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Is Guy the Guy?

Barbados Underground posted a view on May 22 in the blog Is Guy Hewitt the Way, Truth and Light for the DLP. On June 2 the goodly Reverend Guy Hewitt in a turnabout from a couple weeks earlier declared his interest to challenge Verla De Peiza for the presidency of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP).…

Barbados Underground posted a view on May 22 in the blog Is Guy Hewitt the Way, Truth and Light for the DLP. On June 2 the goodly Reverend Guy Hewitt in a turnabout from a couple weeks earlier declared his interest to challenge Verla De Peiza for the presidency of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP).

This is an interesting development for many reasons. At the top of the list – two years from a constitutionally due general election the DLP should have its slate of candidates available to the public to take advantage of the little time available to sell an alternative message. Ardent political supporters will vote for the colours. What about members of the electorate who want to be given the opportunity to process what the DLP candidates have to offer? We have allowed our political parties to take the vote from citizens for granted.

We will not agree on every issue. But let us respect those differences and respect one another. Let us recognize that we do not serve an ideology or a political party; we serve the people.

John Lynch

The DLP is led by Verla De Peiza, a lawyer who has managed to retain the leadership of the DLP for 3 years at a difficult time. According to political talking heads Peter Wickham and George Belle, Hewitt does not have a ghost of a chance of winning and by presenting himself at this eleventh hour, he is essentially making himself a nuisance to the process at a time the party should be advancing its preparation for the 2023 general election. That said, the process to elect the president of the DLP is democratic and unless the Reverend withdraws before the vote, it presents another interesting development on the political landscape of Barbados.

The blogmaster has followed Guy Hewitt’s journey from the early 2000s when he was a junior priest at Christ Church Anglican Church- never one to mince words he has always articulated his messages with panache and of late his social and political missives have infused the political mill with fodder worthy of commentary. 

The Reverend throwing his hat in the ring raises a couple of imponderables. Will the DLP apparatus seriously elect a political neophyte to lead the party at this juncture of its resurrection post 2018? How would electing a priest as President of the party be perceived by the electorate? There is the perception ‘politics’ is a blood sport. Reverend Guy Hewitt is a man whose primary role as a priest some will argue diametrically conflicts with that of a politician. 

The local landscape is crying out for a new kind of politics. Political apathy in the general population continues to rise especially in the youth segment. The upside for the DLP is that challenger Reverend Hewitt brings an effusive personality to the political equation in stark contrast to the incumbent. Is it the difference maker that will get him elected? At the bare minimum it may be infectious.

116 responses to “Is Guy the Guy?”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    https://www.facebook.com/guy.hewitt/videos/10159827883505087/

  2. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    https://www.facebook.com/slam101fm/videos/307972104331031/

  3. David Avatar
    David

    Hewitt: We are to be Govt’s nightmare
    THE DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY (DLP) will not be able to survive another national embarrassment at the polls, says presidential hopeful Reverend Guy Hewitt.
    The man who has publicly challenged leader, Verla De Peiza, in the August party elections has been outspoken in the past two weeks in presenting his case to Barbados. He continued to do so yesterday as a guest on Starcom Network’s
    radio call-in programme
    Down To Brasstacks,
    where he was also questioned by callers about the timing of his move to lead the party.
    “People believe the leadership of the Democratic Labour Party is its best gift. I take that seriously. Our role as an opposition party is to challenge the Government. We are to become its first nightmare,” he said when pressed on why choosing to challenge De Peiza at this juncture.
    The Anglican cleric said that coming out of the 30-0 thumping at the polls in 2018, he had heard members and supporters crying out that the Dems needed new leadership, even though at that time it was not directed at him.
    Hewitt said a lot of work had to be done and the Dems could not afford to spend time just getting things in order.
    “I have an obligation to Barbados and to my sense of patriotism to do something about it. We cannot go into the next election hoping to pick up on or two or three seats and replace Bishop (Joseph) Atherley as the
    Leader of the Opposition,” he stressed.
    The former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom said that as a matter of urgency, the Dems needed to show they were ready to once again govern the affairs of the country. “There is a lot of work to be done, and we have spent too much time focusing on internal things in the party and getting ourselves election ready.”
    He said a political organisation ultimately was formed to win votes and form a government, as it was not a social grouping.
    Hewitt also reiterated he had no ill will towards his opponent. “I want the president to be a success in St Lucy,” he said about De Peiza’s decision earlier this year to seek her first win in an election in the northern constituency where she was born and spent some of her childhood.
    “I want the party to be a success at the polls, and to do that there are certain things that are essential. We are still paying off the debts of the St George (North) by-election. This is one constituency, and we are still paying off debt. How are we going to mobilise those resources we need in possibly 24, or likely 12 months from now?” he asked.
    He said if the Dems did not project a sound, inclusive voice, there might be no other election to follow because the party could not take another massive defeat at the polls.
    “It is about Bajans following effective leadership, and if the DLP does not give effective voice or leadership, whether in St George North or St Lucy, we are going to find ourselves with a problem.” (BA)

