Cabinet collective responsibility is constitutional convention in governments using the Westminster System that members of the Cabinet must publicly support all governmental decisions made in Cabinet, even if they do not privately agree with them. This support includes voting for the government in the legislature. Some Communist political parties apply a similar convention of democratic centralism to their central committee – WIKIPEDIA
The Estwick Affair has started to gather momentum contrary to what the goto political scientists of Messrs Bell and Wickham ‘originally’ predicted. Whether the DLPites like it or not Estwick now commands the attention of the country and beyond given the current state of the Barbados economy which has started to severely interact with another reality; a 2-seat majority government. While the current tension between Estwick is cause for concern for the government, of greater concern is the likely impact on the need to effuse confidence at a most challenging time in our post Independence history.
Local media has been quoting an inside source (attributed to a member of Cabinet) suggesting Estwick should adhere to the tenet of collective responsibility practiced by the Cabinet in the Westminster System. BU’s response is: do we practice a true true Westminster system of governance in Barbados respecting “codified and uncodified” procedures?
The 2-party system is entrenched in Barbados and like it or not one of the ways to attempt to crack the code maybe from within the bowels of the system itself. Such an approach has been advocated by BU commentators. It appears Estwick has decided to FINALLY take this route AND must be given credit for trying to do so. Unlike several of his colleagues in the house he has the stature, financial and otherwise, to give it a shot no pun intended.
The challenge for Estwick will be to defend his credibility in the latest imbroglio with onlookers. Many political pundits are prepared to shove Estwick under the bus because he sat in Cabinet for the last six years and appear to have agreed with the policies of government. He added his voice to debates in the Estimates Debates with no dissent. During the last general election platform his stature was raised as a result of promising to reform the sugar industry by getting the Japanese to finance a multi-purpose sugar factory in the amount of USD$200 million. So far nothing to show for it.
There is the lingering perception Estwick is a hothead aptly demonstrated by his nickname Pitbull and characterized by his Lammie Craig political style. Further supported by the gun incident where Estwick is alleged to have brandished a weapon in the presence of MP Dale Marshall and had to be restrained. The matter was quelled by the Committee of Privileges with the help of both parties. Something to support the view our so called democracy is contrived. DLPites who are honest have to admit Estwick has been a high maintenance member of the ‘team’. Who can forget his 2,405 words statement – read Estwick’s statement – when he was dumped into the Ministry of Agriculture by the late David Thompson from his death’s bed? Who can forget Estwick’s show of defiance at the DLP parliamentary group meeting in a red shirt on the morning of Thompson’s death to select a prime minister? Estwick has a history of demonstrating varying levels of discomfort within the Democratic Labour Party.
In his 201 statement Estwick made the now famous reference ‘time longer than twine…’.
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. I am resilient and will endure. However, under these circumstances I hereby tender my resignation from the Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Economic policy to allow for the Prime Minister to so appoint a new Chair
The public intervention by former Prime Minister Owen Arthur following the Estwick’s outburst was interesting. Those who follow local politics may recall that Mascoll considered Estwick an apprentice and allowed him to express himself on economic matters when he [Mascoll] was leader of the DLP before being dumped for Thompson. The situation smells.
What matters is that Minister David Estwick ‘will get his day’ to present to one and all. We are left to contemplate what next for Barbados.
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