I can’t speak for the 13% of independent voters only for myself. I would say that I worry more about the ECONOMY than about the way “the gang of five” got rid of Miss Mottley.
I don’t see that much of a difference in ideaology between the DLP and the BLP; more a difference in personalities. Economy was better under BLP, however, can’t blame DLP for the global economic crisis.
What I’m really interested in, is finding out how the 2 parties differ in measures they think need to be taken to turn the economy around. That is what will make me decide which party to vote for. I am not interested in their internal infighting.

We may disagree about political decisions taken by parties when in power but decency is still one of the characteristics that most Barbadians hold fast to.

I am not a supporter of Mia Mottley and certainly not Owen Arthur but when he used the University office to tell the world that Mia(opposition leader) must change her lifestyle and he did not say what she must change, to become a leader of Barbados then that would have hurt anyone to the core.

Even if things said were rumours, he made people really start to believe what they were hearing.

How would she feel when on this blog her party supporters who she may know support Owen says such nasty things about her and family. For example the person who goes by name of lemuel

She may want her party to win but I do not feel she will support Owen in the next election.

If Owen succeeds in getting Clyde Mascoll in a constituency that fits his profile (can someone explain that for me) there will be a lot of behind the scenes backstabbing.

@ David
What do you find interesting? That I don’t see that much difference between the Dems and the Bees (just look at the ease with which persons cross the floor for eg. personal grievances) or that economic measures will weigh heavily in my decision which party to vote for?
Could you elaborate a little more on “This precedent setting”.

@Independent

Nothing so indept. One would think your assertion that the economy should determine who wins the next election should be obvious.

However the machinations taking place in the BLP with Arthur, Mottley, Payne and now the Eastmond matter threatens to subsume ever thing.

How will this factor?

factory?
I thought I heard the sugar industry was a of time and money?

People vote in their best interests. idont think that the DLP is in the best interests of the country.Whether Mia and Owen are on the best personal terms is not important to the way the country is governed. the DLP is hoping that their mistakes ,bleeps and blundeers are susdumed under the quarrels of Owen and Mia.. Let the Dems rule efficiently or go.this is a very poor government. The people wil judge them on their proformance and their proformance is poor pure and simple

I have found it passing strange that Mia after her initial statement on the day she was removed has never said why she was removed. Mia never reads from prepared scripts, that day she read from a prepared script. I thought that was strange.

Mia and Mia alone can bring an end to this feud by letting the public know why she was removed. She should say whether she intends to leave the BLP and they will then able to move on. But by not doing this, she has held the party to ransom, her DLP friends continue to spew lies on how bad she was treated. If she thinks this will harm the BLP, so that she could get back the leadership, I think she is sadly mistaken.

Right now, people are hurting, they have slowly come to the conclusion that the Dems dont have a clue how to fix the economy. Just listen to the Central Bank Governor and you would see that he does not inspire any confidence. When the PM is ready to call elections, Bajans will remember how they had prosperity under the Bees, and vote for their survival.

Mia by this time would have to join the Dems if she does not want to fall in line!

As a foot note, I detect from the Big Interview with Mara that she does not seem at all happy with her decision to become the MP. That’s just my take on a comment half way in the interview!

Perlixin Pearlie
Waitttttttttttttt, dah is you? wah becum a you soul? I miss you like I miss my late PM.
I was hay readin de Nation n believ me, afta a year, I still sheddin a tear. I miss he rale bad.
I in a rale sombra mood taday.
stupseeeeeeeeeeeee.

Hope ta hare ya soon again Perlixin. Miss ya jokes.

Mia is aloyalist and she is not going to let the party mugufaee throw her out of the party that her father was a big part of making and shaping. Why should she. Remember he who laughs first always laugh last.

The life of the late David Thompson even though was shortened had accomplished sufficient that those who remember him would be joyful that his life was not in vain. “Even though he is dead “Yet does he live”

Another test which has assumed public interest is the unfolding saga in St. James North.

Rawle Eastmond is seen as one of those politicians who is ‘different’, to oust him to allow Hinkson to continue may make less of a wave than if Mascoll is foisted on the constituency.