    Source: Nation News

  4. David Avatar
    David

    Wrong step, Reverend
    By Ezra Alleyne
    The assault on the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) leadership by Reverend Guy Hewitt reminds me of the famous curate’s egg. The attempt is bad . . . in some parts . . . and good in others!
    Mr Hewitt has some talents. He speaks well and has a way with words and he is a loyal friend . . . but then he steps into political hot water so effortlessly and is burnt. That is the bad part of the egg, so to speak.
    Now, during the past week I had to go to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH). As I entered the foyer, I saw to my right a plaque bearing the name of Donville Inniss as Minister of Health, who opened the remodelled foyer in 2012.
    A light bulb went off. It occurred to me that the best prospect for DLP leadership (after 2018) that the DLP never had; was in the United States, where Hewitt had been a character witness.
    Collaborated
    I recalled that Hewitt told the American court that he knew Inniss from secondary school, university and working together professionally. He said they collaborated in his prior role of chairman of the Board of Management of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital when Inniss was Minister of Health.
    I quietly applauded Hewitt’s loyalty. But if Hewitt had been chairman of the QEH board, he had some political, managerial experience, and his role in the DLP affairs could not be simply representational and not policy making, as he publicly stated on the Brass Tacks interview. He was in London only from 2014 to 2018.
    But here is the bad part of the curate’s egg. Before the ink dried on my thoughts, he found himself literally in some kind of water, cold tepid or hot, but water nevertheless. He got involved in a tsunami of a dispute with the Young Democrats, which originated in something to do with a contribution to a water drive campaign.
    This group took exception to Hewitt’s mention of the recruitment of women in politics. Having studied Hewitt’s recent statements, I knew this mention of recruitment of females would draw potent political fire from the Young Democrats. He must have missed the fiery response of the Young Democrat on Brass Tacks recently and her bold declaration that she was candidate for St George South.
    Anyway, here is part of the Young Democrat’s response: “The executive members of the Young Democrats find the statement to be misleading as the Young Democrats have a female president, vice-president secretary and education officer. We also have a slew of young, vibrant female members who will be joining the Young Democrats soon.”
    Then there was some issue about securing the Young Democrats’ vote at the upcoming general conference.
    The gospel truth is that whether coincidence or not, Reverend Hewitt’s political utterances since coming out as a politician have focused on Verla De Peiza, Mia Mottley, Senator Lisa Cummins, Senator Alphea Wiggins and Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland, all prominent women making their way in political or state contributions.
    Representing the state
    According to Hewitt, De Peiza did not have the competencies; Cummins was a greenhorn; Bynoe-Sutherland is a minister’s wife with no experience in running tertiary level hospital; Senator Wiggins should not have accepted an assignment on behalf of the State.
    Mind you, he conceded that as High Commissioner he was representing the State and no particular party. Wiggins is an Independent Senator and was doing a national state-sponsored contribution in an area where she brings special skills.
    He says that he has made contributions to the cause of women and gender issues at the United Nations level but one wonders why, since coming out as a potential candidate,
    women have felt the end of his criticism. Tangling with the Young Democrats is a huge mistake.
    Latest misstep
    Hewitt showed himself up to the battle and that is a good part of the egg. Clearly he will not be cowed, which is a good leadership attribute, but this latest misstep dooms his leadership takeover chances, although I maintain he has a contribution to make to politics once he masters the basic rudiments of party and elective politics.
    But the successful politicians have to be politically street smart.
    Like The Gambler in the song, they have to know when to hold and when to fold.
    Until then, Rev. Hewitt needs to understand the tale of the curate’s egg!
    Ezra Alleyne is an attorney and a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly.

