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Submitted by Gordon Jones
Dr. David Estwick, a key performer on the campaign platform
Dr. David Estwick, a key performer on the campaign platform

Although it might seem that I have been given the bad end of the stick it is my belief that I have been chosen by the Almighty, and my constituents of St Phillip West to work on behalf of this country.  My mother always said: time longer than twine and that the race is not for the swift but is for he that endureth.

Nation Newspaper (01/10/2010)

Despite a can-do attitude and an unmatched passion for politics the first term of the DLP administration was not been particularly kind or favourable to Dr.David Estwick. First there was the allegation of brandishing a firearm in the precincts of Parliament and then there was the public spat with a dying David Thompson ending with the now infamous Bajan quote ‘time longer than twine’.

Dr. Estwick who is affectionately known in the political arena as The Pitbull, undertook responsibility for crafting the economic message and arguments for the DLP campaign and also for analyzing the policies and personality of Owen Arthur and for the vicious attacks that resulted there from. Some will argue that it was the combined efforts of Dr. Estwick and Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart that ultimately destroyed the mystique and somewhat favourable memory of Owen Arthur as a leader capable of delivering prosperous times. The combined effort prove too fatal to Owen Arthur’s bid to regain the leadership of Barbados and the experience will serve these two well in 2018 when it is likely that they will be facing the more formidable challenger in Mia Mottley.

In addition, no other DLP candidate in the 2013 elections can match his 554 increase in votes nor his whopping 17 per cent increase over the 2008 vote tally. Not even the much acclaimed Chris Sinckler can match Dr. Estwick’s results in 2013 but that is not to undermine Mr. Sinckler’s performance in St. Michael North West but just to make sure the facts are not distorted, as is the want when it comes to Dr. Estwick.

In the 2003 elections Dr. Estwick secured 2714 votes, in the 2008 election he secured 2648 and in 2013 a massive 3, 720 votes. In each case defeating the same candidate in Lynette Eastmond.

The 2013 win for the DLP was delivered predominantly on the sharp intellects of Dr. Estwick and the Prime Minister and on the hard work of others like George Pilgrim, Donville Inniss, Ronald Jones and many others.

Clear the skies, the Pheonix has risen and is about to soar.


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332 responses to “Dr. David Estwick – A Phoenix Rises from the Political Ashes”


  1. @David

    “Mascoll walked away and what”?

    David,

    You really think that Mascoll could have stayed in the DLP after Thompson humiliated him by ousting him as leader of the Opposition? That is why I marvel at the audacity of the Dems on BU who like to highlight OSA/Mia. They conveniently forget these bloodletting days in the DLP.

    Mascoll is not for elective politics. He is doing pretty well now I would say.

  2. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Gingerbread Girl | March 3, 2013 at 5:26 PM |

    You too arenot totally correct in your dogmatic response.
    Section 67 (3) puts a brake on the powers of any Minister acting as PM.
    The GG can refuse to accept from any “Acting” PM any request requiring the GG Public Seal.
    A request to dissolve Parliament will certainly be one of those if the substantive PM is not available. If the substantive PM dies or is incapable of continuing then the acting PM can request from the GG such a seal to approve the dissolution of Parliament.

    “67. (1) Whenever the Prime Minister is unable, by reason
    of his illness or absence from Barbados, to perform the functions
    of his office, the Governor-General may, by instrument under
    the Public Seal, authorise any other Minister who is a member
    of the House of Assembly to perform the functions conferred
    on the Prime Minister by this Constitution (other than the
    functions conferred by subsection (3) ) .
    (2) The Governor-General may, by instrument under the
    Public Seal, revoke any authority given under this section.
    (3) The powers conferred on the Governor-General by this
    section shall be exercised by him acting in his discretion if in
    his opinion it is impracticable to obtain the advice of the
    Prime Minister owing to the Prime Minister’s illness or absence,
    and in any other case shall be exercised by the Governor-
    General in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister.”

  3. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    David

    You asked,

    @Caswell

    And why would PM Stuart appoint some other if Estwick is the DPM?

    Because he has no respect for Estwick.

    Sent from my iPad


  4. boy wunna BLPites a work of art, First working wunna assses off to overturn the election. now trying to overturn the PM decisions for ministerial duties of MP’S Man uh tell yuh this election has really made wunna blp yardfowls stir stark crazy.
    In the mean time wunna house on fire and not one of the yardflows care to grab a hose and spray some water to stop it from burning to the ground. OH! Well more ammunition for the DEMS come 2018


  5. Thanks for this miller.

    Now we see the predicament the Gang of eleven had when they tried to remove PM Stuart which them led to note from OSA which the traitor conveniently cut off the top to make a political point. Bloody hypocrite!

