The late Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford, who has been hailed as “the father Prime Minister” of the Social Partnership and one of the early voices on climate change, will be accorded a State Funeral.
Minister of Labour, Social Security and the Third Sector, Colin Jordan, who is also Ministerial Coordinator for the State Funeral, gave an update on the funeral arrangements during a press conference today in the Conference Room at Cabinet Office.
He told the media that the funeral service will be held on Friday, July 14, at the St. Peter’s Parish Church, Orange Street, Speightstown, St. Peter, beginning at 1:30 p.m. It will be followed by a military procession from the church to the interment in the family plot at St. James Cemetery, Cemetery Lane, Holetown, St. James.
Pointing out that the funeral service was being planned in accordance with Sir Lloyd’s wishes, which he wrote several years ago, Minister Jordan said condolence books are available at Parliament Buildings, Trafalgar Street, Bridgetown; Government Headquarters, Bay Street, St. Michael; the Democratic Labour Party Headquarters, George Street, St. Michael, and the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael.
Additionally, condolence books will be placed at overseas missions for those living in the diaspora. There will also be a virtual condolence book for those who want to express their sympathy. The online book may be accessed at https://condolences.gov.bb/sir-lloyd.
Mr. Jordan also gave an update on the funeral procession route. “On the day of the funeral service, the cortege will leave the Paramount Funeral Home, on Hindsbury Road.…and proceed to the traffic lights…turn right in a northerly direction to Eagle Hall, along Black Rock Main Road to the Frank Worrell Roundabout and continue along Highway One until it reaches Battaleys, at the beginning of Speightstown,” he said
The Minister stated that Barbadians are expected to line the route and pay their respects as the cortege passes along the route to the Speightstown. While there, the casket will be transferred from the hearse to an awaiting gun carriage, weather permitting.
Members of Cabinet, as the official mourners, will join the procession from Queen Street, St. Peter, and accompany the troops and the gun carriage into the church, where 1,700 mourners are expected to be in attendance.
Mr. Jordan added that screens will be erected in National Heroes Square and at other strategic points to allow Barbadians to view the service, due to the space constraints at the church.
“He would have wanted as many people as possible to be participants not for his glory but because he believed that ordinary people should be involved,” he said
There will be no road closures on the day, with the exception of Church Street.
As a symbolic gesture, five students from Sir Lloyd’s alma maters – St. Albans Primary, Coleridge and Parry, and Harrison College will be in attendance at the church service.
Additionally, five students each from Bay Primary and St. Paul’s Primary Schools and Graydon Sealy Secondary School – located in the St. Michael South Constituency, which Sir Lloyd represented for over 30 years – will also attend the funeral service.
Ten students from the Barbados Community College will also be present at funeral service and will join other school children lining the route, as a mark of respect.
“We believe that it is important both to demonstrate the connection but also in some ways to educate young Barbadians as to the role Sir Lloyd played in this country. We need to recognise not just as a Government or a Cabinet Office but as a nation, Sir Lloyd’s contribution to the effort to educate us and lift us to another level,” Mr. Jordan stated.