    Source: Nation

  5. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Blah, blah, blah!

  6. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    Old face our new face what I observed is the country in dire need of an economic face lift
    Fifty plus years of independence and still waiting for tourist from high risk countries to bail the country out of it’s economic woes is madness
    When will the electoral find a voice that bloster call for changes that put Barbados on a road path for economic self empowerment
    The economic path Barbados finds itself on is littered with financial booby traps and land mines
    Money owed to financial international lending houses while our local economy lies starving waiting for tourist

  7. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    I have always criticize Ezra’s contribution, but I feel this article is much better.

    Naming five women is a very good attempt to separate Guy from the females’ votes. The D’s already have a hard task appealing to voters and to possibly stop some females voters from support Guy is a masterstroke.

    He also linked Guy with Donville. However, apart from pure political froth, Donville does not carry a high negative rating (my belief) to the average Bajan.

    Going to give EA some credit here. Improved bowling.

  8. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    Didn’t the past Dlp govt have a sleuth of women
    So far the present Dlp line up of contestants have only placed one woman on the list
    So all this long talk about woman vs men would only give credence if the woman can display a great deal of political strength and can out maneuver Mia political strength and power which is not an easy task

  9. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Why must the women be able to “out manoeuvre Mia’s political strength”? Shouldn’t this same criterion hold for a male?

    Your statement supports Ezra’s criticism. A next dead end.

  10. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    TheOGazertsJune 27, 2021 8:39 AM

    Why must the women be able to “out manoeuvre Mia’s political strength”? Shouldn’t this same criterion hold for a male?
    Xxxxxxx
    BTW I did not read Ezra article
    My comment stems from what is being tabled as being a plus for the parties having more woman involved as contestants for the election
    As I stated that the past govt had a bevy of woman placed in high positions of governance but that was not a sufficient guarantee to win even one seat in Parliament
    One cannot deny that Mia presence on the political landscape for years has borne significant gains
    Woman as early entries must have more than being a female to entice females voters to vote for them

  11. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    Why is guy not the guy

    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4049440978504820&id=100003168730314&sfnsn=mo

  12. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    Skip to main content
    Barbados Advocate Logo
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    Former UK High Commissioner, Rev. Guy Hewitt, says he is ready and willing to take the DLP forward.

    HEWITT VOWS THAT DLP WILL BE READY
    Sun, 06/27/2021 – 5:30am
    Reverend Guy Hewitt is taking issue with how the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) Government has been running this country over the last three years, and he is vowing that should he get the nod to lead the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), it will be ready to present itself as a credible alternative to the BLP whenever the bell is rung.

    Hewitt, the former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, made the pledge in a recent interview with The Barbados Advocate, as he maintained that contesting the election to win a few seats cannot be the goal going into the next General Election, which is constitutionally due in 2023. In that vein, he dismissed the notion from some quarters that winning a few seats or forming the official Opposition is enough.

    The former UK High Commissioner is adamant that if the DLP does not offer itself as a credible alternative to the Government, it will not be taken seriously at the polls and will find it difficult to secure the votes of not only the unattached electorate, but its members as well. He made the point while noting that the by-election last November was a dry run for the General Election, and it is imperative that the Party is able to better mobilise financial resources and support across constituencies than it did then.

    “We can’t be committed to making somebody a Leader of the Opposition, we have to be committed to forming a government. Political organisations, their primary task is to win elections, and so we have to become ready for the election when it is called and most people are anticipating it’s going to be called early,” he said.

    Hewitt’s remarks came as he argued that Barbados is in a precarious economic situation and the current Administration should not remain at the helm. He asserted that the country is in no better position economically than when the Government took office, and they are “simply borrowing money to pay bills”. The reverend added that even as efforts are made to help tourism rebound, that will not be enough, and is adamant that COVID-19 has underscored the need to truly diversify the economy, to guarantee the country can be in a much better position in the future.

    “Their solution for employment for young people is for them to clean the public road. There has been some spending on construction projects and small projects to circulate money and yes COVID happened, but the reality is there is nothing that they have done to show that they have moved the economy, structurally, from where it was before 2018 to where it should be,” he stated.