    OSA saved his skin by not joining with them to bring him down and the dirty dog turned around and stabbed OSA in his back and people talk about he is a man of integrity!


  6. caswell
    What about the post of DPM being a comfort for a fool you don’t understand. That post does not give the holder any additional power or responsibility
    *************
    Wunnah folks can’t craft a coherent message to save a peachink, on the one hand wunnah decrying OSA for not making Mia a Deputy -a point that Owen asserted in his now famous proclamation from UWI- ( I made Mia etc.) and now wunnah about to denounce Estwick if he accepts the position along with MoA) I suspect that the same people would be saying the same about Sinckler if the PM had made Estwick MoF in the first place.

    It is obvious some ah wunnah need lessons in “How to win friends and influence people”.


  7. @ac
    OH! Well more ammunition for the DEMS come 2018……………………..

    If wunnah last that long!


  8. Another Surprise Winner ! ! Who will be next. this might be the year of the long shots. Hmmmmmm!

  9. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Caswell Franklyn | March 3, 2013 at 5:54 PM |
    “Because he has no respect for Estwick.”

    That’s a very serious political charge .Why would a man of Integrity appoint a man for whom there is no respect to the Cabinet?
    It doesn’t make sense on the barometer of Integrity readings.

    Politically it explains why he is being “dumped’ in the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA).
    In that case he should have offered him Drainage to go along with the dump to sink Estwick.
    But it serves David right. He should have turned down Freundel’s promise of being treated like the prodigal son this time around instead of remaining the political pig pen cleaner.
    But David brother TC is getting very angry with Fumble for treating his little Bro like that. The Estwicks need a heavyweight Minister in the Family Tree, even a DPM.


  10. In other news are we about to see King Charles 111? Will the Pope still be Catholic or a Priest? An Internet Party led by a comedian has taken ¼ of the votes cast in Italy (Europe’s 3rd largest economy)

    Hmmnnnn………… where de hell is Onions?

  11. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    Estwick holds the cards. Since Friday he has the DLP administration in a state total fear. Will sink the administration in a final act of revenge?
    It appears he’s taken the necessary advice on three courses of action;
    1. Sit on the front bench and vote as he this right for Barbados
    2. Sit as an independent and vote as he thinks right for Barbados
    3. Sit as a BLP and vote along party lines.

    Option one and two allows him, without sacrifycing his political career, to wait for Sinckler in the estimates debate and vote against them.


  12. Dr, Esrwick will be sworn in as Minister of Agriculture.

  13. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    David & Caswell
    When the Estimates are laid in Parliament, is there a vote required to be passed? If yes, does the Speaker have a vote. Also what will happen if the Government can’t get enought votes to pass the estimates?


  14. Gingerbread bread girl, are you backing-back from your previous hot news that Estwick was being sworn in as MoA? Your post above now seems to suggest that you are, as you seem to be hinting that Estwick now has to make one of three choices in the near future. I suspect that all things considered, if you are correct, he will choose the MoA posting. But your last post suggests that the matter is still up in the air.

    It would obviously be better for the image of the DLP and the PM’s new image of a wonder worker if Estwick takes up the MoA post dragging his tail behind him. Strangely enough that would also be better for the BLP chances in the next election as it would be in the best interest of the BLP to allow the DLP to make the hard choices re. the economy etc., before the next elections. An Estwick decision to refuse the post would call in question the judgement of the PM leading up to this debacle and perhaps hasten the fall of this tenuous DLP government that would then be hanging on one uncertain vote. That is something that is not in the BLP’s interests at this time.

    So my two cents worth is that Estwick should eat humble pie and take the post. If he does this, Freundel should be heartily congratulated on the results of another strategic decision that should not have worked but would have done so.


  15. I forgot to mention above that imho the BLP should not accept a crossover to their fold by David Estwick. But I think there are infinitessimally large odds against that happening.

  16. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Gingerbread Girl

    The Appropriation Bill and the Estimates are presented to the House at the same time, as a result, people call the ensuing debate the Estimates. However, the Appropriation Bill requires a simple majority to pass. If the bill is not passed, the Government would collapse. As it stands now, Government would have15 votes and the Opposition 14. This is why Estwick has so much power. If he votes against the bill with the Opposition, the Government would be short-lived.

    Unfortunately, for Freundel, each MP on his side has that power. He is in effect riding an untamed stallion. The only thing going for him is that most of them would be voting themselves into unemployment without prospects. Estwick on the other hand does not need the job.

