One issue which has arisen from the Alexandra impasse is how it has exposed an inadequate public relations strategy of the Prime Minister Stuart and his government. It is one obvious difference in the approach of Stuart and the late Prime Minister. Prime Minister Stuart’s public profile can be described as taciturn, aloof, introverted and a few other character traits which are not normally associated with successful politicians. In fact his style is often compared to Sir Lloyd’s which history records did not serve him well politically.
There is a political reality which Prime Minister Stuart and his handlers incredulously continue to ignore. He leads a political party whose objective is always to accrue public support. As the leader he has the task to implement public policy, unpopular sometimes, and at the same time assuage public support, in the prevailing climate not an enviable task. It behoves the Prime Minister – who some on BU have accused of lacking emotional intelligence – to bolster his inner circle with the requisite training to assist his government to manage its public relations strategy. It is clearly a deficiency of the DLP government since the late Prime Minister died and Hartley Henry was booted to the curb.
There is the saying that one should be careful not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. It is no secret the late David Thompson and his political strategist Hartley Henry at the time held admiration for Obama’s campaign, particularly his communications strategy. The Internet is populated with case studies of how Black Obama, the underdog, combined technology with a relevant message as one example. When Obama entered the Whitehouse he was guided by an official communications structure: weekly radio broadcasts, White House press briefings triggered by events affecting the government as well as routine, State of the Union, periodic press conferences with the several networks to name a few. A look at the UK government shows a commitment to adhering to an effective communications plan. Needless to say leading private sector companies regard an effective public relations as important to the success of the business.
It is obvious a key requirement of any democratically elected government concerned with good governance is an effective communications strategy. Prime Minister Stuart’s willingness to relegate a lucid public relations approach to the backburner will not recommend his government to an already impatient electorate. The fact that a general election beckons makes the current approach a mystifying one. Of course an effective PR strategy does not obviate the need for relevant and effective policies.
This government rode into office on the back of an agenda of change and a pressing need to promote transparency in government. Now in the twilight of its tenure, the Stuart government cannot lay claim to differentiating itself in a significant way to the former Barbados Labour Party government on issue of transparency.
Is there time to turn it around? Time will be the judge.
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