    Hewitt ready to lead

    As he readies himself for the potential leadership role in the DLP and to lead the Party to victory, Hewitt said he has been in receipt of “sound economic advice” on how to move Barbados’ economy forward, as he acknowledged that the DLP has often been criticised for not having the economic knowledge capacity to speak on such matters. His remarks came as he said that with the “politically charged” environment that currently exists, persons are wary to come forward publicly to offer support, for fear that it will cost them work. But, he pledged to continue to let his voice be heard.

    “We need to hold the economy and the society together, and so I would say between now and when we get to an election, I have every intention, if I’m leading the Democratic Labour Party, to give people confidence that we have an economic team, and we understand what is needed going forward. I respect people’s need for that reassurance and it is a commitment that I will give tangibly, and substantively by speaking to these issues going forward. Over time, and as we get closer to an election, there will be an opportunity to bring that team forward, but the reality is that this time, it is hard to do that because of the culture of fear that exists,” Hewitt said. (JRT)

    NEWS
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  13. David Avatar
    David

    Hewitt formally nominated by St John Branch to contest DLP presidency:

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2021/06/27/hewitt-formally-nominated-by-st-john-branch-to-contest-dlp-presidency/

  14. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    The Hewitt train off and running full steam ahead

  15. wizz jeep Avatar
    wizz jeep

    This is an Independent view of this writer

    Look people this man is nobody to vote for to be the President of the D.L.P.
    He was made a high commissioner to London by the Stuart Administration, this writer believes, recommended by the Sealy Report.
    The woman that was his deputy High commissioner was a B.L.P known to be rank and file B.L.P looking for a high post and landed it.
    The woman came back to Barbados and walked right into a senate seat that was “being kept for her”. These are the words of the present Prime Minister not mine.
    The woman was named for a Senator post by Barbados’ Present Prime Minister. No Prime Minister don’t put they political enemy so close to them.
    Getting Back to the man and woman in London Representing this country.
    Each day 1 open the paper to read there was the man who wants to be the leader of the D.L.P President inside the paper in conflict with the woman ,his deputy up in London. I learned from home you should know how, when and where.
    The next day the woman who was the deputy high commissioner to London in the paper telling the nation news her side of the story.
    Each or nearly everyday both use to make noise with each other but when i read the woman wasn’t frightened for him.
    One does not want someone of his kind, or elitism to lead or be in-charge of a party so great as D.L.P.
    One might get up and hear him addressing us from the radio or newspaper .
    The then Prime Minister I read in the paper went long up there to try to make peace between the two of them.
    As soon as the then prime Minister turned his back and landed in Barbados they used to quarrel again, he first in the newspaper about her ,then she would come after him.
    The then Prime Minister of that day had a right to tell them to come home as the late Hon Errol Barrow former Prime Minister of Barbados told his High commissioner to London the late Mr Walton Ramsay to come home when he Erred. Also the late Hon Seymour Arthur told Mr Simmons to come home from London also, or he should have been coming back home with them.
    Where he wants to lead the D.L.P out in the sea next to the Hilton and the yacht club?
    I thought i hear the “integrity Commission” said the Caribbean Court of Justice say no bribes, he told the moderator of V.O.B “he has $250,000 to put in the D.L.P if he wins the presidency of the D.L.P and that Verla De Pezia can’t lead him and he would give her his blessings to run in St.Lucy.” A lot of bilged or gibberish comes from his mouth.
    Who that man thinks he is, the Hilton hotel? Who is paying their sub for him as president of the D.L.P to carry him and who is running behind him up at the hilton and yacht club for receptions and I outside looking in as for the yacht club ! I don’t know if I’m allowed on the sands or at the door in front. This is something I have to find out.
    LOOK PEOPLE
    Vote Verla De Pezia for President & Leader of the D.L.P her vision for this great party is conceptualized,realistic and can work. She and her team Damiem Griffith, Andre Worrell, Jeff Shepherd, Rayan Walters and the others who are aboard with her ideas to take the D.L.P and this Country forward in these times.
    This is not about fame and fortune here. This is about this team caring about the D.L.P base, and the D.L.P supporters out there and wanting to see the betterment of Barbados.

    Written by a member of the Christ Church West Central Branch

  16. David Avatar
    David

    Guy cannot be any worse to the establishment crop.

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