There is a conversation that has emerged in Barbados concerning the ‘visible’ leadership style of Prime Minister Mia Mottley. A style that is accentuated if compared to the unobtrusive approach by her predecessor. Some feel justified levelling the criticism because Mottley presides over the largest Cabinet in the history of Barbados, probably the world if measured on a per mille basis.
What justification can there be for a prime minister to be at every ‘dog fight’ if the large Cabinet is unable to give wings to Mottley’s mantra – many hands make light work?
The blogmaster recalls during An Interview with Prime Minister Mottley conducted by David Ellis soon after the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) was elected to office – Mottley explained her reason for the large Cabinet. She asked Barbadians to be patient and to judge her government by results. After 15 months in office, it is fair to suggest several of the ministers are struggling to find their feet and undeserving of a minister’s salary during a time of austerity.
In the pseudo Westminster parliamentary system of government practice in Barbados all roads lead to the prime minister. It is not uncommon to hear the reference “primus inter pares.” Our culture is one where there is an expectation the prime minister must solve all problems. Have a read of this blog through the years, there was an unrelenting attack on former prime minister Freundel Stuart because he appeared to be uncomfortable in the leadership role and was rejected at the polls in unprecedented fashion.
A key characteristic of a good leaders is that they recruit the right people to do the job. This is why the quality of persons offering themselves for political office is important. Are we confident members of parliament elected on the 24 May 2018 possess the requisite skill set to get the job done?
The blogmaster is on the side of the side of the leadership style that works. The fact Mottley is always out front may reflect on the quality of her team. If this is the case who is to blame?
Our governance system needs reform. There was talk from the minister early in her term about devolving authority from the office of prime minister. Update anyone?
Sir SimpleSimon
Girl, you and I have not had any reason to conflict on matters on this blog. Let us not start now. I just want you to tell me if it was experience or inexperience that brought Barbados to this predicament. I also ask you tell me what experience they need but you sidestep those questions to drop an integrity bomb. Girl, if it is an issue of integrity, then they do not need experience. Start the campaign rolling for integrity and experience politicians?
@ the Honourable Blogmaster your assistance please with an item here for you
Furthermore let me show how you continue to move the goalposts selectively
IN THE ARTICLE, WHICH YOU PURPORT TO HAVE WRITTEN, but which doe not have your characteristic style you said and I quote
“…A key characteristic of a good leaders is that they recruit the right people to do the job. This is why the quality of persons offering themselves for political office is important.
Are we confident members of parliament elected on the 24 May 2018 possess the requisite skill set to get the job done?…”
These were your words and now you sent off an S.O.S. to the Rented jackass to come and help you quell thd dissent that has arisen AND WHICH IS DROWNING YOU?
Hal Austin
I beg to differ. The picture I see of Mottley is different than the picture you are painting of her. If she is looking to score political points, she has received her points. It is what many politicians do, is it not? Let us not stoop to criticising every on dotted I and none cross T to the point that we no longer see bigger pictures. We live in a hemisphere that is dangerous between the months of June going all the way now into January. Hurricanes are powerful and seems like they can extend strengths into uncharted territory at a possible Category 6. I would think that her actions in the Bahamas are justified. We have every right and reason to support and lend financial aid to others in their time of need. A Prime Minister going to ravage damage island is neither hither or thither. Let it rest, rather right or wrong.
@Enuff
What is the point you are making? My point is that at this stage in the disaster, when all the bodies sadly have not yet been accounted for, a visit from the prime minister of Barbados is unnecessary. Priority must be given to the emergency services, the experts.
A visit from useless politicians is simply disaster porn, they do not add value. What value they eventually add is by offering assistance – goods, manpower, services, medicines and cash – and there is no need for a physical visit to do this.
Barbados should be sending out a party of doctors, nurses, first aiders, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, etc, not a useless self-flagellating prime minster.
A much better contribution from CARICOM will be for heads of government to establish an emergency task force (ie RSS) to move in within 24 hours to offer assistance in such disasters.
Hal
In attempting to obfuscate and vacillate i.e. save face, you are for the umpteenth time displaying your igrunce. Your response makes no sense and further confirms my point that you, a former Senior Editor (who one would assume understands the importance of research) speaks without knowledge of the subject. PRIOR TO/BEFORE the hurricane hit Bahamas CDEMA sent two rapid needs assessment teams to The Bahamas. Those teams and the RSS are already in The Bahamas do I don’t know what you’re trying to portray. In addition to the technocrats, does it not make sense for government officials representing Caricom to be there from the outset? I guess Mia and company getting in dem way according to you. The igruncest comment of the month.
The local media spotlight should focus mkre attention on the generosity of the average citizens giving a helping hand and not Mia political theatrics super-imposing herself as a God send for the bahamian people
If one looks closely at every photo op one can clearly see the photos were positioned to focus attention on Mia in the most gross up in the face political stunt
@Enuff
The politicians should stay out of the way and et the experts in. Full stop. Leave the expert to get on with their work. Where is the obfuscation?
Cut out the disaster porn, the PR stunt. The illusion of caring. The government of the Bahamas is describing the disaster as unimaginable.
The US emergency services, UK navy, NGOs, and others are on the ground. What s a visit from Mottley going to add, apart from the illusion that we are all in this together.
Public opinion can be manipulated, even in the face of tragedy, what on theorist called a socially necessary illusion. A false belief. I say again, Mottley’s visit to the Bahamas was a PR stunt.
