Est.2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

Banner promoting anonymous crime reporting with a phone and contact number 1 800 TIPS (8477), featuring the Crime Stoppers logo and a QR code for submitting tips.

Urgent: Credible Third Parties Wanted

← Back

Your message to the BLOGMASTER was sent

CONTACT THE BLOGMASTER ONLY

The Barbados Labour Party (BLP) won a landslide general election 30-0 on 24 May 2019.  The result was an unequivocal rejection of the last Democratic Labour Party (DLP) government. After 10 years of being governed by a government with negligible political stock, Barbadians changed the script by giving the BLP an unprecedented victory at the 2018 poll.

The landslide victory has provided fodder for political pundits for another reason. A strong democracy requires a coherent and constructive dissenting voice. Ideally in our bicameral composition of parliament is where a dissenting view is designed to be most effective.

At recent count there were 20 known political parties registered to serve the people. Of the parties on the list 8 contested the 2018 general election. Believe it!

Source: caribbeanelections.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a keen observer of current affairs, the blogmaster observes that 20 months since the 2018 general election, no third party party has emerged to challenge the two major political parties. In fact if you remove the two major parties  – DLP and BLP – from the list of known political parties, you are left with the People’s Party for Democracy and Development (PDP) and Solutions Barbados (SB) that have remained active post 2018 general election. The PDP is the official opposition and SB the third party which secured the most votes outside of the two major parties in the 2018 general election. The United Progressive Party (UPP), Bajan Free Party (BFP), Barbados Integrity Movement (BIM), People’s Democratic Congress (PDC) have been missing in action.

The simple analysis forces two questions :-

  1. How can the citizenry force the major political parties to re-engineer in order to better serve the needs of the people?
  2. How can citizens with the characteristics to improve the quality of public service be encouraged to offer themselves for public service?

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

129 responses to “Urgent: Credible Third Parties Wanted”

  1. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    “We need a third party!”

    What a bullshit slogan. Even if a completely different party is in government, it doesn’t change the fact that a typical male Barbadian native prefers to play on his iPhone and doze at his workplace instead of working. In Barbados, when you walk into an office or look around the supermarket, the employees chat instead of working. A nation of chatterers.

    What we really need is a strong leader who now and then hits her subordinates with the belt and shouts at them from time to time to get them to work. We need Mia Mottley.

    But I also have some advice for the government: your strategy of constantly highlighting Barrow and crying after dead DLP grandees at their funerals is very counterproductive. Why should the government care about a splinter group of the opposition that does not have a seat in parliament? You unfortunately still treat this criminal syndicate called DLP with kid gloves. This must stop.

  2. Caleb Pilgrim Avatar
    Caleb Pilgrim

    In another vein, some earlier contributors have urged Proportional Representation (PR) – a system well known to Political Scientists and practised in many countries, e.g Germany, Sweden, Israel, etc, etc.

    For the Governing Party, given their 2018 decimation of the DLP, there is absolutely no reason why they should be interested in PR.

    The first past the post system has worked well for both BLP and DLP, just as it worked for the Conservative Party in the U.K.

    The late Professor Maurice Duverger (“Political Parties”) used to write and teach about “unified parties” as a specie of political parties.

    The major obstacle here may well be the personality cults which impel the local party leaders, and prevent pursuit of their common interests. (Every man a fief in his own personal fiefdom). Good luck.

  3. Caleb Pilgrim Avatar
    Caleb Pilgrim

    Correction:

    Both the Conservative and the Labour Parties in the U.K.

  4. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    What I find interesting is that in May 2018, about 130 candidates representing about five political parties contested the general elections, yet nothing of substance has been written about it – not by our journalists, not by our academics, not by our public intellectuals.
    If a thousand words had been written on every candidate that would have produced a book of over 200 pages. It is a gap that urgently needs to be filled and calls for discipline. It is a gap that can even be filled by a thoughtful, progressive BU.

  5. David Avatar
    David

    Yes, it can even be filled by a former journalist.

  6. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    Dont you people find it incredible?

    What sort of absolute shy$e talk is this article by this so called self proclaimed “keen observer” of current affairs?

    How can any keen observer say this?

    “…As a keen observer of current affairs, the blogmaster observes that 20 months since the 2018 general election, no third party party has emerged to challenge the two major political parties…”

    Is the Minister of Disinformation so RH blind that he cannot count or see.

    “No third party has emerged to challenge…!”

    So you mean that there are 7 BU BORG and not one ent say your article is a non sequitur?

    But wait one moment!

