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BLP Win 30-0, Again

The Barbados Labour Party (BLP) in a surprising result won all 30 seats again in a snap election called 18 months before constitutionally due by Mia Mottley. In the coming weeks there will be robust debate about how our democracy optimally serves Barbadians with a muted dissenting voice. One may argue a healthy democracy requires…

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The Barbados Labour Party (BLP) in a surprising result won all 30 seats again in a snap election called 18 months before constitutionally due by Mia Mottley.

In the coming weeks there will be robust debate about how our democracy optimally serves Barbadians with a muted dissenting voice. One may argue a healthy democracy requires a strident dissenting voice. Barbados is traveling an uncharted path given the 2018 and 2022 general election results and BELOW 50% turnout (anecdotal). In the coming weeks our attention will turn to government’s management of COVID 19, the economy, the health of political opposition and a few other key issues.

Whither the political opposition?

The blogmaster congratulates the BLP on the win and offers the advice – to whom much is given, much is expected.

493 responses to “BLP Win 30-0, Again”

  1. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    “It would appear that 30-0 is a sacred number and must be defended”

    it blows the Parliament model out of the water as there is no puppet show of different sides arguing and showing off

    How many other democratic countries have ever had Zero Opposition, Republic of Barbados must be the first

  2. African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2021. All Rights Reserved Avatar
    African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2021. All Rights Reserved

    William, Miller…….hope they all got LIFE RAFTS…and back up plans…lol

  3. David Avatar
    David

    @Kiki

    You do not have to respond to all comments.

  4. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Barbados will have to have a new model where grass roots organisations for single or various issues are formed who can communicate with Government over their concerns and changes they want. This should be people orientated not business and money orientated.

  5. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    “You do not have to respond to all comments.”

    OK Boss

    I am

    going to

    knock it

    on the head

    So long Farewell Aufwiedersehn Goodnight I hate to go and leave this pretty sight So long Farewell Aufwiedersehn Adeiu Adeiu Adeiu To yieu and yieu and yieu So long Farewell Au ‘voire Aufwiedersehn I’d like to stay and taste my first champagne So long Farewell Aufwiedersehn Goodbye I leave and heave a sigh and say goodbye Goodbye! I’m glad to go I cannot tell a lie I flit I float I fleetly flee I fly The sun has gone to bed and so must I So long Farewell Aufwiedersehn Goodbye– Goodbye… Goodbye… Goodbye… Goodbye…

  6. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    “How many other democratic countries have ever had Zero Opposition, Republic of Barbados must be the first.”

    Grenada.

  7. Disgusting Lies & Propaganda TV Avatar
    Disgusting Lies & Propaganda TV

    David January 22, 2022 5:03 AM

    As i stated I did it to dismiss the notion that having those in isolation voting would have changed the result in any of the seats as is, as of the 2022 elections. That doesn’t however remove their right to vote. There are ~6000 now what if there where 18,000 in isolation (god forbid) at election time or if the victory margins were even closer? Then there would be an even stronger case to have them vote in what turned out to be a low turnout election. The EBC would have had no choice but to accommodate those sort of numbers to get the chance to vote. I will hope that The BLP Administration would modify that relevant act to allow such persons to vote without having to leaving their homes / places of isolation

  8. David Avatar
    David

    @DLP&Lies

    We should get on with changing the law to give EBC the room to deal with a future occurrence. According to Bill Gates we will be having more pandemics of the Covid 19 type.

  9. African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2021. All Rights Reserved Avatar
    African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2021. All Rights Reserved

    I have made PUBLIC all the information needed to INDIVIDUALLY TRANSFORM…and TRANSITION….with more added daily…

    it’s a personal choice, no one is asking anyone to do anything….people will recognize what they must.

