Submitted by Yardbroom
Rarely have I hesitated so much over a heading as I did over this one. I first thought of Arthur, Stuart and Mottley. What difference would that have made? I hear you ask, since it separates Arthur and Stuart from Mottley with the simple “and” which would have served the purpose. However, I wanted to place them on an equal footing, so there it is Arthur, Mottley, Stuart in alphabetical order.
Since this turn of mind has taken me, I will anticipate a few questions before they are asked. Stuart and Arthur have both held the office of Prime Minister of Barbados, Mottley has not, how can their leadership abilities be compared. Note I am discussing leadership qualities, because Mottley has not held the office of Prime Minister of Barbados does not mean she has not got the qualities to be a good leader and perhaps even Prime Minister. Some will contest this statement that is their right.
Yardbroom, why have you chosen two from the BLP and only one from the DLP. If Chris Sinkcler springs to mind, I believe in recent months his star has waned. He is in political terms a relatively young man, he can consolidate, retrench and return to the first rank a wiser and much stronger man, he is not in the wilderness yet.
Thirdly if you expect this submission to be a rant against Arthur, Mottley or Stuart concentrating on rumoured infelicities or salacious gossip scroll down quickly, it is not going to happen.
Owen Arthur The Master Tactician has not played all his cards yet. The longer the lapse between now and when Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart calls the election date, gives him time to manoeuvre his pieces into position. It would be unwise to think Arthur has not got a strategy up his sleeve, he will only act decisively when “his” troops are in position. He, like most intelligent generals knows that his power and influence comes from the dependability of those who are behind him. He will not leave himself open to ambush. What we have been witnessing for the past months is “strategic positioning”. It is not enough to be in my encampment he asserts. I must see the colours nailed to your mast.
You might vehemently disagree with his modus operandi or even his ethics but Arthur is a results man. It is the end product that matters. He is at his best when he is cornered, you underrate him at your peril.
Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart was able to bring a sanity of sorts to the Alexandra School dispute, astute leadership skills got results, the school is functioning. I will not dwell on the minute details here, the Alexandra School topic has been more than adequately dealt with on other submissions.
The brouhaha over the supposed “gang of eleven” has abated. I will not give it fresh legs here but only ask, would it have been better to dismiss Ministers in the last year of Parliament to prove how “strong” you are? even if that action is to the disadvantage of the DLP and more importantly Barbados? Is that strong leadership and does it prove you are a leader of worth? Are we a people who cannot discern astute leadership skills. Are we so devoid of that cognitive process that allows us to separate thinkers from shouters. Must we be forever prey, to be preyed upon, who cannot see worth? We will lose a lot and gain so little, if we dismiss those of true worth because we cannot hear from them empty shouts, like that from mouths that have failed us before and have left us bystanders in our land, as our fate is decided by others.
Mia Mottley is like daffodil bulbs in spring, she will always return when light showers caress those bulbs that shoot into life. She will not go away. She is as strong as the earth that produced her; resilient as the seasons that unfailingly come. She is as appealing to her followers as those wondrous yellow flowers are to the eye. Many felt she was dealt a bad hand but politics is not about fairness. An intelligent politician as she is knows she can bide her time. Her strength lies in her popular appeal and cross party popularity aligned with a national recognition factor.
Some here (BU) have often tried to play the female card in her favour, it does not pay dividends in National politics. There have been many female leaders in politics but they do not play the “female card” it does not work.
There is no doubt Mia Mottley will lead the BLP again. I hear some voices scoffing in the background to that statement. However, I must remind you I also wrote Owen Arthur would return to contest the leadership of the BLP a long time ago when Mia Mottley was leader of the BLP. When others were saying he was old and finished. I am sorry but I call it the way I see it, the truth always wins out.
The time between now and when Prime Minister Stuart calls the election date, will be interesting times in Barbados politics. There is much to gain but there will be many losers. The victors in the next general election can possibly set out a framework for what we will become as a Nation. It will be one of the most important elections in recent decades, there is a lot at stake. Barbadians should be astute, a lot will depend on their choice.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.