    That is precisely the point!

    They write this article like a fait accompli AND, MUCH LIKE THEY HAVE PENCILLED OUT THE ROBBERY & WARNING TO SENATOR CASWELL FRANKLYN of the People’s Party for Democracy and Development, they expect to pencil out the PdP the same way.

    This article should prove to the people and Sheeple that the Barbados Labour Party is in General Election mode

    It nor remains up to the PdP to increase their activity on the ground OR BECOME THE FOOTNOTE THAT BAJANS MISS in 2021

  7. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    As is expected, de ole man will have to ask permission to blog here

    Would you be so kind to retrieve my item from suspense?

    Thank you Honourable Blogmaster

  8. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    And then, as if only to underscore how “keen” an observer you are, you mouth this jobby as what you erroneously purport to be the main issues

    “… How can the citizenry force the major political parties to re-engineer in order to better serve the needs of the people?…”

    “Force?”

    You cannot be for real!

    Force?

    Let me see if de ole Man can explain this article in Tzun Tzu language

    Chapter 2 Waging War

    “15. Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy.

    One cartload of the enemy’s provisions is equivalent to twenty of one’s own, and likewise a single picul of his provender is equivalent to twenty from one’s own store.”

    This article is a clear example of “foraging on the enemy”

    Or foraging on the citizenry who potentially constitute the enemy

    The citizenry of the minds WHO HAVE THE BALLS TO WRITE HERE ON THIS ARTICLE!

    So when the Minister of Disinformation asks this question

    “…How can citizens with the characteristics to improve the quality of public service be encouraged to offer themselves for public service?…”

    What he is actually saying is this

    “The Government of Mia Mugabe Mottley has hit a RH block!

    She has exhausted all the “picul of her provender ” contrary to the Tsun Tzu Rules of War, and by putting all her sycophants in key positions what she has seen is that her “provender” is useless AND HAS NO WORTH so now Mugabe needs ideas from wunna smart Bajans to understand how to get her failing government moving forward.”

    And if for a few moments YOU DOUBT THE OLE MAN, PIECE THE LEGEND OBSERVE THESE FACTS

    1.Why would it be even necessary for a visionary government to be forcing the Amazon Tax which you can all read here

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6gWkE1lYqK/?igshid=2w7m2bb56gzp

    Or MOR IMPORTANTLY

    2.why would it have arrived that, just months after securing 30 seats, Minister Trevor Prescod and Rudy Grant found it necessary the break the Government procuring rules and buy unfit garbage trucks?

    the purchase of these buses not only signals gross incompetence BUT IT SIGNALS GRAFT AND STEALING, early into the Mottley Regime!

    What it means definitively is that THE MOTTLEY REGIME HAS TOTALLY RUN OUT OF IDEAS, and like the Fumbles Stewart administration IN ITS FINAL DAYS, is already started to teif like the fellow at the Transport Board who set up his own Garage opposite the TB Weymouth Complex.

    The signs of how they have stalled and the extent of their stasis ARE MOST EVIDENT IN THIS ARTICLE as the Minister of Disinformation has been sent out to gather ideas for his master Mugabe Mottley!

  9. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Discover how to create a stylish WordPress site for your blog or business at this hands-on workshop.
    Learn the skills needed to create and manage a great WordPress website – all in the space of a day. During this hands-on masterclass with our expert tutor Jamie Marsland, you’ll learn how to get a new site up and running, and make it look stylish and professional.
    Over the course of the day, you’ll also receive advice on how to increase web traffic and make money from your site. Whether you want to showcase your blog, portfolio or business, you’ll leave with the foundations of a beautiful website, and the skills to continue building it after the class.
    Content
    Introduction to WordPress
    Installing WordPress on your own laptop computer
    Publishing posts and pages
    How to update and manage your content
    Creating a stylish design for your site with WordPress themes
    Improving the functionality of your website with WordPress plugins

    Expert advice on making money from your site

    How to increase web traffic using search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques
    Practical exercises on your laptop, plus detailed handouts and follow-up video tutorial

  10. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    @ the Honourable Blogmaster your assistance please with another submission here on your Blog IF YOU FEEL THAT DE OLE MAN EXPRESSING HE OPINION GINE HELP

    heheheheh

  11. Ewart Archer Avatar
    Ewart Archer

    Because politics in places like Barbados is designed by lawyers for lawyers, we are constrained as a society by the limits of the legal imagination.

