A spokesperson for the Cabinet Office has proffered some advice to members of the public as to the correct form of address of public officials.
This comes in the wake of what has been described as errors being made, from time to time, in addressing correspondence to these dignitaries or greeting or acknowledging their presence at official functions.
She explained that the Governor General should be addressed as His Excellency, Sir Clifford Husbands; and the Prime Minister, the Honourable David Thompson. Members of the Cabinet as well as members of the local Privy Council, judges and holders of the Companion of Honour of Barbados (CHB) are greeted as the Honourable.
Former Prime Ministers, Sir Lloyd Sandiford, and Mr. Owen Arthur, who are members of the Her Majesty’s Privy Council, are addressed as the Right Honourable.
Accredited Ambassadors and High Commissioners are saluted as His/Her Excellency.
Where certain officials have other professional appellations, the correct order should obtain. For example, Senator, the Honourable Professor Velma Newton; Dr. the Honourable David Estwick, M.P., Minister of Health; Dr. the Honourable Denis Lowe, M.P., Minister of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Urban Development;
and Dr. the Honourable Esther Byer-Suckoo, M.P., Minister of Family, Youth, Sports and the Environment.
The Leader of the Opposition, the Honourable Mia Mottley, Q.C., is honourable by virtue of her being a member of the local Privy Council.
She also pointed out the following: Senator, the Honourable Maxine McClean is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office; Senator, the Honourable Arni Walters is Minister of State, Ministry of Labour and the Civil Service; Senator, the Honourable Darcy Boyce is Minister of State, Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Energy; the Honourable Patrick Todd, M.P., is Minister of State, Ministry of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Urban Development; the Honourable Donville Inniss, M.P., is Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and International Business; and Senator Irene Sandiford-Garner is Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development and Culture.