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Reform or Die II

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Submitted by Ziggy Greene

I was listening to Senator Caswell Franklyn yesterday on Starting Point an Antiguan talk program. The host asked Franklyn about the recent political goings-on in Barbados and in his inimitable style answered forthrightly. The topic turned to the prospects of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) now that it was unrepresented in parliament. Franklyn replied inter alia that the DLP and its founder leader Barrow were one and the same. And since Barrow’s death the party has been dying- a very interesting and insightful comment. I must say I agree with that assessment.

Senator Caswell Franklyn’s interview with Starting Point Talk Show

Thanks Caswell
I wanted to write about the link between founders and the continuation of what they started, especially political parties. In the case of the DLP, this is very crucial as it is facing what I believe is an existential crisis. We have seen the old faces of the party led by their front man George Pilgrim battling with the two year installed Verla De Peiza for leadership of the party.

What does this portend
If the DLP retrogresses to the leadership that led to a 30-0 drubbing at the 2018 polls will its prospect be any different in 2023? I think not. Their ineptitude will be forever associated with the disastrous economic plunge of Barbados whether or not they are solely to blame, whether they inherited a stacked deck or world events did them no favours. That they see it fit to challenge the new leadership of De Peiza is either a failure on her part to stamp her authority on the party or they think the recent kinks in the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) armour presents an opportunity for their resurgence. It is not lost on me that when the BLP were pushing investigations into alleged fraudulent activities under their stewardship they were silent but when Chris Sinckler , one of them, was given a pick in a Mottley Committee, they crept slowly out of the woodwork.

How will it play out with DLP party voters
So the choice is between Verla De Peiza and the old guard. Between a break from the past- if you can call De Peiza that but I will in this instance- and a continuation of a failed regime. How forthcoming will the old guard be when they address DLP party voters? Will the warning of Ulrich Beck in his book Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity in 1992, that we make decisions according to information derived from politicians and experts who in most cases are self-serving, ring true?

Really, what it is that the old guard can offer that they didn’t before? That brings us back to Franklyn’s comment Barrow and the DLP are incontrovertibly linked. I am not for one moment postulating that the old guard represents Barrow’s philosophy, far from it. I am positing however that at some point for a party to carry beyond its founders, it must reform and reinvent itself. We cannot do so with the old guard. And just as our society is transforming into a new modernity from the vestiges of the past or as Beck puts it, ” freeing itself from the contours of the classical industrial society” the DLP must pry itself from the shadow of Barrow and the stench of the old regime and transition into a new modernity.

In our first piece on this subject I submitted that DePeiza must articulate these changes clearly and with some alacrity. And with pressure from the old guard and a bye election in St George north on the horizon more than ever these changes are needed now.

See Related blog – Reform or Die

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115 responses to “Reform or Die II”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    Jones, Lowe criticise DePeiza’s leadership
    rticle by
    Barbados Today Traffic Published on
    September 22, 2020

    by Marlon Madden

    With just days to go before the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) holds its 65th annual general conference, there appears to be a growing lack of confidence in its current president, with a suggestion that democracy within the political party is under siege.

    The concern was expressed on Sunday, during a branch meeting, by some DLP stalwarts who suggested that stumbling blocks were being created to keep George Pilgrim
    from contesting the party’s presidency and others from running for office.

    Former Minister of Education Ronald Jones, who said he supported Pilgrim to lead the DLP into the next general election, suggested that the current president, Verla DePeiza, was afraid of a contest.

    Warning that now is not the time for division, Jones insisted that anyone who wanted to run for office should be allowed to do so.

    And questioning why no conference material has been heavily circulated ahead of the September 25 to 27 conference date, Jones said he was still unaware “who is running
    for office and which office”.

    “Why is this? We should not fear contest in our party. Our internal contest should take on national characteristics, albeit at a lower scale. Nothing is wrong with that,” he said.

    “I want to say to the current leadership of the party . . . to respect the democratic ideals of the party, remove the restrictions and alterations which you have put in place to debar persons from being candidates or being successful at the polls.”

    In addition to the election of officers and members of the party’s general council at the conference, the DLP is expected to make amendments to its constitution and rules,
    as well as appoint auditors.

    Only financial members will be allowed to vote.

