Understandably the focus on BU and the wider public has been on the government and its travails managing the economy, or should we suggest the society. It is only fair however that from time to time we peep into the world of the Mia Mottley (MAM) lead opposition. After all the opposition is the government in waiting and therefore deserves our attention.
The reputation which the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) had for not washing dirty linen in public has been dispelled in recent terms (refer to the ridiculous matter brought before the Court by George Payne and Edmund Hinkson). To compound the matter Barbadians learned this week about the appointment of Kerri Symmonds to Deputy Leader of the BLP. One has to wonder about the wisdom of the appointment on several fronts. Especially when there is no legal reason for MAM to have to appoint a deputy in a situation where she is clearly struggling to exert control.
Symmonds has developed a dotty reputation in his political career so far. Unlike the US media who would have placed Symmonds and the BLP under pressure to explain his resignation from the Senate over a domestic matter which caused him to slash the car seats of his former wife, there was no appetite by the local media. There was no din raised by women’s groups. Symmonds has been allowed to reenter the political arena without undue pressure. It is now a matter record he was able to win the St. James Central Seat from a weak incumbent. Some may suggest this speaks volumes about the political maturity of the Barbadian public.
In the lead up to the last general election DLP surrogates repeatedly asked Symmonds to explain the details about how he consorted with Johnny Tudor (a former B, a former D) to show that his car was of an incorrect age to ensure a buyer obtained a loan to purchase the car. There is the well publicised marital dispute which led to his resignation from the Senate. And what about the document posted above? It is never too late to ask for explanations. The time has come to demand answers to questions from our politicians. The free rides both figuratively and literally are over.
If this appointment were to backfire on MAM she has no one to blame except MAM because she requested the document posted above from then AG Michael Lashley which she used to persuade Symmonds to resign from the Senate.
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