The Most Famous
POLITICIANS from Barbados
This page contains a list of the greatest Barbadian Politicians. The pantheon dataset contains 19,576 Politicians, 7 of which were born in Barbados. This makes Barbados the birth place of the 166th most number of Politicians behind São Tomé and Príncipe, and Marshall Islands.
Top 9
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Barbadian Politicians of all time. This list of famous Barbadian Politicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.
1. Sandra Mason (b. 1949)
With an HPI of 68.99, Sandra Mason is the most famous Barbadian Politician. Her biography has been translated into 56 different languages on wikipedia.
Dame Sandra Prunella Mason (born 17 January 1949) is a Barbadian politician, lawyer, and diplomat who is serving as the first president of Barbados since 2021. She was previously the eighth and final governor-general of Barbados from 2018 to 2021, the second woman to hold the office. On 20 October 2021, Mason was elected by the Parliament of Barbados to become the country's first president, and took office on 30 November 2021, when Barbados ceased to be a constitutional monarchy and became a republic. Mason was a practicing attorney-at-law who has served as a High Court judge in Saint Lucia and a Court of Appeal judge in Barbados, and was the first woman admitted to the bar in Barbados. She served as chair of the CARICOM commission to evaluate regional integration, was the first magistrate appointed an ambassador from Barbados, and was the first woman to serve on the country's Supreme Court. She was the first appointee from Barbados to the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal. In 2017, she was appointed the 8th governor-general of Barbados, with a term beginning on 8 January 2018. Simultaneously with her appointment, Mason was awarded the Dame Grand Cross in the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George. On assumption of the office of Governor-General, she became the Chancellor of the Order of National Heroes, Order of Barbados and the Order of Freedom.
2. Clifford Husbands (1926 - 2017)
With an HPI of 47.32, Clifford Husbands is the 2nd most famous Barbadian Politician. His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.
Sir Clifford Straughn Husbands GCMG KStJ KA QC (5 August 1926 – 11 October 2017) was a Barbadian judge who served as the sixth Governor-General of Barbados. He held this office from 1996, when he was appointed after the death of Nita Barrow, until he retired on 31 October 2011. He was the longest-serving Barbadian Governor-General. Husbands died suddenly of a heart attack on 11 October 2017 at the age of 91. He was predeceased by his wife, Lady Ruby Husbands (née Parris), who died on 7 July 2009.
3. Mia Mottley (b. 1965)
With an HPI of 47.26, Mia Mottley is the 3rd most famous Barbadian Politician. Her biography has been translated into 51 different languages.
Mia Amor Mottley, (born 1 October 1965) is a Barbadian politician and attorney who has served as the eighth prime minister of Barbados since 2018 and as Leader of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) since 2008. Mottley is the first woman to hold either position. She is also Barbados' first prime minister under its republican system, following constitutional changes she introduced that abolished the country's constitutional monarchy. Mottley has been the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Saint Michael North East since 1994. From 1994 to 2008, she held a succession of ministerial portfolios including the post of Attorney-General of Barbados becoming the first woman to be appointed as such. She is also a member of the Inter-American Dialogue. Mottley was twice the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Assembly of Barbados first from 2008 to 2010 then from 2013 to 2018. In 2018, the Mottley-led BLP won a historic landslide victory in the 24 May general election, securing all 30 seats in the House—making them the first party to accomplish this feat—in addition to winning 72.8 per cent of the popular vote, which is the highest share ever achieved by a party in a general election. Mottley won a second term in office at the 2022 general election, once again sweeping all 30 seats in the legislature in a snap election that she called. She is the longest currently-serving female state leader. She is viewed as a leading candidate to succeed António Guterres as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.
4. Freundel Stuart (b. 1951)
With an HPI of 45.73, Freundel Stuart is the 4th most famous Barbadian Politician. His biography has been translated into 35 different languages.
