US, Canada offer condolences on passing of Barbados PM

WASHINGTON (CMC):

The United States (US) and Canadian governments have joined their regional counterparts in offering condolences to the people of Barbados on the passing of Prime Minister David Thompson.

"On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I offer my deepest condolences to the people of Barbados on the passing of Prime Minister David Thomp-son," said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a statement issued here.

"Barbados has lost a leader, and the nations of the Americas have lost a friend and valued partner," she added.

Democracy champion

Clinton described Thompson, who succumbed to pancreatic cancer early Saturday morning, as "a champion for democracy and justice in the Caribbean and an advocate for wider prosperity and opportunity throughout the region".

She added: "Today, my thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Mara, and their daughters."

Clinton said that Barbados was blessed with "strong democratic institutions that will ensure a smooth transition of power".

Clinton said she was confident, that, under the new leadership of Freundel Stuart, "Barbados' strong friendship with the United States will continue".

Social programmes

Canada's Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, who was in Montreux, Switzerland, said he was "deeply saddened" to learn about Thompson's death.

"Prime Minister Thompson was deeply committed to implementing social programmes for families, children and youth, both in his country and beyond," he said, stating that this was evident in his "interventions in the Commonwealth and in the Caribbean Community."

Harper said he last met with Thompson during the Commonwealth leaders' summit in Trinidad and Tobago, in November 2009.

"On behalf of all Canadians, Laureen and I offer our deepest condolences to his wife, Marie-Josephine Mara, his three daughters Misha, Oya and Osa-Marie and the people of Barbados," he said. "He will be missed."