THE DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY (DLP) must keep the late David Thompson’s legacy alive.
This was the major thread in the sentiments expressed yesterday at a special panel discussion about Thompson at DLP headquarters, George Street, Belleville, St Michael.
The discussion replaced the usual weekly lunchtime lecture and featured the invited panellists – Derek Alleyne, John Haynes, Warwick Franklin and moderator Maizie Barker-Welch – speaking about
Thompson. Afterwards, the audience was invited to do the same.
Derek Alleyne, who met Thompson when they were both members of the Young Democrats, said a “great man” was gone.
“We need to live the values and ethics he set and this country will be the stronger for it,” he said.
Alleyne said Thompson never practised discrimination.
“I was proud to see him embrace the concept of participatory democracy.
I saw the best demonstration of that when he was Leader of the Opposition. He had taken a battering on his crime and violence stance. He said the way to deal with that was to concentrate on family as no boy or girl would be driven to violence if they had a connection to family.”
Haynes said he first got to know Thompson when the late Prime Minister was an attorney working with the late Errol Barrow. He said St John was “David’s family and heart”.
“What I admired about him was that he did not discriminate. He was a humble man and he listened to you.
“He will be sadly missed. I want his legacy to live on; he looked at you like a human being and I want us to continue to live that kind of life for David,” he said.
For his part, Franklin said Thompson appealed to all ages and showed it was possible to be a politician and still practise good values.
“David brought to politics courtesy, good manners, respect, decorum, honesty and a commitment to the people of Barbados.
“We owe it to David to [maintain a DLP majority] in Parliament [so as] to continue his policies. They cannot be continued in Opposition,” he said.
Minister of Commerce and Trade Haynesley Benn was among the audience and spoke about his relationship with Thompson. He said Thompson taught him the “rudiments” of forgiveness.
“I am calling on all of us to spread the word [that] we are going to maintain the standards and principles David was known for,” he said.
Also spotted among the audience was Speaker of the House Michael Carrington and Deputy Speaker of the House Kenny Best. (CA)
