The Party
Hon. Freundel J Stuart, Q.C, M.P
President, Democratic labour Party and Prime Minister of Barbados
History of the Party
As often happens in politics, The Democratic Labour Party (the DLP) was conceived as a consequence of differences between members of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), then the governing party led by Grantley Adams (Sir Grantley Adams).
Errol Barrow (The Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow), who became Barbados' first prime minister in 1966, held the St. George seat for the BLP at the time. Mr. Barrow, together with other members of the BLP such as J. Cameron Tudor (Sir James Tudor) and Frederick "Sleepy" Smith (Sir Frederick Smith) disapproved of Sir Grantley's management style and the slow pace of change he employed in modernizing the country. On April 27th, 1955 twenty six persons, including four who were then members of the House of Assembly met at "Glenhurst" Lands End, St. Michael and started a political movement that changed the course of Barbados' history.
The first DLP government was elected in 1961 and the DLP held the government for 15 years from 1961 to 1976 and then for 8 years from 1986 to 1994. The DLP returned to government in January 2008 under the leadership of David Thompson.
Following is a brief history of the Party:
² April 27, 1955: Meeting of twenty-six at "Glenhurst", Lands End, St. Michael.
² May 1, 1955: Constitution of the DLP adopted and the Party formally launched.
² 1956: DLP loses, winning 4 seats to the BLP's 15. Sir Theodore Brancker served as leader of the opposition.
² December 5, 1961: DLP wins 14 of 24 seats. Mr. Barrow became Premier.
² November 2, 1966: DLP wins 14 of 24 seats. Barbados gains independence on November 30th and Mr. Barrow became Barbados' first Prime Minister.
² September 9, 1971: DLP wins 18 of 24 seats.
² September 2, 1976: DLP loses, winning 7 seats to the BLP's 17.
² June 18, 1981: DLP loses, winning 10 seats to the BLP's 17. Number of seats increased to 27 in 1980.
² May 28, 1986: DLP wins 24 of 27 seats. Mr. Barrow returns as Prime Minister.
² June 1, 1987: Prime Minister Barrow dies. Lloyd Erskine Sandiford becomes Prime Minister.
² January 21, 1991: DLP wins 18 of 28 seats.
² September 5, 1994: DLP loses, winning 8 of 28 seats.
² January 20, 1999: DLP loses, winning 2 seats to the BLP's 26.
² May 21, 2003: DLP loses, winning 7 of 30 seats.
² January 15, 2008: DLP wins 20 of 30 seats. David Thompson becomes Prime Minister.
² October 23, 2010: Prime Minister Thompson dies. Freundel Stuart becomes Prime Minister.
Major Accomplishments
It is often said that the DLP created the "middle class" in Barbados. Some of the Party's major accomplishments are:
² The introduction of free secondary education in 1962.
² The opening of a campus of the University of the West Indies in 1963.
² Establishment of the National Insurance Scheme.
² Passing of the Employment of Women (Maternity Leave) Act.
² Building of low income housing and establishment of the National Housing Corporation.
² Development of the tourism and manufacturing sectors.
² The mordernization of healthcare.
² Establishment of the Central Bank.
² Construction of the National Stadium.
² Establishment of the Barbados Community College, Samuel Jackson Polytechnic and the Hotel School.
Foundation Members
The following foundation members formed the first Provisional General Council: Mr. O.T. Allder, Mr. E.W. Barrow, Mr. J. Best, Mr. O. Blackman,
Mr. J.M. Bonnett, Mr. C. L. Brathwaite, Mr. L.B. Brathwaite, Mr. L.D. Burrowes,Mr. H. Coulston, Mr. D. Farrell, Mr. C.A. Gill,Mr. D. Holder, Mr. A.E.S. Lewis, A.H. Lewis, Mr. F. G. Smith, Mr. H. Springer, Mr. J.B. Springer, Snr, Mr. J.B. Springer Jnr.,Mr. D. Straker, Miss E. Tudor, Mr. J.C. Tudor, Mr. L. Wood.
Sir Frederick Smith was elected the Party's first Chairman and Sir James Tudor the first General Secretary.
As often happens in politics, The Democratic Labour Party (the DLP) was conceived as a consequence of differences between members of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), then the governing party led by Grantley Adams (Sir Grantley Adams).