  10. Disgusting Lies & Propaganda TV Avatar
    Disgusting Lies & Propaganda TV

    The other issue is the requirement of Leader of the Opposition in the Lower House. The govt should have amended he constitution from the first 30 – 0 but were distracted by Rev Atherley crossing the floor. Now we may have the farce of someone that ran under the BLP to “cross the floor” AGAIN. I stated earlier that the person technically does not have to leave the party but Bajans expect such a person to. That is one of the “flaws” of the First- Past- the-Post system. A party can theoretically win all 30 seats by having only 30 more votes than the other party. Each MP only has to win their seat by 1 vote. All I can think of is someone temporarily crossing the floor to allow the Lower house to function to have the constitution amended.

  11. David Avatar
    David

    @DLP&Liea

    Good point.

  12. John Avatar
    John

    Any candidate needs four persons to nominate them, a proposer, a seconder and two to assent.

    The Leader of the opposition must have atleast a proposer and seconder or else he/she cannot be selected.

    It means that the opposition MUST be comprised of 3 people.

    30 – 0 cannot work
    29 – 1 cannot work
    28 – 2 cannot work

    Without a leader of the opposition which commands atleast 3 seats there can be no Parliament.

    This is basic commonsense.

    We are watching another cycle of pretense.

  13. John Avatar
    John

    It follows we will go another undefined period without a parliament.

    When are the next elections constitutionally due?

    I forgot, we don’t have a constitution!!

    We are not a Republic.

    We don;’t have a President.

    The Queen remains the head of State of Barbados.

    … and the “naked red woman” is not a National Hero.

    This is the reality of our situation whether we like to accept it or not!!

  14. John Avatar
    John

    ArtaxJanuary 22, 2022 10:08 AM

    “How many other democratic countries have ever had Zero Opposition, Republic of Barbados must be the first.”

    Grenada.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Look harder and you will see how it is overcome!!

  15. Heritage Vs. Jump Avatar
    Heritage Vs. Jump

    Book of Rules
    Rule 1
    There are No Rules

    30 versus 0 (No Cigar) shows flaws in the legacy system of parliament inherited from human traffickers and slave traders
    their monarch figurehead was just dumped like a sack of rotten potatoes that smelled foul and made your guts wretch
    So now is the perfect opportunity for some free flow freestyle freedom to replace the old ordered institutional heritage

    Heritage Vs. Jump

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBka9E3-69A

  16. Disgusting Lies & Propaganda TV Avatar
    Disgusting Lies & Propaganda TV

    @John Boy the opposition had only 2 members between 1999 and 2003 and 3 between 1986 and 1991. What you are positing is proabably an ideal concept you have but to put that in the constitution in a first past the post system is just convoluting it even more. In my Appointed (President’s) Opposition concept though when the First Past the post system gives an absolute majority to 1 party or really if the PM commands all of the MPs support then proportional representation can be resorted to to give a min 3 “reduced power” seats in the Lower house to loosing candidates

  17. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    All I can think of is someone temporarily crossing the floor to allow the Lower house to function to have the constitution amended.
    +++++++++++
    Well Mia did say that they would provide their own Opposition, BTW the Bishop suggested that Symmonds take on his old role.

    Man Overboard 😊

  18. David Avatar
    David

    A farcical situation if we want to promote an authentic democratic model.

    Fix it!

  19. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    If I was a betting man, I would put my money on Hinkson, he like Atherley was a Minister and is far away from the Cabinet as I am, so a little extra pocket change would help. I didn’t see Symmonds as filling that role as he will retain a Ministry and he has hopes for higher office.

  20. David Avatar
    David

    @Sargeant

    A better bet is Trevor Prescod.

  21. Heather Avatar
    Heather

    @Sargeant what if all 17 of the reported disgruntled persons decided to cross the floor and be the Opposition. There would be a Constitutional crisis. 17 is more than half of 30. What is happening is a clear example of why there should have been Constitutional changes prior to becoming a Republic.

  22. Heather Avatar
    Heather

    I have not looked at the online news for today yet but up until yesterday there were no notices of International congratulations for this Administration.

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @Heather

    You should take a look then.

  24. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @Sargeant, respectfully but if that happened (your 12:21 PM) that would be a farce…bordering on ‘a fix’.

    You are aware that despite his removal from cabinet last time around that he is (was?) close with MAM… maybe @SS can affirm if they are related. I think they may be.

