Harold Bernard St. John
Encyclopedia
The Rt. Hon. Sir Harold Bernard ("Bree") St. John, KA
(16 August 1931 - 29 February 2004) was a Barbadian
politician who served as the third Prime Minister of Barbados
from 1985 to 1986. He was leader of the Barbados Labour Party
from 1970 to 1971 and again from 1985 to 1987. He was widely known as "Bree".
St. John was born in the Parish of Christ Church. He attended the Christ Church Foundation School
He was professionally trained as a lawyer at the University of London
. He joined the Barbados Labour Party in 1959, before independence from the United Kingdom. After independence in 1966, he was elected to the Barbados House of Assembly
. He served as a member of the Upper Chamber between 1971 and 1976 as a member of the Opposition party.
He left the Upper House when he was re-elected to the House of Assembly in 1976 when his party under J.M.G. Adams won the election
. He served in numerous cabinet positions in the 1970s including deputy prime minister, minister of trade and industry, and minister of tourism where he did his most influential work in developing the tourism industry in Barbados. When Adams died in 1985 St. John became Prime Minister. He was defeated in the 1986 elections
by Errol Barrow
and the Democratic Labour Party
.
In 1994 when the BLP regained power
, he did not return to Cabinet and served instead as a backbencher under Owen Arthur
. Hon. Billie Antoinette Miller was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. That same year St. John was conferred the highest honour in Barbados; he was made a Knight of St. Andrew
(KA) of the Order of Barbados
.
In 2004, Bernard St. John died of cancer
in Bridgetown
.
Knight or Dame of St. Andrew (Barbados)
The Knight or Dame of St. Andrew is an award within the Order of Barbados.The Order of Barbados was instituted by Letters Patent on July 25, 1980, as part of the Barbados National Honours and Decorations System. The Knight or Dame of St...
(16 August 1931 - 29 February 2004) was a Barbadian
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
politician who served as the third Prime Minister of Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
from 1985 to 1986. He was leader of the Barbados Labour Party
Barbados Labour Party
The Barbados Labour Party is the main opposition party of Barbados. Led by Rt. Hon.Owen Arthur, the BLP holds 9 out of 30 seats in the House of Assembly as of January 2008...
from 1970 to 1971 and again from 1985 to 1987. He was widely known as "Bree".
St. John was born in the Parish of Christ Church. He attended the Christ Church Foundation School
Foundation School (Barbados)
The Christ Church Foundation School is a co-educational grammar school, located in Church Hill, Barbados. Founded in 1809, it is classified among the prestigious 'older secondary schools' in the island. It is one of only three schools to have been attended by Prime Ministers of that country, namely...
He was professionally trained as a lawyer at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. He joined the Barbados Labour Party in 1959, before independence from the United Kingdom. After independence in 1966, he was elected to the Barbados House of Assembly
Barbados House of Assembly
The House of Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Barbados. It has 30 Members of Parliament , MPs are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple-majority system for a term of five years....
. He served as a member of the Upper Chamber between 1971 and 1976 as a member of the Opposition party.
He left the Upper House when he was re-elected to the House of Assembly in 1976 when his party under J.M.G. Adams won the election
Barbados legislative election, 1976
General elections were held in Barbados on 2 September 1976. The result was a victory for the Barbados Labour Party, which won 17 of the 24 seats, returning to power for the first time since 1961. Voter turnout was 74.1%.-Results:...
. He served in numerous cabinet positions in the 1970s including deputy prime minister, minister of trade and industry, and minister of tourism where he did his most influential work in developing the tourism industry in Barbados. When Adams died in 1985 St. John became Prime Minister. He was defeated in the 1986 elections
Barbados legislative election, 1986
General elections were held in Barbados on 28 May 1986. The result was a victory for the Democratic Labour Party, which won 24 of the 27 seats. Voter turnout was 76.7%.-Results:...
by Errol Barrow
Errol Barrow
Errol Walton Barrow, PC, QC was a Caribbean statesman and the first Prime Minister of Barbados. Born into a family of political and civic activists in the parish of Saint Lucy and educated at Harrison College, his sister Dame Nita Barrow also became a social activist, humanitarian leader and later...
and the Democratic Labour Party
Democratic Labour Party (Barbados)
The Democratic Labour Party is a political party in Barbados, and currently the ruling party of the country. It is led by Freundel Stuart.-History:...
.
In 1994 when the BLP regained power
Barbados legislative election, 1994
Early general elections were held in Barbados on 6 September 1994. The result was a victory for the Barbados Labour Party, which won 19 of the 28 seats, whilst the National Democratic Party became the first third party to win a seat since the Barbados National Party in 1966. Voter turnout was...
, he did not return to Cabinet and served instead as a backbencher under Owen Arthur
Owen Arthur
Owen Seymour Arthur, MP was the fifth Prime Minister of Barbados who was in office from 1994 to 2008 and is the current Leader of Opposition in Barbados. To date, he is the longest serving Barbadian Prime Minister....
. Hon. Billie Antoinette Miller was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. That same year St. John was conferred the highest honour in Barbados; he was made a Knight of St. Andrew
Knight or Dame of St. Andrew (Barbados)
The Knight or Dame of St. Andrew is an award within the Order of Barbados.The Order of Barbados was instituted by Letters Patent on July 25, 1980, as part of the Barbados National Honours and Decorations System. The Knight or Dame of St...
(KA) of the Order of Barbados
Order of Barbados
The Order of Barbados is part of the National honours system awarded by the government of Barbados, and presented by the Viceroy, which is the Governor-General of Barbados. It comprises four classes, two of which are awarded in two grades. It was instituted under Royal letters patent of Queen...
.
In 2004, Bernard St. John died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in Bridgetown
Bridgetown
The city of Bridgetown , metropolitan pop 96,578 , is the capital and largest city of the nation of Barbados. Formerly, the Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael...
.
See also
- Politics of BarbadosPolitics of BarbadosThe politics of Barbados function within a framework of constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions; constitutional safeguards for nationals of Barbados include: freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association.Executive power is vested in...
- List of Premiers/Prime Ministers of Barbados