between 1986 and 2005. She served on the faculties of the Owl School in Washington D.C.; the Immaculate Conception High & Prep Schools located in Kingston, Jamaica
; Castries Comprehensive Secondary School in Saint Lucia; the Christ Church Foundation School and the Combermere School, both in Barbados. She worked as a paralegal
at her husband's law firm
, Thompson & Associates, after receiving her paralegal certificate in 2007.
, became the Prime Minister of Barbados
on January 16, 2008, succeeding Owen Arthur
. He died in office of pancreatic cancer on October 23, 2010, at the family's home in Mapps, St Philip.
In early January 2011, Mara Thompson confirmed her intent to contest the special election called to fill the seat of her late husband in the Saint John constituency. David Thompson had held since the Saint John seat since 1987, succeeding the late Prime Minister Errol Barrow
, who also died in office. The Saint John is considered to be a stronghold for Thompson's Democratic Labour Party
(DLP). Thompson's candidacy won the official endorsement of the DLP at a meeting held on January 2, 2011. Thompson won 60 of the DLP's 69 votes, defeating several potential DLP candidates, who included Leroy McClean, Anthony Walrond, Vere Brathwaite, David Gittens and Peter David. Thompson made her first political speech as a candidate on January 6, 2011, in the village of Gall Hill, Christ Church parish.
Her opponent in the election was businessman Hudson Griffith of the Barbados Labour Party
(BLP). Owen Arthur
, the former Prime Minister and leader of the opposition Barbados Labour Party attempted to make Thompson's Saint Lucian origins an issue in the election. Arthur was criticized for the move by Barbadian Prime Minister Freundel Stuart
, Saint Lucian Prime Minister Stephenson King
and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves
.
Mara Thompson won the special by-election on January 20, 2011, by a landslide. She defeated her opponent, Hudson Griffith, by a large margin of 4,613 votes to Griffith's 553 votes in the election. Thompson won all 23 of the election ballot boxes in the Saint John constituency. She performed better than David Thompson did in the 2008 general election
, when he secured approximately 4,300 votes in the constituency.
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...
n-born 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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, educator and widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
of the sixth Prime Minister of Barbados
Prime Minister of Barbados
The Prime Minister of Barbados is a very influential position as head of government of Barbados. According to Barbados Constitution, the Prime Minister must always be a member of Parliament, and is appointed by the Governor-General who is responsible for conducting parliamentary elections, and for...
, David Thompson
David Thompson (Barbadian politician)
David John Howard Thompson, QC, MP was the sixth Prime Minister of Barbados from January 2008 until his death from pancreatic cancer on 23 October 2010....
, who died in office on October 23, 2010. Thompson won the special by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
to succeed her husband in the Saint John constituency on Thursday, January 20, 2011, holding the seat for 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:...
.
Personal life
Thompson was born Marie-Josephine Mara Giraudy in Saint LuciaSaint 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...
on October 4, 1967, to Monica and Henry Giraudy. Her father, Henry Giraudy Q.C., was a prominent Saint Lucian lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who was nicknamed "The Chairman" due to his high position within the United Workers Party
United Workers Party (Saint Lucia)
The United Workers Party is a conservative political party in Saint Lucia, led by Prime Minister Stephenson King and previously by John Compton.-History:...
(UWP). Henry Giraudy served as the President of the Senate of St. Lucia at one point.
Thompson attended school at St Joseph’s Convent in Castries
Castries
Castries , population 10,634, aggl. 37,963 , is the capital city of Saint Lucia, a country in the Caribbean. The district with the same name had a population of 61,341 in 2001-05-22, and stretches over an area of ....
, Saint Lucia. She was a student at the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
from 1979 to 1983, where she received her Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
. She then enrolled at Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in Washington D.C. from 1986 to 1988, and obtained a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in physical education. Thompson also hold a certificate in paralegal
Paralegal
Paralegal is used in most jurisdictions to describe a paraprofessional who assists qualified lawyers in their legal work. This is true in the United States and many other countries. However, in Ontario, Canada, paralegals are licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada, giving paralegals an...
education from Barbados Community College, which she attended from 2005 to 2007.
