• Barbados:
• Head of Government

Barbados - Head of Government

Prime Minister David Thompson

Mr Thompson became the sixth Prime Minister of Barbados when his Democratic Liberal Party (DLP) won the January 2008 general elections. He concurrently holds the post of Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Development, Labour, the Civil Service and Energy.

Mr Thompson took on the post of DLP President and Opposition Leader in 2006.

From 2003 to 2006, he resumed his law practice after relinquishing his post as Leader of the DLP and Leader of the Opposition in 2003.

Mr Thompson became Leader of the Opposition in 1994 when the DLP lost the general elections that year and subsequently in 1999 as well.

Mr Thompson continued to hold the post of General Secretary of the DLP from 1987 to 1994 while serving as an MP and Cabinet minister.

From 1993 to 1994, he became Finance Minister where he was responsible for restructuring the sugar industry and the offshore sector, monitoring the government’s stabilization programme with the International Monetary Funds and the structural adjustment programme implemented in 1993.

Mr Thompson was appointed Minister of State for Finance from 1992 to 1993.

Mr Thompson was first appointed to the Cabinet in 1991 as Minister of Community Development and Culture. He was involved in the establishment of the Barbados Youth Service and the Youth in Business Programme, and in the restructuring of the National Youth Orchestra.

Prior to this, he was a part-time law tutor at the University of the West Indies from 1986 to 1988, before becoming a Member of Parliament in 1987.

Mr Thompson joined private law firm, Trident Chambers in 1986.

His involvement in politics began when he became president of the youth wing of the DLP from 1980 to 1982.

Mr Thompson has a law degree from the University of the West Indies and a post-graduate certificate in legal education from the same institution.

He was born in London, UK, on 25 December 1961.