If the DLP had nominated Austin Husbands to run in St. James North and the BLP ousted Rawle Eastnond, then that seat would be won by the DLP. However without Rawle (BLP) or Austin(DLP), that seat would be up for grabs

@Prodigal Son……..Since when is the burden of proof the defendant’s? Mia does not owe an explanation to anyone.To the contrary those who level the charge are yet to offer substantiation. Perhaps they can begin by explaining how the very criteria that qualified her as deputy now poses a challenge to her ascension to leadership. Lifestyle we are told precludes the above. Lets talk about Betty’s son(his name escapes me right now) who ran bout with all of us in the village.His dad was the Prime Minister,and we have never had a first lady by the name of Betty.Lets talk about the bedroom that was flooded with a garden hose pushed through the broken louvers all because the side woman was having a fling with another man.This dastardly deed was done by a sitting Prime Minister. Does the chief judge,Mr. opposition leader have offspring born outside of wedlock? Good for the goose,but not for the gander?Or should it be the other way around?

BP

HH,

You are not drawing me into people’s personal business. Suffice to say, Dems seem to know about everybody in the BLP bedroom business but overlook the children fathered by DLP MP’s outside of marriage, those who claim responsibility for the outside children to protect those in leadership positions, those who impregnate underage girls and those who lead a gay lifestyle.

I disagree with you, Mia has to defend herself if she wants back the leadership. She has played her cards so badly (taking advice from Dems) that she has backed herself into a corner. To be leader again, she must have the support of the very same people whom she now refuses to be in their company. Pray tell me which of those MPs will vote for her to be leader over them. Was her dictatorial leadership style not the problem?

I maintain that Mia believes that she has all the aces and can hold the BLP to ransom. I think she will find out that she has overplayed her hand. No one is bigger than the party.

It would be insightful to read a poll to see how Mia, Owen and Fruendel stake up nationally. There is a sense that despite everything which has flowed under the bridge Mia’s national profile has been climbing. The challenges which she faces is that has Prodigal Son commented, she will need the support of the current lot of her parliamentary colleagues.

ac nice try but a lot of the love garnered by mr thompson was to my mind as a result of the compassion and sympathy for a young brilliant individual and family man cut down in the prime of his life. it is not unusual to see such incidences here in this little island particularlt when a young person dies tragically far less a prime minister riding the crest of the wave. mr thompson was no more compassionate than anybody else, matter of fact he received more compassion than he gave. it would have been good if he had translated that ompassion to the poor suffering policy holders of clico like myself and not give all to mer parris. mr thompson lost three elections as leader of the dlp and ran from office notwithstanding his compassion adnd the lives you say he touched.as i indicated, any talk of what he might have done is only speculative because there were things he promised to do before his sickness that he did not do, so his track record in this regard would be somewhat skewed.

BP

Dale Marshall you got to be a Prodigal Idiot if you really feel that Mia Mottley will have no influence over whether the BLP wins the next election. We ain’t buying what you selling.

Face the facts man. The woman is popular right across the length and breadth of the country. She continues to espouse original ideas and solutions that people can understand and believe in. She is not on any witch hunt and she comes across as genuine and compassionate.

I know you would probably not have attended Barney’s Branch Meeting so read what she said about the urgency of curbing spending on transfers and subsidies in today’s Nation. She is calling yet again for Parliament to look at this problem in a bi-partisan way because if the Government does not take immediate action to control spending we all going to Hell in a hand basket.

If as her Deputy you had a problem with her leadership style did you raise it with her, or did you do what you do best – smile and say I backing you, till George pulled the strings. Remember one thing, your turn going come so don’t hold your breath waiting for Owen to live up to his part of the Prior Park deal. You going be out on your ass just like Mia. You can’t see he gone back to the old divide and rule tactics of praising up Mascoll. You think you going win that war? A promise is comfort to a fool, Dale. He going ditch you and George as soon as he no longer needs you.

You back the wrong horse, ma boy. And remember this, if the BLP should win you going need at least 16 seats. You sure 8 possible winners going back Owen? Do you remember who became Prime Minister the morning after the 1961 Election? Was he the Party Leader on Election Day?