It will certainly be a defining moment for MIa…being up close and personal with that level of human suffering…let’s hope she LEARNS something from her journey into Bahamas…and don’t return to Barbados with the same small minded, STAGNATING mentality toward her own people…..and face the reality that every island in the Caribbean…including Barbados is just one hurricane away from that horror…
…even Sidney Poitier is looking for 23 of his missing relatives, appears many hundreds, maybe thousands are still unaccounted for…let’s hope all this is not forgotten until June next year when the THREAT appears again…some leaders need to change the way they look at those who elected them and who pay their salaries..
“The Bahamas is facing a “staggering” death toll from Hurricane Dorian with “hundreds, up to thousands” of people still missing, the country’s leaders revealed today.
The confirmed fatalities from the monster storm, standing this morning at 30, will be dwarfed by the true number of lives lost, health minister Duane Sands said.
“Make no bones about it, it is going to be significantly higher than that. The public needs to prepare for unimaginable information about the death toll and the human suffering,” he said.
“Let me say that I believe the number will be staggering. I have never lived through anything like this and I don’t want to live through anything like this again.”
Am sure she bit off more than she could chew going to Bahamas…hopefully she is allowed to see ALL THE UGLY since she is incoming Caricom chair…we don’t want to hear anymore of her bullshit lies and slick tricks when she returns…
in the meantime…look at BAD LEADERSHIP from useless garden gnome Pain, tiefing lawyer…..only good for STEALING ESTATES from old people and selling out black people ………look at the condition of St. Andrew after a little rainfall….can you imagine a Cat 5..4..3.. in that region..
https://www.facebook.com/sheri.veronica/videos/2280756482021744/?t=12
And let’s not talk about that empty clown Garner who represented up there for years, sat on her wide backside collecting salary after salary, and on the blogs making fun at who could not fight back and left it in that condition, but had the NERVE to go up there and CUSS the people for kicking her lazy ass out, she just wanted to continue collecting a FREE SALARY for doing little to nothing…
ugly leadership from both useless governments..
Yet after listening to the koolaid drinkers one would be lead to belive that Mia actions for preparedness would have been barbados saving grace from Dorian
What Mia ought to do is get her backside in parliament and write legalisation which would be supportive of returees getting their invalidity checks
@ David September 6, 2019 6:56 AM
Our Most Honorable Prime Minister knows how to express her empathy and is also very well dressed. The beige safari jacket on the white shirt is stylish.
Many men here criticise Our Most Honorable Prime Minister mainly because she is an unmarried, emancipated woman and leader. They are used to having illegitimate children, not paying afterwards and leaving the women alone with them. The same applies to crime statistics. Barbados is contaminated by male violence. They are the real problem of society.
What a stark difference to Mia “Armour” Mottley. Historians will call her the Elizabeth I of Barbados in the distant future. Dear Mia, stay strong and don’t let the male hordes intimidate you. We need you.
@ David BU.
It is time to close this Blog. A number of issues have surfaced . You have enough to keep this blog going for the next six weeks.
If I may be so bold to summarize: “Leaders need to do the right things; and to do things right.”
Agree Vincent. Unbearable the nonsense we are reading here. All in the name of satisfying agendas.
Is it possible that the PM is such a good leader that she does have the time to go and give the PM of the Bahamas a hug?
Also….. maybe her Ministers are doing such a good job that she only needs to use her exceptional oratory skills to be the spokesperson in chief.
Buh doan mine me. I hey watching F1 practice after which I will watch the Arturo Tappin performance on You Tube.
Thanks Barbados Today page 14.
” Mandee performing with Arturo Tappin and Band @ pizza express live 31.08.19 ”
@ Piece the Legend,
Doan come wid nuh who is who cousin and who sponsor an promote what.
“We need you”
speak for thyself brainless fool and tell that to those who cannot eat a meal today although NO HURRICANE STRUCK BARBADOS…they can’t eat because Mia LIED…and refuse to release their money…
“NO HURRICANE STRUCK BARBADOS”
You mean the last government? In fact, Chris and Donville raged worse than three 5-star hurricanes combined. Thank them.
Before the DLP came to power in 2008, Barbados was a thriving country, now it’s a pile of rubble.
With your attitude you prepare the ground for a new DLP reign of terror. The DLP grandees remind me of the breed of the Skeksis in the film “The Dark Crystal”. They suck the natives’ blood aka money from the bones until they drop dead. Then they set off for Canada because they love their white fellows so idolatrously. In any case, I know many DLP bureaucrats who only feel comfortable among whites in Canada or the USA.
My attitude, i want to see all you PARASITES GONE…all any of you have ever done is sell out the black majority…NOTHING ELSE…
marijuana decriminalization comes up, yall KNEW..all of you…that Barbados had the legal marijuana available to the suffering people for 27 WHOLE YEARS…never said a word, until Adriel Nitwit let something slip…i caught it…and that was the end of that nasty secret…both governments kept that information from the people….for nearly 3 decades…
so what does flying Ma do when she got elected and the info finally got out and she could not put it back in hiding……send her idiot relative TO CANADA…to search out WHITE companies to ..ROB…the Rasta community and Black bajans,..
me thinks that is what yall are waiting on now, but it is not going as planned cause ya NEED Rasta…..BUT Rasta don’t slave for shitehounds…so put that in ya marijuana pipe and SMOKE IT..
so what were you saying about Canada again…