Former Barbadian politician Dr Don Blackman has passed away in Florida, in the United States.
Blackman held various ministerial posts such as Minister of Transport and Works and was considered a controversial, yet charismatic politician.
Barbados Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament for St Michael East Trevor Prescod, speaking on Starcom Network today, said Blackman was a man of strong convictions, who worked to assist the poor.
Political analyst Peter Wickham, while speaking on radio programme Down To Brasstacks, described Blackman as a fascinating character. He said the former politician was a Pan Africanist some of whose goals were fulfilled by Prescod through the enfranchisement of the poor.
Blackman is well known for having crossed the floor. A January 6, 1991 article printed in The Daily Nation noted that: “surprise movements are a standard feature of Blackman’s”.
“On the eve of the 1986 General Elections, he kept the country guessing, then quit the Barbados Labour Party and announced he would be a candidate for the DLP [Democratic Labour Party]”.
Blackman was brought into politics by former Prime Minister Tom Adams. He was at the time a University professor in the US.
Since his retirement from politics in Barbados, Blackman is said to have lived in other Caribbean islands and the US. (KG)