    Regardless, based on the backstories of these relationship if he were to do that it would an indictment of the abject corrupt nature of our politics and make a more ridiculous farce of the entire process.

    He certainly can’t need that extra change (he is wealthy enough) to the detriment of his reputation but then again maybe he would see it as a boost in reputational ascendency…SMH!

    “what if all 17 of the reported disgruntled persons decided to cross the floor and be the Opposition. There would be a Constitutional crisis. 17 is more than half of 30. What is happening is a clear example of why there should have been Constitutional changes prior to becoming a Republic.”

    Actually not really…if that were to happen then that would be effectively a ‘no confidence’ move and the new leader would take over as he/she would then be able to go to President with support of a majority of cabinet. Thus MAM would be THE Opposition leader…

  25. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    None of the latter could ever happen….that would cause actual physical violence possibly.

    The LT Col would be forced back into the spotlight much quicker than he expected, surely …. let’s not let our imaginations go totally crazy now!

  26. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @David
    A better bet is Trevor Prescod.
    ++++++++
    He is a loose cannon and may actually embrace that role to the chagrin of the PM. Do you remember how he promised to spill secrets after he was dropped from the Cabinet? The PM had to quickly assign a “make work” project for him on poverty to keep him quiet

  27. African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2021. All Rights Reserved Avatar
    African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2021. All Rights Reserved

    “What is happening is a clear example of why there should have been Constitutional changes prior to becoming a Republic.”

    tried to tell them not doing so would cause it to end badly…NTSH…just another famous and consistent cockup…you are the one have to protect yaself from all of this and if ya don’t, oh well.

  28. David Avatar
    David

    @Sargeant

    That is funny.

  29. African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2021. All Rights Reserved Avatar
    African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2021. All Rights Reserved

    Time to TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR OWN DESTINY…..and stop others from doing it.

    Afrikan descents have OPTIONS….stop letting the dead and dying make their small island decisions because they put up the funding for vote buying elections..

    “Under the Nationality and Borders Bill, which will now go to the House of Lords, the government plans to add a clause which will give powers to remove people’s citizenship without informing them.

    The British government says that it could be used if a person has another citizenship to fall back on such as their parents’ place of birth.

    The bill states stripping citizenship without notifying the person would be used in situations such as maintaining relations with other countries and “in the public interest”

  30. African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2021. All Rights Reserved Avatar
    African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2021. All Rights Reserved

    Afrikan descents have OPTIONS….stop letting the dead and dying make their small island decisions because they put up the funding for vote buying elections..

    money they TIEF FROM YOU …by the way…lol

  31. John Avatar
    John

    HeatherJanuary 22, 2022 1:35 PM

    @Sargeant what if all 17 of the reported disgruntled persons decided to cross the floor and be the Opposition.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    You mean like de Reverent Joe crossed de floor to an imaginary opposition and ended up choosing himself to be the imaginary opposition’s leader.

    You can’t make up this shit.

    It is all pretense, not even politics.

    What has gone on in Barbados is complete utter rubbish and all make believe.

  32. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    TLSN

    Since I’m the only individual who mentioned “Grenada” and for other obvious reasons, I know the term “BU’s chief archiver” is a snide reference to me.

    On Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 8:42 AM, 555dubstreet asked, “How many other democratic countries have ever had Zero Opposition, Republic of Barbados must be the first.”

    At 10:08 AM, I simply responded with, “Grenada.”

    For you to post I “stated how Barbados along with Grenada were the only two democratic countries in the hemisphere to have achieved such obscene electoral results,” is a LIE……… a BLATANT MISREPRESENTATION of what I ACTUALLY posted.

    I’m asking you if you’re going to refer to any comment I made in this forum, PLEASE do so ACCURATELY…… and DO NOT ATTRIBUTE comments to me that I NEVER MADE.

  33. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    John January 22, 2022 11:16 AM #: “Look harder and you will see how it is overcome!!”

    @ John

    555dubstreet asked a question and I gave an answer.

    Why should I have “to look harder” at anything else, especially when what you referred to was totally irrelevant to the question?

