Owen Arthur 393735 221683880 2008-06-25T16:43:47Z SeanQ01 6444090 {{Infobox Prime Minister | honorific-prefix = <small>[[The Right Honourable]]</small><br> | name = Owen Seymour Arthur | image = Barbados.OwenArthur.01.jpg | order = 5th [[Prime Minister of Barbados]] | monarch = [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Elizabeth II]] | governor_general = [[Clifford Husbands]] | deputy = [[Mia Mottley]] | term_start = [[6 September]] [[1994]] | term_end = [[16 January]] [[2008]] | predecessor = [[Erskine Sandiford]] | successor = [[David Thompson (Barbadian politician)|David Thompson]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|10|17|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = [[Julie Arthur]] | profession = [[Economist]] | constituency = [[Saint Peter Parish, Barbados|Saint Peter]] | residence = [[Ilaro Court]] [[1994]] - [[2008]] | party = [[Barbados Labour Party|BLP]] | signature = }} '''Owen Seymour Arthur''', [[Barbados House of Assembly|MP]] (born [[17 October]] [[1949]]) was the [[Prime Minister]] of [[Barbados]] from 1994 to 2008. He is leader of the [[Barbados Labour Party]], which brought him to victory in general elections in September [[1994]]. He won general elections again in January [[1999]] and [[2003]]. In the [[Barbadian general election, 2008|2008 general election]], his party lost the elections to the [[Democratic Labour Party (Barbados)|Democratic Labour Party]] and their leader [[David Thompson (Barbadian politician)|David Thompson]]. Owen Arthur is currently the member of parliament for the [[constituency]] of [[Saint Peter Parish, Barbados|Saint Peter]]. ==Early life and education== Owen Arthur was educated at the University of the West Indies - Cave Hill, Barbados and Mona, Jamaica where he earned a BA in economics and history (1971) and an MSc in economics (1974). After graduating he held positions with Jamaica's National Planning Agency and the Jamaica Bauxite Institute before returning to Barbados and joining the Ministry of Finance and Planning in 1981. <!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:OA_manofthepeople.jpg|thumb|270px|Owen Arthur, a man of the people]] --> ==Member of Parliament== He was appointed to the Barbados Senate in 1983 and elected to the House of Assembly in 1984. He was chosen to serve as Leader of the Opposition in 1993 very shortly after giving notice that he was considering departing from politics due to his inability to survive at a satisfactory level on the means of an MP. ===Prime Minister=== One of the main platforms of Prime Minister Owen Arthur for the 2003 elections was his promise to continue the process of independence for Barbados and transform the country into a [[Parliamentary republic]], replacing [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] with a Barbadian President as [[Head of State]]. Owen Arthur stated a national referendum would be held in [[2005]]. However, this was pushed back in order to speed up the implementation process for the [[Caribbean (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy]], and the focus of his term was directed to the hosting of [[Cricket World Cup 2007]]. In the general election held on [[15 January]] [[2008]], the Barbados Labour Party was defeated by the Democratic Labour Party, winning ten seats against 20 for the DLP. DLP leader David Thompson was sworn in on [[16 January]], succeeding Arthur.<ref>[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/17/content_7440232.htm "Thompson sworn in as Barbados PM"], Xinhua, January 17, 2008.</ref> Despite the party's defeat, Arthur was re-elected to his own seat from St. Peter constituency with 65% of the vote.<ref>[http://elections.enfocuscrm.com/viewconstituency.cfm?constID=14 Election result page for St. Peter constituency].</ref> He also said that he felt he could still contribute to CARICOM.<ref>[http://www.nationnews.com/story/339865055818365.php "Arthur: Still a role for me"], nationnews.com, January 18, 2008.</ref> On [[January 19]], he stepped down as BLP leader, saying that he felt an immediate leadership transition would be in the best interests of both the party and Barbadian democracy; former Deputy Prime Minister [[Mia Mottley]] was chosen as the new party leader. Arthur said that he intended to serve out his parliamentary term.<ref>Trevor Yearwood, [http://www.nationnews.com/story/340622492722919.php "MIA TAKES OVER"], nationnews.com, January 20, 2008.</ref> <!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Owen_A.jpg|thumb|270px|Prime Minister Owen Arthur's arrival at Parliament]] --> Owen Arthur is the holder of the Order of [[José Marti]] of [[Cuba]]. [[Image:owen arthur bush.jpg|thumb|270px|Owen Arthur with George W. Bush]] ==See also== *[[List of Prime Ministers of Barbados|Prime Ministers of Barbados]] *[[Politics of Barbados]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== ===About=== * [http://www.primeminister.gov.bb/pm.html The Prime Minister of Barbados] - official website * [http://www.blp.org.bb/index.php?ZZZ=53_1051 Various Speeches made by Owen Arthur] - BLP website * [http://www.barbados.gov.bb/updates.htm Some speeches made by Owen Arthur] - The Barbados Government Information Service website * [http://www.barbados.gov.bb/pm.htm Profile of Owen Arthur] - Barbados government portal ===Press coverage=== * [http://www.royalarchive.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=2 Barbados set to replace Queen with president as head of state] - RoyalArchive.com, [[31 January]], [[2005]] * [http://portal.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2005/01/26/wbarb26.xml Barbados breakaway over 'King Harry'] - Telegraph UK, [[26 January]], [[2005]] {{DEFAULTSORT:Arthur, Owen}} [[Category:1949 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Barbadian politicians]] [[Category:Prime Ministers of Barbados]] [[Category:Members of the Barbadian House of Assembly]] [[Category:Leaders of the Barbados Labour Party]] [[Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:University of the West Indies alumni]] {{start box}} {{succession box| before= [[Lloyd Erskine Sandiford|Erskine Sandiford]]| title=[[Prime Minister of Barbados]]| after=[[David Thompson (Barbadian politician)|David Thompson]]| years=[[1994]] &ndash; [[2008]] }} {{end box}} {{BarbadosPMs}} [[de:Owen Arthur]] [[el:Όουεν Άρθουρ]] [[es:Owen Arthur]] [[fr:Owen Arthur]] [[ga:Owen Arthur]] [[gl:Owen Arthur]] [[hr:Owen Arthur]] [[id:Owen Arthur]] [[he:אואן ארתור]] [[lt:Ovenas Arturas]] [[nl:Owen Seymour Arthur]] [[no:Owen Arthur]] [[pl:Owen Arthur]] [[sr:Овен Артур]] [[fi:Owen Arthur]] i sorry i lose to david in 2008 elections