THE FAITHFUL, the curious, the young and the old all found their way to Parliament Buildings yesterday to get a glimpse of now deceased Prime Minister David Thompson as he lay in state at the House of Assembly, yesterday.
Thousands of Barbadians from all walks of life queued up outside Parliament buildings from as early as 8.30.a.m. for the officially scheduled 11 a.m. start of public viewing, but had to brave the morning sun for several hours more as the line grew and proceedings slowed to accommodate the ever-swelling crowd.
By the end of the day police estimated that more than 8 000 people had viewed the body of the late prime minister on the first of five days he was scheduled to lay in state before next Wednesday’s state sponsored funeral.
Family, the Governor General, the Prime Minister and senior Government officials were the first to view the body in the Lower Chamber of Parliament, while tho.
usands of ordinary Barbadians, many with umbrellas to shade from the sun, waited patiently in line. When viewing for the day close shortly after 5.p.m., some still waited in line, but there next best hope of seeing the late prime minister would either come today at his alma mater Combermere School or tomorrow at Democratic Labour Party (DLP) headquarters, George Street Auditorium.
The body will once again lay in state at Parliament buildings on Monday and Tuesday and at St John’s parish Church on Sunday.
HERE, GOVERNOR GENERAL SIR CLIFFORD HUSBANDS greeting (from right), Mara, wife of the late Prime Minister David Thompson, and daughters Misha and Oya and Osa. (BGIS)