    Jones, who questioned the lack of executive meetings, though acknowledging the COVID-19 pandemic, said he was aware that thousands of Barbadians were still interested in joining the DLP, but suggested that some were being ignored.

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/09/22/jones-lowe-criticise-depeizas-leadership/

  2. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    I see the crabs in the barrel are at it.

  3. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Pacha..if you remember we predicated shortly after election 2018 that the male crabs in the DLP barrel would just wait until Verla built up the political rhetoric to their acceptable lowest denomination standards and then they will all crawl in and critize her to grab the limelight once again. with a view to getting their dirty paws in the treasury again, continue the corruption with minorities…oh sorry…Comissiong’s “planter class” again..

    that’s what crabs do….it’s their nature.

  4. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    Why don’t we stop humbugging the poor DLP and leave them to their rebuilding exercise. They have at least another 10-12 years in the wilderness. They have no chance of winning the next two elections, only gaining some seats.

    If the other third parties had any sense at all, they would all immediately come together to form a coalition or single party to gain some serious momentum within that time to be more than a laughing stock within two or three elections from now.

  5. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Who did not know this was going to happen?

    Come on back and tek some more licks, ye masochists!

  6. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    there is a lot of noise on social media that a certain union senator is the nominee for the bye election in SGN. A bit unbelievable but these are strange times

  7. Michael Campbell Avatar
    Michael Campbell

    Donna, you should done know that DePeiza was just a temporary stop gap for the DLP, because the fellows were ashamed after the 30-0 defeat. Look, they even abandoned Stuart after the results. He was at George Street with not a boy around him. to answer questions from the media alone.

    Donna, you feel Greene and Mariposa should throw their hat in the ring?

  8. David Avatar
    David

    @Greene

    The BLP bringing Toni Moore would be a mistake by the BLP.

  9. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    In the meantime watch muh nuh punching above we weight..

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/09/22/unemployment-and-stalled-projects-causing-bert-woes/

  10. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @David,

    please explain why you say that

  11. David Avatar
    David

    This is a period where labour needs to be strong. For the head of the largest union to be be enveloped by the BLP will be viewed with suspicion by a large segment of the electorate. This would create a noisy talking point for the opposition and dilute a BLP natratoywhichbsays it is about making fundamental change. How would Toni explain her vote on the integrity bill?

    The upside is that Senator Caswell Union would grow.

  12. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Michael Campbell,

    I have no opinion on that matter. My beef is with those for whom I voted who allowed this country to descend to the depths of despair, all the while telling us that things were fine.

    I do recall that iconic photograph of Freundel on election night. The rats abandoned the ship as though they had no hand in its demise.

    Fools did not even realise how that made THEM look. Freundel at least took his licks and accepted the responsibility.

    NOT ONE OF THEM WHO LEFT HIM BY HIMSELF THAT NIGHT COULD EVER GET MY VOTE!

  13. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ David
    What’s the difference between Toni Moore and Leroy Trotman, Evelyn Greaves, Bobby Morris, Mary Redman, Obrian Trotman,
    All of these unionist were/ are Bees and Dees.
    Why pretend this is not business as usual? More damn hypocrisy from George and Roebuck Street Kool aid drinkers.

  14. David Avatar
    David

    @William

    There is some merit in your intervention but COVID and the current economic and political situation makes for a unique case.

  15. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @David

    from the time Moore and the other unions marched with MAM and the private sector and stuck out for an unbelievable pay increase they were compromised. and then within 5 minutes of meeting the BLP Govt accepted 5% increase, all their members would have or should have known where their stood with union leadership, such as it is.