    Sent from my iPad


  17. Caswell Franklyn; Beautiful post @ 8.37 pm. Your point is pellucidly clear and should allow even ac to recognize the dilemma on whose horns FS is riding and the recklessness of the man for inviting that dilemma.

    He will most likely win but there was no need to invite the possibility of disaster by making cabinet choices that could come back to bite him. Of course TTP would have recognized the dilemma long ago.

    BTW, TTP, there are several pensioners, Government and private sector, who get pensions in excess of $50,000 per year. Not from the NIS but in aggregate.

  18. Gabriel Tackle Avatar
    Gabriel Tackle

    @Caswell
    I said post election that I was not in agreement that the electorate had been the victors in this parliamentary result for the same reason you posit.Stuart has the sword of Damocles over his head every second of every day.The PM is in a very tenuous position.The Dems can fall anytime.I have no interest in such an outcome but it’s factual and cannot be overlooked.Power now resides in any 1 Dem calling ‘checkmate’.I have no doubt that Estwick was expecting MOF&EA and I think he would have been a good choice.As is Stuart,I don’t think he is for sale.Just my impression knowing you cannot vouch for someone other than yourself

  19. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    Check-it out
    Nothing is certain until it happens. I have no inside information. Estwick looks like a man who has a good reason to objection to Sinckler being MoF. We have to wait and see what’s the nature of that objection, whether its national or personal, and what action he is willing to undertake prevent it from becoming a reality. I think he will swear in as MoA and DPM but I don’t know. He and Sinckler are not friends from what I hear and see.


  20. Gabriel tackle; Indeed, it might be a big-foot-move, worthy of the newly acknowledged genius of FS, if FS would allow the Government to fall in this way as he could call a new general election where there would be a strong possibility that he could significantly increase the DLP seats and therefore be in a position to govern more casually and in concert with his preferred temperament.

    That is why I would hope the BLP does whatever is necessary to prevent the premature fall of this DLP government. The Barbados Government a few months from now will have to take very distasteful action and a new election might allow the DLP to have some leeway to do that without having to be constantly looking over its figurative shoulders at its own members.


  21. Gingerbread Girl; Thanks for clarifying the point. I had thought that you had indicated that you had inside information that Estwick had indeed made the decision today and was also offered a Titular post as well, to sweeten the pain of capitulating to the PM in the country’s best interests.

  22. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    David
    1. David Estwick upset.
    2. James Paul Upset
    3. Michael Carrington Upset
    4. Haynesley Benn Upset

    How long can it last.


  23. @Gingerbread Girl

    You will always have those who are upset. Forget Benn, Paul and Carington are lightweights and if they do anything stupid will likely be punished at the polls. Estwick pouted in 2010 when he was transferred to Agriculture from Thompson’s death bead but he cane around, Stuart is expecting that he will do the same. Estwick was not liked or trusted by Thompson and it seems to have carried over to Stuart. Not sure what is Stuart’s reason though.

  24. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    Stuart is a figure head, a ceremonial Prime Minister under the control of Sinckler, Jones, Boyce and Lashley. The current configuration is a reflection of the wishes of the DLP private sector financiers from up north, nationally and geographically. Where did all the money come from on Election Day?
    Wednesday might be the start of the end.

  25. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    Will Estwick force Sinckler to face the ultimate embarrassment, going down in history as the FIRST Minister of Finance who could not get the Estimates passed in Parliament?


  26. @Gingerbread Girl

    Here are the imponderables for Estwick:

    – The gun incident.
    – The outburst at the Savannah Hotel where he threatened to resign.

  27. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    The gun incident died a natural death when the last parliament ended.
    The outburst was probably deliberate to show he has to fight with Sinckler for money for Agriculture.

  28. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    If Estwick does not go to get sworn in today then Stuart, Sinckler et al better get ready for a man outside the tent pissing in the tent.


  29. @Gingerbread Girl

    What ever the reasons logical they may be it exposes Estwick to be someone with ‘hot-blood’. Now does someone with this personality ‘flaw’ fit the eye of Stuart?

  30. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    Does he really care how he looks to Stuart when his defection to either the independent benches or the Opposition, has the ability to bring this administration to its knees?

  31. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    Despite what anyone says, at this point Estwick as the only Cabinet member not to be sworn it, holds all the cards and consequently all the power.
    They must be shitting bricks the last few days.