You all so foolish you want your best asset to join the Dems, but then again maybe you feel that would clear the way for you. Ain’t gonna happen. You better try and win your seat and hope that George wins his too, or it going be awfully lonely for you.

If I was Mia Mottley I wouldn’t want any of you around me and I don’t know why you craving her company now. You didn’t want it when you had it. You Dale, and the other three idiots going make my poor country have to suffer another five years of Fruendel and Chris. Lord help us all!

Does anyone think that the legitimizing of Dudus Coke was not done in plain sight of ordinary Jamaicans? At his sentencing Coke used his record of philanthropy in the community as consideration for gaining reduced jail time.

In a local football tournament which appears to be a big success, it is alleged by some that some questionable characters are involved. It is up to the citizens working in tandem with the authorities to expose wrongdoing if it exist.

WE ALREADY KNOW. HE SAID CLICO WAS A WELL MANAGED COMPANY ALTHOUGH EVIDENCE NOW INDICATES IT WAS NOT AND IF HE WAS AS BRIGHT AS WE SAY HE IS, THEN HE SHOLULD HAVE KNOWN THAT.THEN HE PROCEEDED TO GIVE THEM 10 MILLION DOLLARS TO PROP THEM UP AND STIFLE CRITICISM. EVIDENCE INDICATES HE WAS ALSO SIGNATORY TO A CONTRACT WHICH WOULD ALLOW MR PARRIS TO BE THE BENEFICIARY OF A 10 MILLION DOLLAR GRATUITY WHICH IS OR WAS THE SUBJECT OF A COURT BATTLE; AND MR PARRIS REFERRED CRITICISM OF HIS DECISION TO WRITE UNAUTHORISED INSURANCE BUSINESS TO THE OFFICE OF THE MINISTER OF FINANCE. HISTORY WILL PROBABLY TELL YOU THAT TGHIS IRRESPONSIBLE STATEMENT IS WHST PROBABLY ADDED TO MR THOMPSON’S STRESS LEVELS AND PERHAPS HINDERED HIS RECOVERY. I AM NOT SPECULATING ABOUT ANYTHING. MR THOMPSON WAS IN OFFICE FOR TWO BEFORE HE DIED AND HE PROMISED WITHIN 100 HUNDRED DAYS IN OFFICE TO SEVERAL THINGS WHICH HE DID NOT THE FREEDOM OF INTEGRITY LEGISLATION NOTWITHSTANDING. HE SIAD ALL OVER BARBADOS AND HIS SUPPORTERS AS WELL THAT THE COST OF LIVING WAS HIGH BECAUSE THE BLP WAS IN BED WITH THE LOCAL BUSINESS PEOPLE AND THAT HE WAS GOING TO BRING IT DOWN. IT HAS NOW GONE SKY HIGH. WHEN THE PRICE OF OIL WAS HIGHER ON THE WORLD MARKET, I PAID SIGNIFICANTLY LESS FOR GAS AND ELECTRICITY FUEL CHARGE THAN I AM PAYING NOW. SO I AM NOT SPECULATING THERE IS NOTHING TO ENCOURAGE ME TO BELIEVE THAT MY 30.000 DOLLARS INVESTED IN POLICIES IN CLICO NWOULD BE SAFEGUARDED. SORRY MY FRIENDIF YOU WANT TO BE CAUGHT UP IN THIS STAGEMANAGED PLITICAL SELFSERVING NONSENSE WHEN THEY ARE PERSONS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE DONE SO MUCH WITHOUT RECOGNITION. PERHAPS EVEN YOUR GRANDMOTHER DID MORE.

Yardbroom:

I agree, Mia must take the floor for this ‘Party” to start. The music will play but the dancing cannot start – so Owen can dance all around the issue of his supporting Mia during his tenure as PM and now in Opposition giving the impression that she is not ‘fit’ for leadership. With the recent rains in Barbados any wool over our eyes was washed away.

I said in an earlier post BLP has to tell the public the reason Mia was removed from leadership within her Party. No-one cares about Owen’s 14 years as PM today since his grand performance during the ailing and afterward death of Thompson. This is what is before us and he has to deal with it. He cannot start a political meeting without addressing this. People want to hear why he did what he did in 2010 taking his full support from Mia the then leader of the Opposition. He will have to state her inability to manage the position, and, her alleged ‘lifestyle’ is not going to be an acceptable answer, because, it is not proven that it inhibited her from performing her duties when she was the Oppostion Leader, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister with portfolios with Owen’s blessings.