    Lawyers trained in the Western tradition are encouraged to believe that wise conduct of our public affairs is best discovered by creating adversarial relationships between contending political perspectives. Like a trial court, parliament is set up as an arena for the regular clash of ideas.

    Does this make sense? The (correct) answer is NO, because the trial court model is defective. Do we discover the Truth about a dispute when lawyers confront each other in the courtroom? Of course not, because each side tells lies to “improve” its case, and two sets of lies do not add up to the truth.

    Conclusion: We are seldom helped by a parliamentary opposition party, which usually discredits itself with its lies and exaggerations and drags the government into the same gutter. As long as there are blogs, newspapers, books and magazines to keep the voters thinking, we are fine.

  12. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    The author claims the PPM (People’s Progressive Movement) was founded in 1956 and contested its first general election that year. Is he referring to the PPM of Leroy Harewood, John Connell, Calvin Alleyne et al? Plse clarify.

  13. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    “………..ROBBERY & WARNING TO SENATOR CASWELL FRANKLYN of the People’s Party for Democracy and Development……..”

    Piece the Legend

    Are you suggesting those men were sent to rob Caswell Franklyn as a warning because someone or some people see him as a threat?

    Where is the evidence to substantiate your claim?

    According to the media, Franklyn is reported as having said one of the robbers paused when he seemed to have recognized him and ceased searching his (Franklyn) pockets.

    I’m thinking, if Franklyn was the intended target, why did the robber paused upon recognizing him and did not proceed with the search and why was the other guy shot and NOT Franklyn?

    Piece, in Bajan parlance, “you’re my man,” but sometimes you go way over board with these conspiracy theories of yours that it becomes nauseating.

  14. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    The author says the NDP (National Democratic Party) was founded in 1989, the first election it contested was 1991 and its last was 1984. So the last general election it contested was five years before it was founded. Plse clarify.

  15. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    For historical accuracy will the author plse answer the questions on the PPM and NDP?

  16. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Take Solutions what have they said in the last 18mths sufficient and enough to impress the populace that Solutions is a party with enough political firing power to fight and oppose present govt policies
    In my opinion nothing
    So why would any one want to lean towards them
    Third parties need to expose themselves more often and within every opportunity given by present govt to activate a better way forward for the peoplr
    God knows that present govt has giving more than enough opportunities of negative exposure on their part that any third party would and should grab hold as an investment to build and retool as a stronghold for building their party and as an incentive to be visible among the people physically and verbally

  17. David Avatar
    David

    @Artax

    If memory serves mention is made of Caswell going on vacation in the same report.

  18. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Three random comments
    1.At a minimum, one man on the team, probably the leader, has to know the victim’s face and possible location.

    In fact, if you believe that one of your team may be’sympathetic’ to the victim, you would withhold the victim identity from him.

    2.why was the other guy shot and not “Him”. Not getting that point but I have questions..
    Is this the same team that shot the other guy?
    Must all robberies by the same team have the same outcome?

    3.So you saw the report and did not feel it was worthy of a story.

  19. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Finally, Ewart Archer says something that makes sense. The proliferation of lawyers on both sides of the aisle has made it so that representing themselves in parliament is as misleading an exercise as the offering up of the narratives required of courtroom representation.

    We are hardly likely to get at the truth while listening to either side.

    But…. we do get some nuggets from the Opposition (usually) that we can follow up on.

  20. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    One answer to three random questions.

    You could have saved yourself the trouble and scrolled passed my comments.

  21. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Is there clarification on the NDP and PPM questions? Or should we accept as accurate what has been reported?

  22. RG Avatar
    RG

    Silly man, clarify what? What you really trying to prove?

    Has it not occurred to you that the 1984 is a typographical error? Unlike you, people are not perfect and will make mistakes, you know.

    There is a link at the bottom of the thread showing the source where the summary of political parties and other groups was taken from is Caribbean Elections. If you click the link, go down the list, click on National Democratic Party, read the QUICK FACTS and you would see that the NDP was founded in 1989 and contested its last election in 1994.

    http://www.caribbeanelections.com/bb/parties/ndp.asp

  23. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    @ Artaxerxes the Superlative Archiver

    It is obvious from your response that YOU DID NOT SEE AND READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE WHICH SENATOR CASWELL FRANKLYN HIMSELF COMMENTS ON!

    I frankly dont give two Rass**les if you or anyone gets nauseated

    Maybe, after the nauseating leaves you, you will be able to see clearly from the items that were taken WHO THE TARGET WAS!

    you are talking without information but I, Piece the Legend, speak with the facts.

