The National Youth Policy Coordinating Committee hereby conveys its condolences to the wife, children, parents, relatives and friends of the late Hon. David John Howard Thompson, former Prime Minister of Barbados.

We join all patriotic and caring Barbadians in recognising the tremendous loss to the nation of this young man who was entering the prime of his life.

In the short period of 33 months when he was Prime Minister of Barbados, he brought to the fore the deep compassion, the unrelenting concern and care for the vulnerable, the great respect for others’ opinions, and the tremendous tenacity for which he was renowned from his youth. His memory will, forever, evoke the virtues of decency, calmness, fairness, forgiveness, humility, diplomacy, and decisiveness.

Indeed, David Thompson has served and will continue to serve as an exemplary role model for youth. He was a well-rounded product of our education system and remained highly connected to his family, his community, his social, cultural and physical environment. He believed in strengthening the family and community within a wholesome environment. For example, he was committed to preserving and protecting from exploitation, the most beautiful parts of Barbados that stretch from Consett Bay, St. John to Archer’s Bay, St. Lucy, as a National Park for the enjoyment of ordinary Barbadians and friends.

David Thompson will always be remembered as a "man of the people".

He certainly lived up to Rudyard Kipling’s wise counsel that:
If you can keep your head when all about you??
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you………

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,??
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies…..

If you can meet with triumph and disaster??
And treat those two imposters just the same……….??

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,??
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch…..

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,??And – which is more – you’ll be a Man my son!

The greatest tribute we can pay to his enlightened leadership is to pursue the goals and follow the path he charted for a Better Barbados. We sincerely hope that the National Youth Policy will enable all Barbadian youth to realize their enormous potential and make a contribution to the Barbados of which we dare to dream.

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