We are not Owen’s little children that he can come and say this discussion is not for you at this time. The electorate may remain silent and appreciate and accept certain activities as ‘politics’ like overthrowing A in support of B. However, when you say that you are taking a break and come back to say you will lead because of a person’s ‘lifestyle’ you are insulting the electorate.

Owen can shout, scream, shake, bend, turn … but, until he states the reason for the change of leadership within his party dancing will not happen. Owen said that David Thompson was not fit to lead Barbados. For years that was the music and the dance of the BLP – just imagery. He cannot do it with Mia without stating fact because he gave her his ‘full’ support. His usual comment ‘forgive me, I am only human’ will not suffice now either.

Home
I also think Mia Mottley needs to come clean and tell the people why she THINKS that she was removed. This would put Owen on the defensive and he would have to come with his reasoning. My feeling is that neither Mia nor Owen wants to talk about it. She needs to eat some humble pie and get her act together, she’s still on track to become Barbados’ first female P.M ; it’s now up to her.

DEAR MR OSA

Please find below a few pointers on integrity that should help you deal with the challenges that are eating away at your moral body fabric and bothering your conscience:

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it. ~Buddha

To speak ill of others is a dishonest way of praising ourselves. ~Will Durant

As soon as you concern yourself with the “good” and “bad” of your fellows, you create an opening in your heart for maliciousness to enter. ~Morihei Ueshiba

Sin lies only in hurting other people unnecessarily. All other “sins” are invented nonsense. (Hurting yourself is not a sin – just stupid.) ~Robert A. Heinlein

To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice. ~Confucius

PLEASE TELL US WHAT IS WRONG WITH MAM THAT YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES FOUND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.

Saying that I made a massive error in judgment is not beyond you. After all, you did take blame for everything that went “wrong” under your watch and, by deduction, asked the Barbadian public to accept your frailty as a human being. Being humble, remorseful and asking for forgiveness are not signs of weakness but those of greatness that would help you overcome the demons still inside of you. Unless you put an end to this festering scandalous affair by letting the voting public know the basis for your actions or by re-engaging with MAM in an openly contrite and genuine manner, the sweetness of power might attend you with an incurable dose of political diabetes.

tHE NEXT GENERAL ELECTIONS WILL BE A TOSS-UP BETWEEN THE TWO MAJOR PARTIES Either one is capable of winning, but at this moment the DLP has its nose in front. However, a day in politics is a long time and things can change overnight, once the BLP can regroup the DLP would have a stiff challenge. However, whichever party is succesful, it would be in the country’s best interest that a strong opposition be formed to keep the ruling government in check

Scout:

I notice that Mia distance herself from commenting in every forum including Branch meetings. She has not once said that she will address or attempt to address the actions of Owen at her Branch meetings. And, i agree with you that she needs to state her opinion as to why her colleagues including the Deputy she would have trusted and supported, agreed to remove her from office.

Miller:
Owen can ask for forgiveness again and again, that does not state why he did what he did to someone he lead an entire country to believe was capable based on his integrity. Owen lead the people of Barbados to believe beyond a shadow of doubt that Mia was a capable successor after he announced that he would take a break. Many praise Owen for a ‘sterling’ performance as PM (I don’t) and then respected and approved his leave of absence from being leader of Opposition – Owen then came back and said he will lead the Opposition – why??? He does not say, did not say? but, will he say?To regain that respect and approval he has to state facts. Therefore I agree with you that OSA should tell the people waht is wrong that he and his colleagues found MAM unacceptable. And, was it unpardonable seeing that he may be asking too for pardon.

David:
Owen can try to protect the party and lose every possibility of regaining respect among the electorate of Barbados. When people hear his name they will stupse and consider him a ‘poor’ leader because of the way he removed Mia after praising her. That is what Owen is facing – I say again – it has nothing to do with 14 years of PM but what happened after – when he could have taken up leadership immediately but did not.