    De ole man soon come back cause

    Try not to miss me too much

    Heheheheh

  24. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    There are at least 10 active political parties in Barbados.

    Some of us believe that the division between the two elephants in which politician’s pocket the money goes into. In fact, Maloney has made it clear that there is no need for businessmen to divide themselves into Bs or Ds, as he can and will do business with both.

    One reason for the possible abundance of these parties is that they realized that both the Bs and Ds are useless, and with our need for at least two parties (government and opposition), coalescing into a single party would still leave one of the elephants places uncontested and so the fragmentation remains.

    The question to be asked are
    Do these 10 parties have 10 distinct and conflicting messages?
    Is it 10 messages or 10 egos?

    I believe that people should do what they want to do, but these other politicians need to figure out what is best for Barbados and try to become a credible third or fourth party. We don’t need 10.

    The message for 3rd party contenders should be one of coalition, attacking other ‘credible contenders’ only strengthens the duopoly.

  25. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    (edited)
    There are at least 10 active political parties in Barbados.

    Some of us believe that the real division between the two elephants is into which politician’s pocket the money (bribes, scams and salaries) goes. In fact, Maloney has made it clear that there is no need for businessmen to divide themselves into Bs or Ds, as he can and will do business with both.

    One reason for the possible abundance of these third-parties is that they realized that both the Bs and Ds are useless, and with our need for at least two parties (government and opposition), coalescing into a single third-party would still leave one of the two elephants places uncontested.

    The question to be asked are
    Do these 10 parties have 10 distinct and conflicting messages?
    Is it 10 messages or 10 egos?

    I believe that people should do what they want to do, but these other politicians need to figure out what is best for Barbados and try to become a credible third or fourth party. We don’t need 10.

    The message for 3rd party contenders should be one of coalition; attacking other ‘credible contenders’ only strengthens the duopoly.

  26. David Avatar
    David

    One can establish a political group by paying some fee to participate in an election. A credible political party or parties must be anchored in a philosophy _ to determine the size of the base_supported by good leadership and operationalizing good tactical plans. Needless to say the party base will determine the extent it penetrates the minds of the electorate.

    What we have now are fractious disparate splinter groups driven of similar philosophy to the two major parties.

  27. nextparty246 Avatar
    nextparty246

    The established news media are responsible for misleading the public about which political parties are active.

    Despite Solutions Barbados: writing weekly, attending public events, commenting regularly on national events, formally making representations at Joint Select Committees, participating in National Consultations, being ion our communities, etc, the press rarely covers us.

    From my assessment, the PDC (Mark Adamson) is active on Facebook and in the community, but they get no coverage. The UPP (Everton Holligan) is also active on Facebook and in the community, but they get no coverage. The BFP and NBKA are also active; however, they are not covered in the traditional media.

    So I would challenge the statement that they are missing in action. They are just intentionally ignored by the media.

  28. David Avatar
    David

    @Grenville

    You want to nice to the other parties but these guys are not active and you know it. Some of the so-called third parties have produced no policy documents and have no active internet presence and those representing struggle to string coherent statements. The blogmaster is a keen follower of the political landscape and will struggle if asked who are members of these parties.

  29. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Grenville II
    @ David BU

    Good wine needs no bush. Political parties, except for their launching,need not worry about the Media. The Media publish newsworthy articles,and statements from political parties and their comments on topical issues.
    The Media is under no obligation to promote political parties. Do we really need a proliferation of parties to ensure democracy? Definitely not. Are these ,so called parties , saying or doing anything different from the existing parties? Surely we ,the electorate, will not vote or listen to political parties with no clear political programs that resonate with us.

    I would therefore suggest that these wannabe political parties do some self searchings. What are the alternative solutions to their perceived maladies in the society?

    A parting bit of advice. Spend your first three years observing and planning. Disclose your program 6 months prior to the election due date. Any earlier and you will be back-raised.

  30. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Vincent

    Well said. The media report policies not propaganda.

  31. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    The Political Prostitutes Party (PPP) is missing. Or is that just another name for Barrow´s DLP?

  32. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @Ewart Archer December 29, 2019 7:02 AM

    A very good analysis. I would like to add that these lawyers not only think in a false friend-foe scheme, but also have no idea whatsoever about economics. Iudex non calculat!

    There are two reasons for this:

    Firstly, the law students in Barbados do not learn economics. They can’t even distinguish between gross and net or between plus and minus. You can already see that from the alleged currency reserves in Barbados, which consist only of foreign currency loans. Barbados has no currency reserves of its own.

