Vincent Derrick was a former Senator and Cabinet Minister in Antigua and Barbuda

Early life and education

Vincent Astor ‘Tubby’ Derrick was born on 21 November 1933 in Antigua to George and Ruby Agnes Isabelle Derrick aka “the Violet”, Tubby was the third child from that union.   He was educated at the TOR Memorial and Antigua Grammar Schools.

Career
Derrick joined the Antigua and Barbuda Democratic Movement (ABDM) which was formed by his late close friend Robert Hall in the 1960s. Seeing the strength in unity, he was instrumental in the merger of the ABDM and the Antigua Workers Union to form the Progressive Labour Movement (PLM) in 1967. 

The PLM defeated the Antigua Labour Party (ALP) during the 1971 General Elections and Dad became a Senator and Leader of Government Business in the Senate.  Derrick was also made a Government Minister without Portfolio and consequently became a member of the Cabinet and Government during the PLM term in office between 1971 and 1976.

His assignments included working with Premier George Walter and Prime Minister Errol Barrow to create LIAT (1974) Ltd out of the ashes of Leeward Islands Air Transport’s bankruptcy.

He travelled to Bermuda to study their tourism and road system and by 1976 PLM was known as the “Road Government”.

After the 1989 general elections, Derrick helped in bringing together the disparate opposition forces under the banner of the United Progressive Party (UPP) in 1992. In addition to being a founding member, he was the first and longest serving chairman of the UPP (1993 to 2001).

Personal life

Derrick was a father of five: Mu’min, Foster, Beverley, Gillian, and Kim.

Death Derrick died on 4 March 2019 after a brief period of illness.  He was 85. His funeral service was held on Wednesday, 13 March 2019 at the St. John’s Cathedral, Antigua.