  32. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    David

    I don’t think that Stuart dislikes Estwick, at least not yet. Stuart’s behaviour toward Estwick is more out of fear than anything else. As far as politics go in Barbados, prime ministers have always chosen someone who could not challenge them for the titular post Deputy Prime Minister. Every DPM since 1966 was a weakling when stacked up against his leader. This would not be the case if Estwick were appointed to that post. In term of intellect, he is chest, neck and head above all the elected DLP parliamentarians. Freundel therefore feels that he has to control Estwick’s ambition. Unfortunately, for Estwick intellect does not equal guts so I have my odds on capitulation. AC, 2 to 1 odds.

    Sent from my iPad

  33. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    Caswell
    I beg to differ. I think Wednesday will be a historic day in the Parliament in Barbados.
    Note Estwick ain’t made a statement yet, not one. The PM has do or say something when Estwick’s not sworn in today, what will he say or do. He can appoint anyone else as that ensures the beginning of the end and he can’t lie about his health, so what does he say?

  34. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    My money is on the likely outcome, he goes independent and blocks Sinckler in the Estimates by voting with the BLP.


  35. @Caswell

    Estwick wanted MoF and that is gone. Let us hope the decision he makes allows DlPites to exhale today.

  36. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    The Speaker can vote if there is a tie. If Estwick votes with the Oppostion either from their benches or as an independent, then the DLP loses any vote 15 to 14, thereby beginning the end of this administration.


  37. David, Gingerbread girl;
    imho, There are obvious flaws in the Estwick psyche but there are also a number of proven strengths as well. He also obviously has no regard for Sinckler’s competence as a MOF. The PM knows Estwick well from school days and therefore can gauge his reaction to certain stimuli. The PM must know that his giving the MOF post to CS would be like a red flag to a bull (Estwick) and therefore it was the height of provocation and perhaps imprudence to do so knowing the precarious position in which his Government was placed by the electorate.

    It is also clear, from using any reasonable yardstick, that CS was a failure in the last term. That doesn’t mean that he is not intelligent, etc. but Finance is not his forte and he would shine in some other Ministry. Appointing him as MOF again was quixotic to say the least. There was therefore a strong case for changing him out to another Ministry. The most sensible change in such a situation would have been for FS to take the MOF position under his wing at least for a few months. He could have persuaded Estwick that his work in Agriculture and Alternative Energy was the most important job for this new parliament as it indeed might be and so defused the situation before announcing his cabinet.

    But what does the PM do in a parliament where he has a grand 1-seat advantage that would be under pressure at all times? He divvies up the cabinet seats in a way that appears to have upset 3 MPs and 1 former minister (according to Gingerbread girl), all of whom appear to be staunch DLP stalwarts. It looks more and more as if there were no serious deep thought and to-and-fro discussions with a trusted sub sector of his colleagues before the cabinet was announced? How else could one explain the removal of Haynesley Benn from the list? A strategic essential posting if ever there was one for this cabinet.

    The PM appears to like to live dangerously. But I don’t think so, I think he may be trying to precipitate a situation to get a better mandate in a way that would not appear to be of his deliberate doing but was thrust on him. If it comes to that I think the BLP should not take the bait, no matter how attractive it might appear at this time.

    Whatever the outcome of the Estwick imbroglio, that it happened and that there appears to be some significant measure of unease in the DLP about the Cabinet postings in the face of their very slim lead, does not bode well for the future.


  38. Why would Estwick vote against the Estimates? Did he expressed any concern on the campaign trail about DLP/Sinckler’s economic policies?

  39. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    To making Sinckler the laughing stock of Barbados?

  40. Gingerbread Girl Avatar
    Gingerbread Girl

    Check-it out
    If the DLP takes Barbados back to the polls because they cannot govern then they will be beaten unmercifully, vote buying notwithstanding.
    Estwick holds the cards.


  41. @Gingerbread “Onion Bags” Girl

    Step 1 – Wake up
    Step 2 – Go to the bathroom and relieve yourself verbally.
    Step 3 – Concentrate on how the Arthur group is planning to stop Power Hungry Mottley .


  42. Gingerbread girl

    You really do not know Barbadians
    If Dr.Estwick forces the DLP back to the polls the DLP will win with a majority without Estwick.

    Your party image is badly tarnished. How can you get Owen back on the platform speaking again?
    What would be his message?
    Are you bringing back those losers?
    How would you get candidates in place for a next month election?

    The DLP would take St.Phillip West from Estwick because he would have betrayed the people


  43. Gingerbread Girl;
    But it was the electorate that produced the result that ensured that in the current situation Barbados is ungovernable. The electorate may well give a result this time around to increase the lead for the newly invigorated FS who is now sipping on the wellsprings of genius. However the history of such situations in the caribbean does not suggest that the eventual result is cast in stone. Most such situations result in the incumbents winning again with the same increase while few favour the opposition, if my memory serves me right.

