Barbados Mourns Former Prime Minister 

On Monday, June 26th, Barbados former prime minister Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford, passed away at the age of 86. As Barbados mourns former prime minister, Prime Minister Mia Mottley praises and describes him as a true statesman who served Barbados with honor and served the wider Caribbean with distinction. 

“In fact, those who knew him well might argue that the only feature of his personality that could have possibly rivaled his ever-gentle spirit, was his capacity to take a position on any matter and remain resolute and unmoved, even in the face of the most unrelenting pressure. Sir Lloyd was what Bajans would respectfully describe as, ‘his own man’ at all times.” 

Who Was Former Prime Minister Sir Lloyd 

Mr. Sandiford was born in Barbados and earned his education at the Coleridge and Parry School, Harrison College, and the University of the West Indies in Jamaica. 

While going to school in Jamaica, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He later went on to study at Britain’s University of Manchester, where he received his master’s degree in social studies and economics. 

Sir Lloyd taught in Jamaica and Barbados before entering politics in 1966. 

After his schooling, former prime minister Lloyd returned to Barbados, where he joined the Democratic Labor Party. After one year of independence in 1967, he was appointed to the Senate. 

He left the Senate to run in the 1971 election in which Sandiford won a seat in the House of Assembly. He remained in office from June 1st, 1987- September 6th, 1994. 

”Sir Lloyd was also a genuine and dedicated regionalist and as Prime Minister, he took the decision to take Barbados deeper into the regional integration process by signing on to the Grand Anse Declaration, which eventually led to the establishment of the Single Market and Single Economy,” she added. 

CITED: www.caribbean.loopnews.com, www.wikipeidia.org, www.nationnews.com