  34. John Avatar
    John

    Look harder and you will find out how it is dealt with in the couple of times it has occurred in commonwealth countries.

    One country would not surprise but the other would.

    I did all this digging in 2018, you mean you learnt nothing?

  35. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    @ Artax,
    Piece would often refer to you as the superlative BU archivist. Forgive me for being presumptive in my use of a similar term to describe you.

    With reference to your last paragraph, I accept your point. Have a pleasant evening, Sir.

  36. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @Sargeant “what if all 17 of the reported disgruntled persons decided to cross the floor and be the Opposition.”

    If 17 people crossed the floor, they would not be the opposition. They would be the government, 17-13.

  37. John Avatar
    John

    Cuhdear BajanJanuary 23, 2022 6:26 PM

    @Sargeant “what if all 17 of the reported disgruntled persons decided to cross the floor and be the Opposition.”

    If 17 people crossed the floor, they would not be the opposition. They would be the government, 17-13.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    How would they cross the floor with no opposition to cross to?

    As pointed out, more probably they would bring a no confidence motion, force elections and hope to be returned as the Government..

  38. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Steupse! The Constitution does not recognise political parties.

    There is no crossing of the floor only an agreement to support a leader.

  39. John Avatar
    John

    FYI

    “The PAP has held an overwhelming majority of seats in the Parliament of Singapore since 1966, when the opposition Barisan Sosialis (Socialist Front) resigned from Parliament after winning 13 seats following the 1963 general election, which took place months after a number of their leaders had been arrested in Operation Coldstore based on accusations of being communists.[36] It subsequently achieved a monopoly in an expanding parliament (winning every parliamentary seat) for the next four elections (1968, 1972, 1976 and 1980). Opposition parties returned to the legislature at a 1981 by-election. The 1984 general election was the first election in 21 years in which opposition parties won seats. From then until 2006, the PAP faced four opposition MPs at most. Opposition parties did not win more than four parliamentary seats from 1984 until 2011 when the Workers’ Party won six seats and took away a Group Representation Constituency (GRC) for the first time for any opposition party.

    Even so, it still holds a supermajority in the legislature, to the point that Singapore is effectively a dominant party system. With its supermajority, the PAP has always had the ability to amend the Constitution of Singapore without much obstruction, including the introduction of multi-member constituencies under the Group representation constituency (GRC) system or Nominated Member of Parliament (NMPs), which has helped strengthened the government’s dominance and control of Parliament.[51]”

  40. John Avatar
    John

    FYI

    “Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko maintained his hold on power after results published early on Monday (18 November) showed not a single opposition candidate had won a seat in parliamentary elections over the weekend.

    Lukashenko has governed the former Soviet country with an iron fist for a quarter of a century and plans to extend his rule beyond next year, announcing on Sunday he would stand in the 2020 presidential election.

    The 65-year-old has given more leeway to the opposition and released political prisoners in recent years in a bid to improve ties with the West after rowing with traditional ally Moscow.

    But official data on Monday showed, on a 77% turnout, no opposition figure won a seat. At the last election in 2016, two opposition members won seats for the first time in 20 years but neither was allowed to stand again this time around.”

  41. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    THE RISE OF CARRIBEAN FEMALE LEADERS.

    https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/jan/21/female-leadership-is-good-for-the-world-just-look-at-barbados

  42. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    OUR constitution recognises no party. The government is formed because of majority support for a leader. Therefore if 17 persons decide to support someone other than Ms. Mottley, they form the government.

  43. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @ Donna January 24, 2022 9:52 AM

    That is exactly how it is. The country and the state are not the prey of any party, but are subject only to the will of the people. A fortiori, parties that have been voted out of office cannot claim any privileges. For example, immunity from US law enforcement when visiting Disney Land or their own villa in Florida.

    The whole debate about “democracy” and “constitutional crisis” revolves around the futile attempt to grant the DLP special rights that run counter to democracy.

    We have all seen in the Senate what happens when democratically illegitimate senators reject laws like the Anti-Corruption Act.

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