  44. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @Checkit-Out | March 4, 2013 at 7:41 AM |
    “The most sensible change in such a situation would have been for FS to take the MOF position under his wing at least for a few months. He could have persuaded Estwick that his work in Agriculture and Alternative Energy was the most important job for this new parliament as it indeed might be and so defused the situation before announcing his cabinet.

    Let me express my intellectual admiration of your erudite political analyses incorporated in this thread. They are, in my view, surgically precise and clinically presented.

    The political tactic offered in your post and quoted above is the thinking of a political leader worthy of consideration of the true meaning of the title “Primus inter Pares”.
    The failure to lead by taking on the MoF at this crucial junction of the country’s economic development is indicative of the lazy lackadaisical mindset and manifest weakness of the man’s ability to handle matters of financial and economic importance.

    I take your point regarding the BLP not pushing for any fall in this DLP government. Hence MAM’s strategy of a reconciliatory approach and a ‘wait-and-see’ attitude regarding the Estimates.
    The DLP made up their own economic bed and must now lie in it at least for the next year to 18 months during which the economic shit that has built up will start to fall on their “no privatization nor layoffs” bed.

    Give this DLP government time to hang itself is the advice she has received and not a repeat of the eager beaver approach she demonstrated early in her previous occupancy of that opposition role.
    A no-confidence vote within a year is not on the table for the Opposition. We shall soon see who will be passing unsigned notes in the form of txt msgs from one side to the next.

    This is one time when both twine and time are of equal measure to carry out the clinically successful political hara-kiri job in DLP 1994 style.
    Meanwhile the miller will continue to stoke the political fire to prepare the blade for the final act of the DLP disembowelment.


  45. Dr Estwick did what FS wanted done to decimate OSA and Mascoll. FS is a sound political thinker, he knows that Estwick is not a wealthy man and will take the pick. About Benn , earmarked as the Director of Rural Development.
    FS warning up the pot for Prescod, Bradshaw and Bostic to jump.

  46. Mark Etheridge Avatar
    Mark Etheridge

    NEW BLOOD

    “Estwick is not a wealthy man”. I not his wife drives a mercedes benz, his son a jaguar, his daughter a bmw and he as fancy sports car. He has a house in Barbados, an apartment in Orlando and second home in Toronoto.


  47. OK, New Blood; I can see the strategy in giving Haynesley a new post of Director of Rural Development. Haynesley would continue to be in the public eye; would still be able to work on the St peter seat, etc. But why would Haynesley have expressed dissapointment at the move. Wasn’t he consulted about this great strategy?

    But most of all, a new well paid post with at least a three year contract, would ensure Haynesley a handsome income and perks for at least three years (He would have to travel and collect those perks for many of his parliamentary colleagues who would necessarily be largely home bound because of the tight situation in the house). This would be an immesurably better situation than that of a Cabinet Minister, which, in this current fragile and fluid situation, could only be guaranteed for weeks or months, not years.

    Re. to quote you “Estwick did what FS wanted done to decimate OSA and Mascoll”. That quote totally catspraddles and obliterates the essential tenets of the boasts of FS’ vaunted integrity. Think about it, and to besides, the Estwick-Howard presentation imho did very little in this regard and only had an effect on the DLP fold. The wider population was not particularly impressed.

    Re. your statement that “he knows that Estwick is not a wealthy man and will take the pick”. You’ve really shown your wisdom in publishing that before Estwick signs on the dotted line. Remember the quote “there’s many a slip betwitx the cup and the lip?. That may be the slip to make Estwick gird his loins and face the lions of the DLP.

    As for warming up the pot for Prescod, Bradshaw and Bostic to jump. They would have to be idiots to jump in this current situation to a leader who has, according to you, shown no allegiance to his strongets workers and who is in a situation where he can be made to toss in the towel at almost any time.

    What PBB jumping wnat

  48. Mark Etheridge Avatar
    Mark Etheridge

    Estwick is one of the few who had money before politics.

  49. Mark Etheridge Avatar
    Mark Etheridge

    I understand estwick was sworn in moments ago.


  50. Mark Etheridge;

    Thanks for that point. The DLP spinners do not want to acknowledge that their great leader might have miscalculated this one. I had intended to make a similar point before I mistakenly pressed the “post comment” button instead of the “website” one which I have to do occasionally to clear the typed text from obscuring the screen. This happens all the time with Internet explorer and the BU blog.

    David Estwick is not a frame food, hand-to-mout man. FS treats him as such at the DLP’s peril.

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