Dominica’s first chief minister laid to rest on Saturday, 23rd April

 

DOMINICA:  Dominica’s first Chief Minister, Franklin Andrew Merrifield Baron was laid to rest at the Roman Catholic Cemetery following a state funeral at the St Gerard’s Hall Chapel in Roseau on Saturday April 22^nd.
Mr. Baron passed away on 9^th April, 2016 at the age of 93; he was laid in state at the State House Conference Centre on Friday 22^nd April.

Among those attending the state funeral last weekend, were H.E the President of Dominica Charles Savarin and Mrs. Savarin, the Hon. Prime minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, the Hon. Speaker of the House Alix Boyd Knights and other members of parliament as well as family and friends.
The first Chief Minister was born in Portsmouth and was educated at the Portsmouth Government School, the Dominica Grammar School and St. Mary’s Academy.
He was involved in the first exports of bananas after World War II, after he joined his father’s import/export company A.A. Baron and Company as manager.
Former Chief Minister Baron was also a founding member of the Dominica Banana Growers Association.
In the 1940s he served on the Roseau town council and won the Roseau South seat in the 1954 and 1957 general elections.
When the ministerial system of government was introduced in March 1956, Baron was made Minister for Trade and Production. The next year he founded the United People’s Party (DUPP) and formed the government.
In constitutional changes resulting from the 1959 constitution, which came into effect in January 1960, Baron became Dominica’s first Chief Minister and Minister for Finance.
When the Dominica Labour Party won the general elections in January 17, 1961, Baron lost his seat. He quit active politics and returned to business, tourism and real estate.
He remained active in the community; however, and was the prime mover in the Rotary Club’s construction of a psychiatric unit to replace the out-dated St. Luke’s Psychiatric Home.
The first Chief Minister served as High Commissioner to the court of St. James, London and was ambassador to the UN, OAS and the US.
Baron leaves to morn his wife Sybil Baron and eight children including Minister for Foreign Affairs and CARICOM Affairs Francine Baron and former Parliamentary Representative for the Soufriere Constituency, Frederick Baron.