Errol Barrow (The Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow), who became Barbados' first prime minister in 1966, held the St. George seat for the BLP at the time. Mr. Barrow, together with other members of the BLP such as J. Cameron Tudor (Sir James Tudor) and Frederick "Sleepy" Smith (Sir Frederick Smith) disapproved of Sir Grantley's management style and the slow pace of change he employed in modernizing the country. On April 27th, 1955 twenty six persons, including four who were then members of the House of Assembly met at "Glenhurst" Lands End, St. Michael and started a political movement that changed the course of Barbados' history.
The first DLP government was elected in 1961 and the DLP held the government for 15 years from 1961 to 1976 and then for 8 years from 1986 to 1994. The DLP returned to government in January 2008 under the leadership of David Thompson.
Following is a brief history of the Party:
² April 27, 1955: Meeting of twenty-six at "Glenhurst", Lands End, St. Michael.
² May 1, 1955: Constitution of the DLP adopted and the Party formally launched.
² 1956: DLP loses, winning 4 seats to the BLP's 15. Sir Theodore Brancker served as leader of the opposition.
² December 5, 1961: DLP wins 14 of 24 seats. Mr. Barrow became Premier.
² November 2, 1966: DLP wins 14 of 24 seats. Barbados gains independence on November 30th and Mr. Barrow became Barbados' first Prime Minister.
² September 9, 1971: DLP wins 18 of 24 seats.
² September 2, 1976: DLP loses, winning 7 seats to the BLP's 17.
² June 18, 1981: DLP loses, winning 10 seats to the BLP's 17. Number of seats increased to 27 in 1980.
² May 28, 1986: DLP wins 24 of 27 seats. Mr. Barrow returns as Prime Minister.
² June 1, 1987: Prime Minister Barrow dies. Lloyd Erskine Sandiford becomes Prime Minister.
² January 21, 1991: DLP wins 18 of 28 seats.
² September 5, 1994: DLP loses, winning 8 of 28 seats.
² January 20, 1999: DLP loses, winning 2 seats to the BLP's 26.
² May 21, 2003: DLP loses, winning 7 of 30 seats.
² January 15, 2008: DLP wins 20 of 30 seats. David Thompson becomes Prime Minister.
² October 23, 2010: Prime Minister Thompson dies. Freundel Stuart becomes Prime Minister.
Major Accomplishments
It is often said that the DLP created the "middle class" in Barbados. Some of the Party's major accomplishments are:
² The introduction of free secondary education in 1962.
² The opening of a campus of the University of the West Indies in 1963.
² Establishment of the National Insurance Scheme.
² Passing of the Employment of Women (Maternity Leave) Act.
² Building of low income housing and establishment of the National Housing Corporation.
² Development of the tourism and manufacturing sectors.
² The mordernization of healthcare.
² Establishment of the Central Bank.
² Construction of the National Stadium.
² Establishment of the Barbados Community College, Samuel Jackson Polytechnic and the Hotel School.
Foundation Members
The following foundation members formed the first Provisional General Council: Mr. O.T. Allder, Mr. E.W. Barrow, Mr. J. Best, Mr. O. Blackman,
Mr. J.M. Bonnett, Mr. C. L. Brathwaite, Mr. L.B. Brathwaite, Mr. L.D. Burrowes,Mr. H. Coulston, Mr. D. Farrell, Mr. C.A. Gill,Mr. D. Holder, Mr. A.E.S. Lewis, A.H. Lewis, Mr. F. G. Smith, Mr. H. Springer, Mr. J.B. Springer, Snr, Mr. J.B. Springer Jnr.,Mr. D. Straker, Miss E. Tudor, Mr. J.C. Tudor, Mr. L. Wood.
Sir Frederick Smith was elected the Party's first Chairman and Sir James Tudor the first General Secretary.
Party Leaders
² Frederick G. Smith (Chairman) 1955 - 1956 ² Charlie F. Broome (Chairman) 1956 – 1959 ² Errol Walton Barrow 1959 – 1976 ² Frederick G. Smith 1976 – 1978 ² Errol Walton Barrow 1978 – 1987 ² Lloyd Erskine Sandiford 1987 – 1994 ² David J.H. Thompson 1994 – 2001 ² Clyde Mascoll 2001 – 2004 ² Freundel Stuart 2004 - 2005 ² David J.H. Thompson 2006 - 2010 ² Freundel Stuart 2010 - |
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Read: Prime Minister Stuart's biography. Cabinet: Click here. For more information visit www.dlpbarbados.org.
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