Thanks for Barrow!

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart (right, front row), with Member of Parliament for St Lucy Denis Kellman with his wife Paulavette, spearheaded the congregation at St Lucy’s Parish Church. In the next row (from right) are Members of Parliament Chris Sinckler, James Paul and Kenneth Best.

The Barrow clan: Errol Barrow’s son David (centre), sister Sybil Barrow (right) and relative Anthony Barrow.

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart greeting Member of Parliament for St John Mara Thompson at yesterday’s thanksgiving service in honour of late Prime Minister Errol Barrow.

By Mike King | Mon, January 16, 2012 - 12:05 AM

Rrverend Curtis Goodridge has hailed late Prime Minister Errol Walton Barrow as a man ahead of his time.

He was full of praise for St Lucy’s most famous son at a service of thanksgiving in Barrow’s honour at St Lucy’s Parish Church yesterday morning.

The church’s 58-year-old rector said he was delighted to be part of a service honouring the life of Barrow, who passed away 25 years ago and has a holiday in his name (Errol Barrow Day) that will be celebrated on Saturday.

“It’s great to be celebrating the life of a great man who came out of St Lucy. Time will fail me to tell of all the good people who have come out of St Lucy but it is fitting that we celebrate the life of a good man who was born in this parish and who, according to the records, was baptized in this church, The Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow, one of the greatest men to have graced the face of this nation.

“I believe that he was a man ahead of his time; a man with a great vision for this nation. We thank God for giving him to us,” he said.

Before a congregation that included Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler and Member of Parliament for St Lucy Denis Kellman, Goodridge said that Barrow – the Father of Independence – who passed away at the age of 67, did much to uplift the masses.

“He did not give sight to the blind and speech to the dumb. He did not cause the deaf to hear and the lame to walk. He did not raise the dead but he sought to establish a better way of living for all.”

Goodridge said Barrow had provided free secondary education and would be disappointed that some were not making use of it.