In the last thirty six hours the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) had reason to retract a declaration of some candidates to contest the next general election. With the election constitutionally due by 2023 political pundits have suggested the DLP should have completed the task by now. We understand President Verla De Peiza’s explanation that the selection of candidates is involved and requires time to ensure a task is well done. That said, a learning entity will transform as required to ensure adaptability in the space in which it has to successfully operate. The sloth and deliberate way the DLP continues to operate mirrors former prime minister Fruendel Stuart as leader and continues to haunt the DLP.
The importance of a strident dissenting voice in the type of democracy practiced by Barbados has been robustly discussed on BU’s pages. Whether some like it or not the DLP despite the shellacking in the 2018 general election is still perceived as the legitimate political opposition. Although Senator Caswell Franklyn has done his darnest to fill the role, the political party he represents does not have the legitimacy to be perceived as a legit political contender. in fact savvy political pundits accept that the creation of the People’s Development Party was contrived to avoid a constitutional crisis. History is expectant with revelations.
The challenge for the DLP will be making an impact during a pandemic where candidates making themselves known through traditional methods have to be curtailed. Accept that the effect of COVID 19 will be with us best case for the balance of the year. More importantly is the opportunity for new candidates to get comfortable in the role. It is not good enough Barbadians continue to elect governments by ‘default’. We need our governments in waiting to be forced to advocate alternative and relevant programs designed to catapult the country’s economic and social development.
The list of candidates hurriedly withdrawn by the DLP revealed an unhealthy sighting of old candidates. Some of the old names triggered a flood of bad memories in the mind of the blogmaster who understands it is more about winning for political parties, not trying to satisfy political utopianists.
It boggles the mind that a government after being given an overwhelming mandate in 2018 whose first task was to administer a ‘’haircut’ to domestic and foreign bond holders – followed by a few missteps managing the pandemic has not created the opportunity for opposition politics to thrive. Instead we have witnessed one of the most lackluster performances by the political opposition as far as the blogmaster is concerned since 2018. The BLP and specifically Prime Minister Mottley continues to suck the energy from the Barbados political landscape. So much so that if a general election were to be called tomorrow a solid prediction would be another BLP victory albeit with a reduced majority.
It is important Barbadians elevate our level of awareness about civics matters to appreciate the importance of pressuring political parties to transform. Delivering public service must be accepted as serious business, a sacred honour. So far the DLP as the only game in town has done nothing post 2018 to justify the label of government in waiting.
The following is an extract from what is being circulated:
The nominated are as follows:
St. Lucy Verla De Peiza
St. Andrew Oldwin Skeete
St. Joseph Randall Rouse
St. John Andre Worrell
St. Thomas Khadija Collymore
SJN Charles Worrell
SPN Michael Lashley
SPW Dr David Estwick
SPS Neil Marshall
CCE Dr Denis Lowe
SMNW Ryan Walters
SMWC Curtis Cave
SMN B. Ricardo Harrison
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