  16. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @W Skinner
    You forgot the most influential of them all better known as the Heavy Roller: Frank Walcott

    @Donna yours@7.49am

    Just a reminder that “Victory has a thousand fathers but defeat is an orphan”

  17. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @Donna,

    agreed. unless Freundel told them he would do it alone which i doubt

    @William,

    agreed but i dont recall any of those persons marching with the opposition and the private sector against the standing Govt., refusing a reasonable pay increase from one govt and then accepting a pittance from another

  18. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    In the Rebranding of Country’s Company Name project work Barbados could rename itself as Wakanda

  19. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Greene
    What you and others are failing to realise is the simple truth, that in reality we have had a one party state since 1961. I , as a young trade unionist, back in mid seventies , learned my lesson very well.
    Errol Barrow legislated salaries and I actually moved or seconded the resolution to protest in the yard of parliament. Tom Adams was leading the opposition at that time. Adams made the most brilliant speech saying that Barrow should have never broken the collective bargaining process. At that time O’Brien Trotman , was leading the public servants union.
    Barrow was kicked out in 1976 and Adams became PM and he then also legislated salaries. By that time O’Brien Trotman , was in the senate and was Minister of Health in Adams’ cabinet.
    So Toni Moore if she wins the seat means no difference to me. I ain’t just come town.
    @ David
    I have no political regard for Grenville. However , he must be respected for throwing his hat in the ring. There are those who can only write crap on BU but they have never demonstrated any commitment to anything other than cussing people on behalf of the decadent BLPDLP.
    @ Sargeant
    You are right about Sir.Frank Walcott. Don’t forget that the joker at the NUPW said they had “ crunched” the numbers and the then government could afford 23% increase in salaries. Then just so they quickly accepted 5%.
    Peace.

  20. David Avatar
    David

    We are not alone managing in a difficult time.

    https://twitter.com/i/events/1308068858851450880?s=21

  21. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    “only financial members will be allowed to vote”
    Control? When will one need a BRA certificate to vote in a general election?

  22. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @William

    the Obrien Trotman / Tom / Barrow scenario is not exactly the same as Moore/ MAM / Stuart / Private Sector one but it is close enough. Point taken

  23. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    And nobody has written more crap on BU than Grenville Phillips the second in defence of a ghost party.

  24. john2 Avatar
    john2

    Is Miss Moore even a member of the BLP? Obviously her position at the union pushed her more into the public spotlight.

  25. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    DavidSeptember 22, 2020 8:31 AM

    There is no doubt that the US economy is in deep trouble. Trump and the Republican Brat Pack have tried to stave off the obvious by cutting taxes to the wealthy and reducing social security costs, in an effort to throw money into the economy.

    Unfortunately, that measure to fuel an economy only works in a very short term. The middle and long-term impact of that can be disastrous, particularly from a socio-economic view. This can lead to severe social issues and therefore instability.

    The debt levels have been rising even before the pandemic, so people are using debt to fuel spending, a sure sign that their earnings are not keeping up with the cost of living and that the economy is not as rosy as some pretended.

    Then, add the pandemic and the situation gets even worse. Over time, more will likely turn to a Burnie Sanders type candidate, even if a new prototype of him. This is inevitable.

    The people who really run things behind the scenes are likely fully aware of this and are probably terrified (that their billions will be taxed).

  26. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    The sad thing about Barbados is that the great BLP will rebuild the country to new heights of prosperity. Then the masses will become frivolous again and fall back to their old tribal habits. Sometime around 2035 they will vote for a DLP-PM again because they still believe in the fairy tale of the deep welfare state.

    We should therefore differentiate voting rights according to wealth or income to ensure that the votes of smart voters count double or triple. This is the only way to prevent a relapse into the DLP Stone Age.

  27. Michael Campbell Avatar
    Michael Campbell

    I also remember before the 1986 elections when the DEMS joined the unions in asking Bree St. John to give them 5%, 10% and 15% from top to bottom of the civil service. Bree said government could not afford those increases at the time.

    When Barrow won the government, he said they could not afford those pay increases. The unions agreed and accepted the 0.5% Barrow offered them.

  28. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    the only distinction i will made in those scenarios is that none of the unions then marched or agitated with the Private Sector against whom they would at some point negotiate, against the standing govt. to me that is a game changer.

  29. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Go Caswell, don’t let them deter ya with their little fowl slaves, they can’t do you a thing, we got ya back…

    i knew the fowls were lying, they have no shame.

  30. john2 Avatar
    john2

    Who marched with who? Wasnt the march instigated by the unions and the private sector joined in?

  31. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @john2
    The private sector were marching against the financial management of the country. The Unions were marching against? Wage freezes in the public sector?
    That little March has stuck in the craw of many to levels unimagined by the planners.

  32. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    The trade unions and private sector have announced joint action planned for next Monday as they continue to press Government for dialogue.