Freundel Jerome Stuart, OR, PC, SC (born 27 April 1951) is a Barbadian politician who served as Prime Minister of Barbados and the leader of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) from 23 October 2010 to 21 February 2013; and from 21 February 2013 to 25 May 2018. He succeeded David Thompson, who had died in office on 23 October 2010 from pancreatic cancer.
5. Owen Arthur (1949 - 2020)
With an HPI of 42.78, Owen Arthur is the 5th most famous Barbadian Politician. His biography has been translated into 29 different languages.
Owen Seymour Arthur (17 October 1949 – 27 July 2020) was a Barbadian politician who served as the fifth prime minister of Barbados from 6 September 1994 to 15 January 2008. He is the longest-serving Barbadian prime minister to date. He also served as Leader of the Opposition from 1 August 1993 to 6 September 1994 and from 23 October 2010 to 21 February 2013. Arthur was a firm advocate for regional integration and cooperation among the countries of the Caribbean. He was described by CARICOM as the chief architect of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy. He argued in favour of making the Caribbean Court of Justice the final court of appeal for countries of the Caribbean, and he advocated for the University of the West Indies regional airline LIAT, and projection of resistance against infringement on sovereignty by large nations.
6. Arthur Barclay (1854 - 1938)
With an HPI of 42.16, Arthur Barclay is the 6th most famous Barbadian Politician. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Arthur Barclay (31 July 1854 – 10 July 1938) was the 15th president of Liberia from 1904 to 1912.
7. Errol Barrow (1920 - 1987)
With an HPI of 41.47, Errol Barrow is the 7th most famous Barbadian Politician. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.
Errol Walton Barrow (21 January 1920 – 1 June 1987) was a Barbadian statesman and the first prime minister of Barbados. Born into a family of political and civic activists in the parish of Saint Lucy, he became a WWII aviator, combat veteran, lawyer, politician, gourmet cook and author. He is often referred to as the "Father of Independence" in Barbados.
8. Lloyd Erskine Sandiford (1937 - 2023)
With an HPI of 39.61, Lloyd Erskine Sandiford is the 8th most famous Barbadian Politician. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford, KA, PC (24 March 1937 – 26 June 2023) was a Barbadian politician. He served as the fourth prime minister of Barbados from 1987 to 1994, and later served as Barbados' first resident ambassador in Beijing, China, from 2010 to 2013.
9. Tom Adams (1931 - 1985)
With an HPI of 34.88, Tom Adams is the 9th most famous Barbadian Politician. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Jon Michael Geoffrey Manningham Adams (September 24, 1931 – March 11, 1985), known as Tom Adams, was a Barbadian politician who served as the second Prime Minister of Barbados from 1976 until 1985.
People
Pantheon has 9 people classified as Barbadian politicians born between 1854 and 1965. Of these 9, 3 (33.33%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Barbadian politicians include Sandra Mason, Mia Mottley, and Freundel Stuart. The most famous deceased Barbadian politicians include Clifford Husbands, Owen Arthur, and Arthur Barclay. As of April 2024, 2 new Barbadian politicians have been added to Pantheon including Arthur Barclay, and Lloyd Erskine Sandiford.
Living Barbadian Politicians
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Sandra Mason
1949 - Present
HPI: 68.99
Mia Mottley
1965 - Present
HPI: 47.26
Freundel Stuart
1951 - Present
HPI: 45.73
Deceased Barbadian Politicians
Go to all RankingsClifford Husbands
1926 - 2017
HPI: 47.32
Owen Arthur
1949 - 2020
HPI: 42.78
Arthur Barclay
1854 - 1938
HPI: 42.16
Errol Barrow
1920 - 1987
HPI: 41.47
Lloyd Erskine Sandiford
1937 - 2023
HPI: 39.61
Tom Adams
1931 - 1985
HPI: 34.88
Newly Added Barbadian Politicians (2024)
Go to all RankingsOverlapping Lives
Which Politicians were alive at the same time? This visualization shows the lifespans of the 6 most globally memorable Politicians since 1700.