    Secondly, the average lawyer in Barbados has – let us say it directly – a precarious family background. Their parents lived on welfare or worked on the plantation. So the parents could not teach their children any financial wisdom.

    Ergo, the political class lacks any economic expertise. Many live psychologically in the 1950s and expect businessmen and tourists to feed them while they themselves make big speeches and dream of redistributing the wealth of the top-performers of society for their impoverished lazy voters.

    I therefore very much welcome the fact that at least our Most Honourable Prime Minister has a proper family background and therefore hopefully knows how to handle money.

  33. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Tron

    You are speaking with your fingers crossed. On a serious note, Some time ago, a friend of mine (a regular reader of BU) was at Wooding and rang me for assistance for a paper he had on finance.

  34. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    After reading the article, one thing is absolutely clear. @ Piece got it right, pretend that the official opposition does not exist as a credible third party. Skillfully imply that Solutions Barbados is just a figment of somebody’s imagination. The
    underlying message is:
    The Duopoly Rules

  35. Talking Loud Saying Nothing Avatar
    Talking Loud Saying Nothing

    “Election losers have been tossed a bone with the runner-up in the presidential elections automatically gaining a seat in Parliament as leader of the official opposition.”

    https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/kenya-bbi-political-elite-attempt-rewrite-history-191128150130076.html

    Now that Barbados has become a one party state it seems irrelevant discussing third parties. What if the next general election throws up the same result? We need to devolve power from Bridgetown to our parishes and find a system that negates the power of central government,

    @Piece The Legend,

    Thanks for your pre-Christmas message. I sincerely wish you and your family a wonderful 2020. Check out the above Aljazeera link

  36. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    @ David,
    Please check your spam.

  37. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    I don’t have the time to waste. The BU experts and conspiracists are at again. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

  38. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    “Election losers have been tossed a bone with the runner-up in the presidential elections automatically gaining a seat in Parliament as leader of the official opposition.”

    https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/kenya-bbi-political-elite-attempt-rewrite-history-191128150130076.html

    Now that Barbados has become a one party state it seems irrelevant discussing third parties. What if the next general election throws up the same result? We need to devolve power from Bridgetown to parishes and find a system that negates the power of central government,

    @Piece The Legend,

    Thanks for your pre-Christmas message. I sincerely wish you and your family a wonderful 2020. Check out the above Aljazeera link

  39. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    @ nextparty246 December 29, 2019 11:33 AM
    “So I would challenge the statement that they are missing in action. They are just intentionally ignored by the media..”
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    So why don’t you, GP 2, do the obviously practical thing and join the DLP.

    That once formidable political party is in a state of paralysis and needs resuscitating. Why not be the ISO 9001-compliant doctor to perform such a miracle?

    You will not be the first to jump your one-manned political ship.

    Your former crew did just that to save their sorry politically insignificant souls from dictatorial imprisonment.

    It’s time the captain, GP 2 the last man standing on deck, ditch his pride and jump aboard the ghost ship called the SOS DLP, the dying languishing parachute of a political party.

    Once onboard, we don’t expect you to be the Bajan political equivalent to a Fletcher Christian. But a mutiny of the political chessboard kind might just find you the preferred top dog of a king in that party badly in need of a transfusion of new blood to save its sorry ass from implosion.

    At least you would have a shell to work with in getting your ‘Solutions for Barbados’ message across via the mainstream media.

    As it stands, “Solutions Barbados” is just a figment of GP2’s own imagination playing a game of political Solitaire in which even Piece the Legend would ‘fold’ in the BU game of political poker.

  40. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    There is a promo playing on VOB promoting the usual annual year in review, do you want to guess the political taking heads “ introing “ the show?

    Mia BLP
    Verla DLP
    Atherley PdP

    The issue here is deeper than covert news. The blogmaster has some sympathy for Grenville.

  41. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ David BU at 4:44PM

    I am not surprised. Are you? How would you improve on this? VOB operates on listenership. They have bills to pay.

  42. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    Not surprised at all. The observation was posted to hopefully temper those who are inclined to simplify the challenge for third parties in two party setup.

  43. Chris Halsall Avatar
    Chris Halsall

    @Grenville: “The established news media are responsible for misleading the public about which political parties are active.

    IMHO, it goes much deeper than that. The Bajan “news media” are terrified of “rocking the boat”, because they might lose advertising revenue, and/or risk a defamation lawsuit.

    Did you know that a defamation suit can be brought here in Barbados simply if what someone says is judged to be “harmful” to another (including a Company), even if it is true?