    At a press conference this afternoon, Barbados Workers’ Union General Secretary, Toni Moore, issued a call to Barbadians to come out and show their support for the unions’ and private sector body’s call for Government to meet with them to discuss rolling back the recently increased National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL).

    “We’ve planned for a march on Monday July 24, where we’re calling on the wider public to demonstrate their support for the concerns which we have, namely, that we should have dialogue,” said Moore.

    “We understand that there has been disruption a number of areas and we think that the message of sensitising the public is one that we want to focus a lot more on and from the feedback we have been getting from our various publics we think there is now an understanding that urgency in dialogue is paramount.”

    She was joined by President of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), Akanni McDowall, President of the Barbados Secondary Teachers Union (BSTU), Mary Redman and President of the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA), Charles Herbert.

    Herbert indicated the private sector’s involvement, noting, “The private sector will be asking its members where possible to close their businesses and to make their employees available to participate should they wish to do so.”

    https://www.loopnewsbarbados.com/content/march-monday-trade-unions-private-sector-team

  33. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Why are these unionists demonstrating with the private sector? Are they just stupid or mad, or both?

  34. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @Hal
    this is my issue too, Hal. where in the world does that makes sense?

  35. David Avatar
    David

    Why DID the unions demonstrate with the private sector.

  36. David Avatar
    David

    @Greene

    It was a desperation move to send a strong message to a government that persisted to twiddle on the deck of a sinking ship.

  37. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) will not be swayed from its quest to get public sector workers a salary increase.

    In a media release thanking members who supported two days of industrial action last week, the union vowed to stay the course despite caution from economists Marla Dukharan and Jeremy Stephen that a salary increase could do more damage to Barbados’ fragile economy and value of the dollar.

    The NUPW is asking for a 23 per cent wage increase for Government workers, who have not had an increase in almost ten years, while Government, through the Ministry of the Civil Service, remains stuck at no increase.

    The statement said public workers were disregarded and disrespected when the January 15 deadline passed with no response from the Ministry of the Civil Service.

    https://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/122038/nupw-sticking-guns-raise

  38. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @David,

    i have no issues with the unions demonstrating with the opposition to some extent but not with the private sector agaisnt whom they will have to negotiate at some point. as it turned out the private sector got all the tax breaks and financial incentives from Govt (with whom they marched) and the unions got a paltry 5% and are still carrying the load.

  39. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Greene

    Do they believe that they and the business class are on the same side in any debate about the economy and jobs? Can this be real? My enemies enemy is my friend?
    What a waste of public money on educating a younger generation. The objective should be to get rid of the parasitic Social Partnership.

  40. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Greene,

    According to your logic there is some natural right to higher salaries in public service. But many businessmen and their employees have to cope with the same turnover as 10 years ago and work 60 hours per week.

    The fact is that productivity in the public service is on the decline. Therefore it would be very fair to the taxpayer to halve the civil servants’ salaries and to reduce their pensions to a maximum of 1,000 BBD per month.

  41. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    All gloves are off! This is the word coming from the President of National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), Akanni McDowall, warning the Freundel Stuart-administration of possible industrial action due to stalled salary negotiations.

    Shop stewards of the NUPW met at their Dalkeith Headquarters yesterday, Monday evening to discuss a plan of action to address government’s lack of intent to settle salary negotiations.

    In December 2017, government had made an offer of $49 Million lump sum payment to public servants, to which the NUPW countered with a $60 Million offer, allowing for a $2,500 payment across the board for all public servants. Government did not respond to the increased offer put forward by the NUPW. Neither has the NUPW been able to make any headway with the 23 percent proposed salary increase.

    https://www.loopnewsbarbados.com/content/nupw-threatening-strike-action#:~:text=In%20December%202017%2C%20government%20had,board%20for%20all%20public%20servants.

  42. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    The Ministry of the Civil Service is awaiting the final mandate from the Minister who holds that portfolio, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, on how to proceed with the salary and wage negotiations with the trade unions.

    That’s the word from Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Civil Service, Alyson Forte. His comments came as he spoke to the media on the sidelines of the Caribbean Leadership Project’s Opening Ceremony for the Technical Working Group Meeting at the Accra Beach Hotel and Spa, as he noted the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) and the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) had long ago submitted their proposals which addressed both salary and non-salary matters.

