FRANKLYN A. BARON, First Chief Minister of Dominica and later Ambassador and High Commissioner for Dominica, celebrated his 92nd birthday, today Monday 19th January. On Sunday, some of his friends gathered to share birthday cheer with him. Here are a few of them. Franklyn Andrew Baron: Politician, businessman, and newspaper proprietor. Born at Portsmouth in 1923. Involved in import/export trade including first exports of bananas after World War II and membership of the Dominica Banana Growers Association (DBGA). Served on Roseau Town Council. Unsuccessfully contested the Portsmouth Legislative Council seat in 1951 general elections, losing to R.B.Douglas. Abandoned Portsmouth. Won the Roseau South seat in 1954 and 1957 general elections. In March 1956 the ministerial system of government was introduced and Baron was made Minister for Trade and Production. In 1957 he founded the Dominica United Peoples Party (DUPP) and formed the government. During 1957 he represented Dominica at talks in Jamaica and Barbados leading to the creation of the Federation of the West Indies the following year. In constitutional changes resulting from the 1959 Constitution, and coming into effect in January 1960, Baron was made Minister of Finance and first Chief Minister of Dominica. He lost his seat and the government to the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) in the general elections of 17 January 1961. He returned to business, tourism and real estate. Was a prime mover in the Rotary Club’s construction of a Psychiatric Unit to replace the outdated St. Luke’s psychiatric home. Served as High Commissioner to the Court of St.James, London, and as Ambassador to the UN, OAS and the US. He founded Paramount Printers and re-established The Chronicle newspaper.
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 23:43:26 +0000
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