Mara and her husband, the late David Thompson
David Thompson (Barbadian politician)
David John Howard Thompson, QC, MP was the sixth Prime Minister of Barbados from January 2008 until his death from pancreatic cancer on 23 October 2010....
, had three daughters - Misha, Oya and Osa-Marie. Thompson and her family reside in Mapps, St. Philip.
Career
Mara Thompson taught physical education at schools throughout the CaribbeanCaribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
between 1986 and 2005. She served on the faculties of the Owl School in Washington D.C.; the Immaculate Conception High & Prep Schools located in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
; Castries Comprehensive Secondary School in Saint Lucia; the Christ Church Foundation School and the Combermere School, both in Barbados. She worked as a paralegal
Paralegal
Paralegal is used in most jurisdictions to describe a paraprofessional who assists qualified lawyers in their legal work. This is true in the United States and many other countries. However, in Ontario, Canada, paralegals are licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada, giving paralegals an...
at her husband's 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...
, Thompson & Associates, after receiving her paralegal certificate in 2007.
2011 election
David Thompson, the leader of the Democratic Labour PartyDemocratic 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:...
, became the Prime Minister of Barbados
Prime Minister of Barbados
The Prime Minister of Barbados is a very influential position as head of government of Barbados. According to Barbados Constitution, the Prime Minister must always be a member of Parliament, and is appointed by the Governor-General who is responsible for conducting parliamentary elections, and for...
on January 16, 2008, succeeding 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....
. He died in office of pancreatic cancer on October 23, 2010, at the family's home in Mapps, St Philip.
In early January 2011, Mara Thompson confirmed her intent to contest the special election called to fill the seat of her late husband in the Saint John constituency. David Thompson had held since the Saint John seat since 1987, succeeding the late Prime Minister 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...
, who also died in office. The Saint John is considered to be a stronghold for Thompson's 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:...
(DLP). Thompson's candidacy won the official endorsement of the DLP at a meeting held on January 2, 2011. Thompson won 60 of the DLP's 69 votes, defeating several potential DLP candidates, who included Leroy McClean, Anthony Walrond, Vere Brathwaite, David Gittens and Peter David. Thompson made her first political speech as a candidate on January 6, 2011, in the village of Gall Hill, Christ Church parish.
Her opponent in the election was businessman Hudson Griffith of 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...
(BLP). 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....
, the former Prime Minister and leader of the opposition Barbados Labour Party attempted to make Thompson's Saint Lucian origins an issue in the election. Arthur was criticized for the move by Barbadian Prime Minister Freundel Stuart
Freundel Stuart
Freundel Jerome Stuart QC MP is the seventh Prime Minister of Barbados. He succeeded David Thompson, who died on 23 October 2010 of pancreatic cancer. He is a member of the Democratic Labour Party .-Personal life and career:...
, Saint Lucian Prime Minister Stephenson King
Stephenson King
Stephenson Toby King was the sixth Prime Minister of Saint Lucia. He represents the constituency of Castries North for the United Workers Party in the House of Assembly of Saint Lucia. King won the elections in 2006, unseating the incumbent Minister of Agriculture Ignatius Jean...
and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country in the Lesser Antilles chain, namely in the southern portion of the Windward Islands, which lie at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean....
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves
Ralph Gonsalves
Ralph Everard Gonsalves , also known as "Comrade Ralph", is the fourth and current Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and leader of the Unity Labour Party . Gonsalves became Prime Minister after his party won a majority government in the 2001 general election...
.
Mara Thompson won the special by-election on January 20, 2011, by a landslide. She defeated her opponent, Hudson Griffith, by a large margin of 4,613 votes to Griffith's 553 votes in the election. Thompson won all 23 of the election ballot boxes in the Saint John constituency. She performed better than David Thompson did in the 2008 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....
, when he secured approximately 4,300 votes in the constituency.