Barbados’ fraternity of economists has lost one of its longstanding and respected members.
Anthony Johnson, a consultant to the Barbados Co-operative Credit Union League, chairman of the Productivity Council and former president of the Barbados Economics Society, passed away on Thursday night at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at the age of 70.
The soft-spoken intellectual who over the years freely offered analysis and commentary on a range of economic issues that faced the country, had a long battle with cancer.
In an interview with NATION publication BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY in 2009, Johnson said: “The passage of life is an experience; and may I be remembered for the good I have done more so than the goods I have left behind.”
And last night president of the Barbados Co-operative Credit Union League, Hally Haynes, said Johnson had done “magnificent work” on the Institutional Strengthening Project of the league for almost five years.
“He had been fighting illness for some time but he still continued to work. He was also serving on the board of the University of the West Indies Co-operative Credit Union,” Haynes noted.Meanwhile, Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler said Johnson was “an engaging person, deeply committed to family, friends, community and country”.
He added: “I shall surely miss his wise counsel, the benefit of which I accepted as recent as this past March as we discussed matters pertaining to the public finances of Barbados for a few hours.”
Johnson, who was former economist at the Central Bank of Barbados, was also head of the Barbados Securities Exchange – the forerunner to the Barbados Stock Exchange.Johnson leaves to mourn his wife Jean, son Wayne Johnson and four grandchildren. (GE)