    “Once I get that mandate I would then either invite the unions to give them that update, or I otherwise might send out a letter telling them what that particular mandate is. But we have had ongoing talks with the NUPW [National Union of Public Workers] in relation to those non-salary issues and they were quite a few, but in time you would hear more,” the Permanent Secretary said.

    With that in mind, he said they are awaiting final approval on the non-salary proposals. Referring to the meeting with the NUPW in December last year, PS Forte said a financial proposal was put on the table by the Government and he gave them two scenarios for a one-off payment to public servants.

    “I gave them two scenarios for them to mull over so that they and I could kind of form a proposal that we would submit to my principals. They went ahead and met with their group and came up with what they considered to be a counter to what I had offered. I submitted that to my principals and in due course I will get back to them on what my principals have said,” he said.

    Government’s suggestions, he said, was two per cent across the board which would have given people at the top a one-off payment of $3000 and the people at the bottom in the region of $400; or two percent at the top, and five percent at the bottom, where public servants at the bottom would receive a one-off payment of $1000. Government’s proposal would result in a $49 million lump sum payment, but following the meeting with their members, the NUPW countered with a $60 million lump sum, for all public servants to receive $2500 each.

    https://www.barbadosadvocate.com/news/awaiting-wage-instructions

  43. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Legalise It,
    Don’t Criticise It,
    I’ll Advertise It

    ▶ Jah Jah Skanking, Wood Roots

    There’s somethin’ happenin’ here
    But what it is ain’t exactly clear
    There’s a man with a gun over there
    Tellin’ me I got to beware
    I think it’s time we stop
    Children, what’s that sound?
    Everybody look what’s going down
    There’s battle lines being drawn
    And nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong
    Young people speakin’ their minds
    Gettin’ so much resistance from behind

  44. David Avatar
    David

    @Green What is your end game with prosecuting this matter? The labour movement is not what it was back in the day.

  45. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @Hal,

    that is exactly what bothered me at the time. i dont know what they were thinking? perhaps the enemy of my enemy is my friend? that only works until proper order is restored or until your present friend gets what they want. natural order has been restored and the unions got shafted

  46. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @David

    the end result—-

    Opposition senator and trade unionist Caswell Franklyn has suggested public servants were “sold out” in trade union negotiations that won them a settlement of a five per cent pay increase.

    Franklyn, whose Unity Workers’ Union was not part of those negotiations with Government, yesterday claimed the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) had moved from its original demand of a 23 per cent wage hike for the public servants, to four and a half per cent, eventually reaching the final settlement of five per cent, with Government’s addition of the half of a per cent to the Unions’ proposed figure.

    “That is to their eternal shame, but they rushed and they did it and every public servant in Barbados knows that they were sold out,” Franklyn told the Senate yesterday during debate on a Resolution to approve the Public Service (General) Order 2018 which approves the payment to public servants across the board, effective from April 1, 2018.

    https://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/186535/public-servants-sold-unions

  47. Lest we forget Avatar
    Lest we forget

    The old guard under Pilgrim will take the DLP to 25 years in the political wilderness. Can you imagine two year on and they have not recognize why they were defeated 30-0.The old guard sent Pilgrim against the St.John branch wishes in the safest DLP seat and he won two boxes.Denis Lowe has so much baggage that he should not be allowed to run again by any sane executive. The DLP still has support because it is an established party that has done some very good things for Barbados but he old guard will not get them to vote for them again.
    Let Verla stay in place and rebuild the party because you are not going to win the the government in the next ten years. You can imagine the old guard picking Jepter Ince to run in SGN again

  48. David Avatar
    David

    @Greene

    Go to Robert Morris Facebook page, he has pretty much acknowledged the labour movement lacks leadership. It starts with the membership who largely have usurped their role in the governing of the union. Count the number of members who vote. The same players recycled.

  49. David Avatar
    David

    @Lest we forget

    The assault by these rejects on Verla even if commonsense suggests they will lose has already done untold harm.

  50. john2 Avatar
    john2

    so what al of that has to do with Moore runing for SGN? that is if she is a member of the BLP

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