As a mark of respect, flags throughout the Federation were lowered to fly at half-mast, on Wednesday, the day designated for the funeral services of Prime Minister David Thompson, who died on Saturday 23rd October, at his home in Barbados, in the presence of his family.
Prime Minister Thompson was ailing for some months with an advanced stage of pancreatic cancer. He had also made several trips to New York for treatment, but despite the best efforts of his medical team, there was no improvement in the conditions of the 48 year old leader, who was serving his first term as Prime Minister.
A release from the St. Kitts & Nevis Ministry of National Security requested all flags being flown on buildings owned by organizations, institutions and individuals, be flown at half-mast.
An official delegation from St. Kitts & Nevis is scheduled to attend the funeral of the late Prime Minister, which is taking place at the island’s premier sporting arena, the Kensington Oval, in Bridgetown, which was the site that also hosted the Finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and the ICC WT T20 West Indies 2010, in May this year.
Provisions are being made by the Barbados Government, to accommodate up to 10,000 mourners, including Prime Ministers, Premiers, Chief Ministers and Diplomats representing various non Caribbean nations and organizations.
Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas, who was a close comrade of Mr. Thompson, is slated to lead the Federation’s delegation that will also include the Premier of Nevis.
In recent years, Mr. Thompson had become somewhat of a frequent visitor to our islands, for both official duty and private family time. He was the special guest speaker at Prime Minister Denzil Douglas’ New Years Banquet, at the Marriott Hotel, in 2008.
He also spend vacation time here with his three children and wife, and on that Christmas visit, a few years ago, he was engaged in a minor car mishap, in the Lodge Village area, after deciding to tour the island without police escort or security detail.
The people of Barbados and indeed the entire Caribbean have lost a young and dynamic leader, who was considered a strong advocate of regional integration.
Mr. Thompson, during his career had also shown great respect for the work of the OECS countries, which he once said, have done less talk and more action, to implement certain critical measures of regional integration, unlike CARICOM, that does much talking.
During an interview, leading up to the 2006 General Elections in Barbados, when all the polls were predicting that his party would suffer a massive loss, Thompson was asked what he would do, if he failed to form the government.
In response, the cool and easy going Leader of the Opposition then, said, he would not lose any sleep and his life would go on. He further stated that anything can happen, such as, what if he developed some fatal disease.
Though Thompson’s party went on to win the elections, and he fulfilling his dream to become Prime Minister, little did he know then, that his pancreatic cancer was already forming and that in 4 years he would in fact die from an incurable ailment.
The management and staff of MiyVue.com extends is deepest sympathies to the family of Prime Minister Thompson and the people of Barbados.