PM says goodbye to Sir Frederick Smith at DLP Headquarters

The late Sir Frederick Gladstone Smith was yesterday remembered as a political and legal stalwart whose passion for Barbados was unquestionable and equally so, his commitment to the Democratic Labour Party.

 

Speaking from the floor of the DLP auditorium yesterday, following the viewing of the body of the late Sir Frederick Smith at that location, Prime Minister of Barbados, The Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart spoke in glowing terms about the former Attorney-at-Law, Minister of Government and Justice of the Court of Appeal, who was also a founding member and first chairman of the Democratic Labour Party.

 

“I am here today to pay as it were my last respects here at DLP Headquarters, to the late Sir Frederick Smith” the Prime Minister told members of the media.

 

Reflecting on Smith’s life, Prime Minister Stuart noted that he served as the DLP’s first chairman in 1955 and up until the time of his death, his commitment to the Democratic Labour Party never wavered.

 

“So deep was that commitment, that in 1966 when Barbados was about to embark on its Independence project, he was overseas and the then Prime Minister Mr. (Errol) Barrow summoned him to Barbados to become the first Attorney General of Barbados, under our Independence Constitution,” the PM recalled.

 

The PM noted that Smith served as attorney general between 1966 and 1971, and during that time he said, some important pieces of legislation were passed in Barbados, not the least of which was the National Insurance and Social Security Act of 1967, which established our social security scheme here in Barbados. Smith was later appointed Minister of Communications and Works after being elected to the House of Assembly to represent St. Michael South Central and he served in that capacity until 1975, Stuart said, until he was appointed Minister of Education. He later became Opposition leader after the 1976 election and he served in that capacity until he retired in 1978 from the political arena.

 

Sir Frederick Smith was a political, legal stalwart

“Not only was he a political stalwart, he was also a legal stalwart,” Prime Minister Stuart pointed out.

 

“He was one of the best criminal lawyers of his time in Barbados. I have personally appeared in criminal cases with him and learnt quite a lot from him. His forensic skills were legendary…he was a Court of Appeal judge in Barbados and before that, had served as a Chief Justice outside of Barbados,” Stuart revealed.

 

Describing Smith who also had a military career as “a versatile man”, Stuart however noted that, “in spite of the great heights which he ascended, he never lost the common touch”.

 

“Ordinary Barbadians believed that Sir Frederick “Sleepy” Smith, as they affectionately called him, was their man and therefore his passing represents in a sense, a kind of end to an era in Barbados, because that type of politician is no longer around and we have a lot to learn from the example which he set in politics, in law and as a citizen of Barbados” Stuart commented.

 

Sir Frederick Smith passed away at the age of 92 on July 11th 2016. His funeral will take place today at the James Street Methodist Church, at 10:00 a.m.