BAJAN SUN MAGAZINE
E
rrol Walton Barrow was bor n on this
date in 1920. He was a Barbadian
politician.
NOV 2014
expansion of the tourist industry.
Barrow received many awards among them were
an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law from Mc
From Barbados at Nesfield, St. Lucy he was the
Gill University in Canada in 1966 and the Lions
son of Rev. Reginald Grant Barrow and Ruth nee
International
O’Neal. Young Barrow was also the nephew of
‘outstanding service to the country’ in 1967. He
legendary Dr. Charles Duncan O’Neal, founder
was made a Privy Councilor in 1968 and in 1969
of the Democratic League. In 1939, he won a
wrote Canada’s Role in the West Indies.’ In
scholarship in Classics to Codrington College
1986, he again let his party to power by the
but joined the Royal Air Force and served in
largest margin in Barbados’ history. On June 1,
World War II. He was personal navigation officer
1987 after only one year in office, Errol Barrow
to the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army
died.
at the Rhine between 1940 and 1942. After the
RAF, Barrow studied law and passed the Bar in
1949.
“Head
of State
Award”
for
In his honor Barbadians observe his birthday as a
National holiday and have a constant reminder of
his life and service in his likeness which is
He returned home in 1950 as a practicing
widely circulated on the island’s fifty dollar bill,
barrister-at-law and became a member of the
popularly known as ‘an Errol’.
Barbados Labor Party (BLP) in 1951. A founder
member of the Democratic Labor Party, Barrow
swept to power in 1961 and held that position for
five years. He then took the island into
independence
from
Britain
and
became
Barbados’ first Prime Minister in 1966 until
1976. During his term in office Barrow sought a
new social democratic state and was able to
expand free education to all levels; he introduced
a National Insurance, improved health services,
Reference:
Barbados
Government
Bay
Street,
Barbados, West Indies.
Information
St.
accelerated industrial development and the
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Service
Michael,