A steady stream of people filed into the Courtney Blackman Grand Salle at the Tom Adams Financial Centre in The City yesterday afternoon to pay final respects to the first Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados whose body lay in repose there.
The distinguished Barbadian economist, international business consultant, former Barbados Ambassador to the United States and former Permanent Representative to the Organisation of the United States, Sir Courtney Blackman, was the longest serving Governor of the Central Bank.
He died on March 16 in the United States where he had been living for more than 20 years.
Several of Sir Courtney’s contemporaries and former employees filed past his sleek grey casket in the place which bore his name in recognition of his outstanding contribution, to take their last view of the man dubbed “the founding father” of the Central Bank of Barbados.
Many people also took advantage of the occasion of the public viewing to personally extend condolences to Sir Courtney’s widow Gloria Lady Blackman and the couple’s sons Keith, Christopher and Martin who were there along with other members of the Blackman family.
Sir Courtney’s private funeral takes place at the Cathedral Church of St Michael and All Angels at 10 am today and will be followed by burial at St David’s Anglican Church. (GC)