Mara Thompson to Run for St. John in By-election

Mara Thompson - DLP candidate for St. John 2011 By election photo: Nationnews

Barbados - Mara Thompson [Marie-Josephine Mara (née Giraudy)], the wife of the late Prime Minister of Barbados, David Thompson, has been given the nod to represent the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) in the St. John by-election scheduled to be held on 20^th January, 2011.

The by-election scheduled for St. John came about as a result of the passing of Mara Thompson's husband on 23^rd October, 2010. According to the laws of Barbados this election is to be held within ninety (90) days of the passing of the individual to once held the seat, and therefore the election had to be called by the 21^st January, 2011.

The 21^st January in Barbados is a national holiday, and celebrates a former prime minister of Barbados, The Rt Errol Walton Barrow, who himself was also a member of the DLP.

The St. John constituency which these men have hold is believed to be a DLP stronghold, and that Ms. Mara Thompson will secure this seat in what is believed to be a landslide victory against the Barbados Labour Party (BLP)

Who is Marie-Josephine Mara (née Giraudy)

Mara Thompson was born in St. Lucia, she has attended Howard University, and married the late Prime Minister David Thompson. The couple had three daughters - Misha, Oya and Osa-Marie.

In 2009, the National Task Force on Physical Activity was established under the chairmanship of Ms. Mara Thompson, a campaign of support for the increase of physical activity levels among a wide cross section of persons across multiple settings in Barbados.

Mara Thompson, has acted as the patron of Clean Up Barbados 2009. Since 1997 the Future Centre Trust has been promoting environmental education in Barbados, in 2009 it held its first Clean Up Barbados event.

Ms. Thompson joins a list of women who have bid for their late husbands seats

• Judye Sellier to run for late husband’s house seat in early 2011.
• Victoria Reggie Kennedy who was considered by top democrats to replace her late husband Ted Kennedy, as his seat was taken by a Republican, would have challenged Sen. Scott Brown (R) for the seat in 2012, but has rejected the offer.
• Rhonda Nyman, widow of former state Rep. Robert Nyman, who had been elected to the House seat her late husband held for 12 years.
• Cathy Harvin, who won a special election in 2006 to her late husband's Statehouse seat.
• Nancy Munoz who won seat vacated by husband's death.
• Marti Coley who assumed late husband's house seat...

And many other examples