Sir Lloyd Sandiford died yesterday at the age of 86 years old, to be expected the tributes have been pouring in about the good things ‘Sandi’ did. The reality is that the late Sandiford will be recorded as one of the more unpopular Prime Ministers of Barbados surpassed in recent times by his Democratic Labour Party (DLP) colleague former Prime Minister Freundel Stuart.
For many Sandiford will be remembered for three things in local political history. He suffered a mutiny that resulted in a no confidence motion – see BU files. He presided over the imposition of an 8% cut on public workers salaries. The consideration, to prevent a devaluation of the Barbados dollar. Finally he is credited for being the Minister of Education who transformed our educational system.
It is a courtesy often extended to speak glowingly of the dearly departed. May you Rest in Peace. Your presence will be missed by the BU household.
It was LES as prime minister at the most crucial flashpoint in the modern political history of Barbados.
Coming after the colossus and inheriting Don Blackman and maybe the best crop of politicians the dlp had harvested.
Sandiford was at the centre of several currents which were an amalgamation of lived realities.
He came at a time of economic democracy discourses for the empowerment of Black people. A time of IMF primacy. A time of the beginning of the mass privatization of state assets as neoliberalism reached its apogee. A time of a markedly different sensibility amongst the populace as informed by critical historiographies.
On the other side of the ledger. Sandiford was perhaps the most hated prime minister by the local White elites. As a gang of four White men,heading socalled private sector organizations viscerally confronted him and formed alliances with labour unions to bring him down.
Of course, competing narratives exist.
One White man even had the audacity to refer to him as “an errant school boy” without cost.
Whether Lloyd Erskine Sandiford met that historical moment is perhaps a matter to be differed. However, there can be little doubt that Sandiford came it a historical juncture apocryphal.
We know not of his private life. But should it be that he came to a knowing of self, no doubt a welcome awaits on the other side.
We should expect Dipper to open the batting with Sandi in the next cricket match against Tom and his team.
I ‘believe’ the late PM was called an “errant school teacher”.
Possibly the ‘boy’ is a hybrid of OSA who occasionally said ‘he was not a boy in the yard’.
Deferred
Yes, “errant school teacher” is correct
His private life was fine as far as I am aware. Don’t expect any skeletons.
A paragon of virtue who oversaw the demise of Barbados started by his boss, EWB.
The primary responsibility of all post independence prime ministers of Barbados was to protect White interests.
And all of them have carried out this divine duty as ordained by the White god whose face they have hoped to see. Yes, there are no doubt exceptions. Exceptions which prove the rule.
Yet, John Knox, not departing from the racist nature of ALL White people would pick on two DLP leaders to curse their dutiful work to the local baccras.
Nothing to say about Adams, the mysteries of whose death await deciphering. Who, in the racist ethic of Knox, was one of them. Nothing to say about Bree St.John who by him is considered an honoury White. Nothing to say about OSA.
These are the contours of crypto-racism which the UN has long said was the central organizing principle in Barbados.
But not even such posthumous abuse will grow the ball on a present Black prime minister or any to come within the forseeable future to take a leaf from the book of our good friend the Great Idi Amin.
Such are the cowards who lead Black people to serve Whites. And Sandiford was unremarkable by this metric.
RIP
Barbados is in a mess.
Why do we have to keep glorifying the ones who caused the mess?
Pure hypocrisy.
Who wrote this calypso “Me an’ de politicians went jogging”.
“An ole lady standing by CBC say Sandi run down hey!!
It is like Darren Sammy talking about the recent debacle against the Netherlands.
He is quite comfortable to appear and give us of his wisdom when he and the whole team should have resigned in shame, crawled back to the West Indies and save us the embarrassment.
Nobody takes these jokers seriously any more.
Bree is family but it still did not stop him misleading the court.
Word is…the case against the Ecstasy crew has been dropped.
Was it not Sandiford who told the same white people that he was not elected in a board room ?
I personally gave him high marks for making such a statement.
Which white people?
Was he a regular attendee at Cattlewash?!!
Bree’s step father was my great uncle, John Bright Deane.
Emergence
Can’t Stop InI Progress
1953-2021 Queen Elizabeth II in right of Barbados
2021-present Should a New Barbados have a King
So what action by PM Sandiford led to the no confidence vote?
For all the years I knew him as PM/Minister Erskine Sandiford. When did Lloyd become his primary name? After he was knighted?
It is interesting, for when B’dos was in financial hot water, and then MoF Sandiford was able to use private sector credit to back GoB loans. When a subsequent D MoF tried that, he got a polite “no”.
Prior to this event now retired politician Sir Lloyd begged the question “how did we get back here?”.
Didn’t Sandiford help to contribute to the fiscal challenges of the time by approving a regrading of public sector salaries across the board?
I guess the simple answer, is IF a regrading of public sector salaries, causes a financial crisis, then or now, you can have all my children.
That is peanuts compared to the grants and wholesale teefery that occurs.
Just imagine what % raises the CBL debacle could fund?
@NO
The point was to expose a hypocrisy. We demand an 8% cut but …
If I may make a comment.
Personally, I did not know the man and was away from Barbados during his time in office.
I seem to detect a note of disrespect in many of the comments made towards Sir Lloyd Sandiford.
As no one knows the appointed hour of their death, I am hoping that we do not become a nation where politicians must wait until their party are in power to die in order to receive a respectful departing note.
Please bear in mind that this odious behavior, smugness and doubletalk can be directed towards any who is in office, especially if their power waned from the time they were in office.
Sir Lloyd Sandiford RIP.
@Pacha
I see that you often read the tea leaves incorrectly, but I like what you write.
I saw your comments after reading a number of comments elsewhere and was glad to see your kind and thoughtful words above.
Keep away from the tea leaves, but keep on writing.
Theo
Thanks
Wrong about what?
Not that we mind being wrong even as we go where others are to cowardice to thred. Not you of course.
As far as i am concerned Sir lloyd was a good education minister.However as aPM he was a disaster in my view, perhaps only better than Mr Stuart in terms of long term Prime Ministers.I will say no more at this time in response to some of the nonsense i have heard from persons like Mr Morris.May he rest in peace and condolences to his family.
The only time a politician is lauded and glorified is when at death when all manner and kind of persons, especially other politicians, wax eloquent about the deceased sterling contribution.
It is true all over the world.
In life politicians are generally hated … and feared.