    My editor at the Advocate told me that he used a bit of a trick in order to get my articles past the managing editor. He knew the ME only read the first few paragraphs before signing off on an article, so he would word-smith my language such that the potentially controversial stuff was further down.

    This lasted for a few months until C&W grew uncomfortable by what I was saying, and threatened action. That was the end of my ever having language published “on atoms” here in Barbados.

    This is why I consider BU and (to a lesser degree) Barbados Today is so critical.

    The hard questions must be brought forward and discussed.

    P.S. I found the experience of being threatened with a lawsuit by C&W /very/ interesting. When I told people what was happening, the reacted was as if I had just been given a death sentence. I wanted to move forward with it — I really looked forward to “discovery”. Instead, I was advised by my legal counsel to not do this, saying it would likely cost me several tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars.

    P.P.S. I actually now sometimes work with the person who actioned this. She shrugs it off, saying she was just doing her job.

  44. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    Those people running third parties cannot be equated with the DLP when it comes to coverage. The DLP was voted for by 20-25 per cent of the electorate and has been a party which has held office in equal time to the current administration.
    It would be recalled that when in opposition the BLP got similar coverage. The NDP also got fairly good coverage. The only difference now with the DLP is that it has no seats. Even when the NDP had no seats in parliament it still had coverage.
    The major problem with the current third parties is their refusal to get out into the community and create a visible and lengthy contact with the people.
    Even Mia Mottley and the BLP realized this simple fact and acted accordingly.
    I do not know who are the advisers in these third parties but if they think a weekly newspaper column and writing the holy scriptures or versions thereof on BU are the essentials of building a political presence , they have to be the smartest people around.
    I saw from being in the trenches how the BLPDLP brutalised the NDP which some claim has been the most successful third party to date. Atherley , Phillips , Eastmond and all the rest believe there is some magical collapse in the making and that they are going to get a ripe fruit falling right into in their hands .
    I can say without doubt , as we speak ,sacrificial lambs have been identified. They will be internally cannibalized to ensure that some parliamentary balance is restored. The Duopoly looks after its own .

    The Duopoly Rules

  45. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Agree with William Skinner on the need for the other parties to canvass. But as I have said before, the Mia Mottley-led government is leaving little platform space for the other parties to mount; and when there is an opportunity to do so neither the DLP, PdP, Solutions or any other party is able to capitalise. In essence, these parties and their spokespersons are weak. Even on BU it is evident that her opposers are struggling to build any credible, sustainable arguments against the government.

  46. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    Welcome back Enuff.

  47. Lorenzo Avatar
    Lorenzo

    Artax i am surprised that you do not recognise Piece and his side kick Theophilus as two of the biggest jackasses on this blog.The leader is full of ego for calling an election any 10 year old could see which has clearly gone to his head.His follower continues to show himself as a comedian who rarely ever understands what he is replying to but rushes in anyway and does not seem to know much about any topic but likes to be heard on every topic.He needs to do like me and take an extended break.

  48. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    Welcome back Lorenzo.

  49. Bajan in NY Avatar
    Bajan in NY

    @William Skinner December 29, 2019 5:43 PM

    As I have said before I respect you tremendously because you had the courage to enter the political battlefield in Bim. I heard stories from friends who did likewise for the Duopoly and you could not pay me enough to give such a venture a thought. You should tell us of some of the experiences you had.

  50. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @ William Skinner December 29, 2019 5:43 PM and Enuff

    To William: Your reference to the public presence of the parties is important. We should distribute the presence on TV and in the newspapers according to political weight: i.e. 40 % for Mia Mottley alone, 20 % for her ministers, 20 % for the rest of the BLP, 15 % for the opposition present in Parliament and 5 % for the rest.

    So we can see that the media massively overestimate the DLP. In view of the fact that the criminal blue syndicate has not won a seat in Parliament, this ragtag gang has almost no right to a public presence.

    To Enuff: And what is the government doing? Wants to erect a Barrow monument here, wants to praise a dead DLP apparatchik there. Dear Enuff, surely the BLP doesn’t want to prop up the DLP, so that they will do better in the next election? It would make far more strategic sense to strengthen the Atherley Party and anchor it in the political arena. To do this, the Atherley Party would have to take over as many DLP positions as possible (e.g. this crazy Barrow cult) in order to take as many votes as possible away from the DLP. It would also be conceivable to win known but uncontaminated DLP members for the Atherley Party in order to maximize the damage to the DLP.

The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading