General Elections were held in Barbados on January 19th, 2022, and the ruling Administration the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) came away with a resounding victory capturing all 30 seats, leaving all the other opposition parties with zero. Today, 14 days after, now that the dust has settled, it is clear that despite this achievement, the government of Barbados is fighting for power.
The fight relates to the fact that Parliament cannot be seated as the Upper House or the Senate is not constituted. The winning party is like a ship without its rudder as it cannot steer or maneuver at sea. It is in limbo and at the mercy of the waves if caught in a storm. Without Parliament being fully constituted, the administration is unable to amend any law far less create new ones and start its agenda.
Based on the Constitution, two Opposition Senators are required in the make-up of the constituted Senate. Since no members of the opposing parties won any seats, it is left to the President based on the Constitution to act as the Leader of the Opposition and appoint 2 persons who opposed the BLP in the General Election.
The ruling Administration extended an offer to the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) which gained the second most votes to seat two of their Senators. The DLP refused stating that it was not a proper offer since the Prime Minister had no authority to extend the offer. Then the Attorney General walked back on the offer stating that the prime Minister was only seeking to facilitate their entry into Parliament and stating that there must be a meeting with the ruling Administration, the President and the DLP. At writing the DLP has not responded.
Is the Barbados Labour Party in Control?
Clearly the BLP wants to get on with its agenda which perhaps contains vaccine mandates, safe zones, IMF conditionalities and now the contentious issue of seating an 18-year-old in the Senate (even though they had previously opposed seating a 25 year old DLP Senator stating that he was too young). All these are now problematic due to the crisis of there not being a fully constituted Senate. In essence the government is operating in a system that they cannot control the outcome. At present it is powerless except for day-to-day administration. It makes one wonder how long the island can operate without a functioning Parliament. Perhaps there is some pressure based on a commitment to external forces that caused an offer to be extended to the DLP.
Does the Power lie in the Hands of the Democratic Labour Party?
Though it may seem a simple act of benevolence, the offer that was extended to the DLP cannot be construed as such. It was simply to use them to achieve the government’s agenda as the DLP simply will not have the numbers to halt any amendment or passing of a bill into law.
It is significant to note that accepting that offer would also set a precedent to exclude smaller parties from the House of Assembly at this time since they may not be the holder of the second highest tally of votes.
However, it is not only the DLP that has the power of choice; all the opposition parties and independent persons who took part in the General Elections have the same power of choice in deciding whether to accept an offer from the President simply because the Constitution does not recognize political parties, only people. If the opposition parties and independents signed an agreement to reject any such offer, the ship is rendered helpless, forced out to sea, or slammed into the rocks by the mighty waves. Clearly, the back of this Administration is against the wall.
Just selecting two Senators will not resolve this constitutional crisis. It is like prolonging agony not just kicking the ball down the road for someone else to correct later.
The System
The system controlled and manipulated Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC) based its decision to disenfranchise thousands of Barbadians and blamed it on the State of Emergency Protocols. This is unacceptable as the protocols were easily amended to suit tourists and celebrations for the Republic. It must be noted that the EBC did not disenfranchise its workers, some of whom must have been infected and spreaders of the virus because a few days later it had to close its office.
When the Attorney General lashed out at the DLP to stop playing politics, it came to light that he did not realize that the fight is not against them but against the voracious beast of a system whose actions his own party has taken to a whole new level by paying social media influencers from the public purse, by obtaining campaign funds from local and international financers as well as maintaining a Department of Communications while the Government Information Service still exists.
The system has now taken on a life of its own and as the song by Jah Cure says, “Babylon can’t feed this beast” and there is no mechanism in place to control it. The system is now working in overdrive to maintain the 2 Barbadoses’. One with the rich man in his castle and the poor man destined to remain at his gate. One in which the tourist sees a paradise and the workers go home to pull back the curtain to show the stark reality of their lives. One in which economic enfranchisement will never be given to the poor. The Poverty Alleviation Fund remains empty, yet government can hold a lavish celebration for a meaningless Republic. The system has made sure that justice is not for the poor. That poor black men are paraded like animals and incarcerated for a spliff like the inhumane conditions of slavery.
From independence, the system has made a mockery of the franchise with use of bribery through giving corn beef and biscuits to the gullible in exchange for their votes. The bribery has not stopped, the vote is now exchange for far more valuable items.
The system has also turned political campaign meetings into lavish parties with big stages and sound systems and bright lights to entice the youth to have a grand time as they listen to popular artistes. Those feel-good moments lead to a five-year sentence of hardship including lack of representation, high prices of food, constant increases in the cost of gasoline, lack of infrastructural development, lack of opportunities, no jobs and the desires for a better life come to naught.
The privileged few can escape the island for supposedly greener pastures, but the majority have no choice but to remain and face this hard brutish existence, yet they revere politicians more than themselves. The cycle of economic poverty for the lower class is perpetrated by political parties. They pay back their campaign financers with big contracts and titles, but they only provide scraps and promises to the people who elected them.
The actions of this system, expressed in the words of Bob Marley is “Babylon system is a vampire, sucking the blood of the sufferers.” The pervasive corrupt practices that start by ensuring that a party dominates the first pass the post Westminster System has been to the detriment of the social and economic life of ordinary Barbadians.
We must kill this beast. It has outlived its usefulness. But perhaps, the system is turning on itself, decaying from within, just like the Roman Empire and we can no longer choose to ignore this fact. On two consecutive occasions it has produced a winner without power. On the first occasion Mr. Joseph Atherley crossed the floor from the BLP, became the leader of the Opposition and formed his own party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Mr. Atherley’s crossing the floor of the House of Assembly was not a solution, it was just respite. The administration ignored this, and the situation has presented itself again.
What decisions will the President of the Republic make?
The President’s authority rests in the Constitution. She can extend an offer to any of the candidates who took part in the General Election to oppose the government since the Constitution does not recognize political parties. However, if she does this the system remains unchallenged. The Senators will be unable to halt the amendment or passage of any legislation which they deem unsuitable or in the best interest of Barbadians.
The question one must ask is if the President can challenge the system by not siding with the BLP or the Opposition and if she can send the electorate back to the polls. The grounds for this being that the General Election held on January 19th, 2022, was neither free nor fair. The following must occur if the President has the authority and chooses to send the electorate back to the polls.
- A suitable time frame must be provided that allows the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC) to get its act together to ensure that persons are not disenfranchised.
- Provisions be made for persons in isolation and quarantine to vote.
- Options be provided for voting such as by mail or online or other means to facilitate those who do not wish to attend a polling station during the pandemic.
In addition, a Referendum be held at the time of the General Elections to implement the Proportional Representation System in the House of Assembly as the best solution to the current constitutional crisis. One may ask, why such a system? The answer is that it will truly allow representation for all the votes cast by the people of Barbados, it allows for inclusion of all political parties and Independents in the Parliament if they meet a certain threshold of votes (1%).
Senators must also be elected. It should not be a privilege to sit in the Senate, it must be a right by achievement.
We also need a monitoring system enacted into law that prevents wealthy campaign financers from determining what happens and what will never happen in Barbados.
DavidFebruary 6, 2022 1:28 PM
@Dee Word
Agree both interpretations require careful analysis. Nicholls seemed to have stated that a parliament does not in a literal sense cease to exist at dissolution. Will have to listen to the recorded to be as lucid as Patterson was to you in his interpretation LOL.
@ David, I have never heard it been said at the dissolution of Parliament that the seats are vacant. Dissolution means closure. Vacancies can occur in a sitting Parliament by death or reassignment etc. There can be no vacancy in something that does not exist. Mr. Nicholls vacancy explanation is not rational.
@Heather
The people elected the BLP with 30 seats. Twice.
Agree
Mr. Nicholls was not logical.
Mr. Patterson presented a better case.
But still, neither addressed the crux of the matter, the Leader of the Opposition.
Having spent a quarter century in court and seen how the brotherhood operates I am wary when I see a profusion of words around a simple construct.
The engineer in me.
It doesn’t matter how many senators can fit on a pinhead.
All that matters is the Leader of the Opposition.
He/she is the source of life for Parliament.
The basic tenet of a Parliamentary Democracy is that there are two protagonists.
30 – 0 flies in the face of the foundation on which Parliament is founded.
It simply cannot produce a constitutional Parliament.
Founded should be grounded … better word.
FYI
DavidFebruary 7, 2022 11:46 PM
@Heather
The people elected the BLP with 30 seats. Twice.
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“And those people should not be listened to who keep saying the voice of the people is the voice of God, since the riotousness of the crowd is always very close to madness’’.
All this back and forth should come to an end soon
Mia has shown not once but twice in the space of a month that she has the power to exclude and mash up and break up the Constitution in a month no.matter what laws or the the laws are written when those two Constitutional ammendments are passed by an unconstitutional Parliament
Who was it that said Power corrupts absolutely
Looking forward to.more ammendments being passed to fit her fancies and whims
Even having those two senators nothing other than a rebellion within her party can stop Mia from taking Barbados and barbadians down a dangerous path of authoritarian rule by this power hungry PM
House call
DLP TO CLOSELY MONITOR DEBATE ON CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES TO ALLOW OPPOSITION PARTY, TEENAGER IN SENATE
By Randy Bennett
The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is now waiting to see if the Constitution Amendment Bill will be passed in Parliament before making a final decision on whether they will accept the offer to appoint two Opposition Senators.
Interim president Steve Blackett, who last month rejected Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s proffer for the party to choose the two Senators on the grounds that she did not have the power to do so, said the DLP would be closely monitoring the debates scheduled to be held in the Lower House tomorrow and the Upper House on Wednesday.
“When it is cloaked in all the Constitutional best practices and regards we will look at it. It is nothing that I personally will look at but the organs of the party will look at it, so that’s where we are,” Blackett told Barbados TODAY.
Blackett admitted though, that the DLP, which received the second-highest votes in the recently concluded January 19 general election, would consider the offer once the party felt it was done within the confines of the law.
“It has to come properly before us before I even engage the organs.
So that’s the period that we are in now. We are just waiting until the legislation is passed because it has to go to the Upper Chamber after it passes the Lower House tomorrow, so there is a little period before they get to us formally.
“When they write to us formally saying that this is the case then we will assemble at George Street and we will look at it. We will decide first if to accept it and once we accept it we will put a process in place to identify those senators,” Blackett further added.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Alliance Party for Progress (APP) Bishop Joseph Atherley has declined to say whether that party would be willing to name the two Opposition senators if the DLP declined.
PM Mottley had explained last Friday that if the DLP rejected the offer to appoint the senators it would fall to the party with the next highest number of votes, which would be the APP.
However, Atherley told Barbados TODAY the matter had not yet been discussed by the party.
“I haven’t seen the amendment that is being proposed and will be discussed in Parliament tomorrow and therefore, I have not discussed that with the APP so I am not in a position to comment on it.
I would have to see the amendment first and would have to have a discussion with the APP. None of the two of those things has happened,” Atherley noted.
He contended that the appointment of an Opposition Leader in the Lower House was of even more importance than the appointment of two senators.
Atherley said if that was done first then everything else would fall into place.
“The bigger issue is the Leader of the Opposition. Once you solve the problem of the Leader of the Opposition the problem of the two senators takes care of itself…and that is why the legislative amendment should speak to that,” Atherley said. randybennett@barbadostoday.bb
Blackett
Everybody knows the law would be ammendment
The govt holds the majority seats to do so
PM offer would stand the dlp has shown its weakness by being silent and not having a legal stance upon which to fight a defense and protect the Constitution
Mia now have the right to stand on any political platform or at any event inside or outside of Parliament to say that govt while distinguishing herself as the Saviuor of the dlp party
So sad that a party that was big and strong has weakened to the point of preventing themselves from looking strong while accepting another defeat
We do not need constitutional favour for any so-called party, but harmony, stability and order.
Our Supreme Leader alone can ensure this.
All we need is a Leader of the Opposition!!
All we need is harmony, stability and peace. In one phrase: an almighty ruler.
TronFebruary 8, 2022 9:08 AM
All we need is harmony, stability and peace. In one phrase: an almighty ruler.
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While we await the Second Coming the need to call Ms Mockley and her fellow insurrectionists to account is palpable.
WOW, Silence all day, almost 24 Hours!!
What can it mean?
Enjoy!!
We’re alot smarter than frogs, aren’t we?
My Gosh
Everybody gone quiet!!
lol…ya should have known..
Well, to be fair, I never had an issue except with your stupid arguments.
DE GUVMENT IN PLACE!
Your stupidity can now be ignored!
Case CLOSED!
Another unconstitutional Parliament whose actions are open to review!!
sin duda.
Oh oh!!
https://barbadostoday.bb/2022/02/09/former-ag-files-constitutional-motion-over-senate-makeup/
Wonder if they will get Ciciley Chase
Old AG suing new AG!!!
So who is the new AG and who appointed him/her?
It is the former AG officeholder suing the Office of the AG, not the person.
John Citizen or in this case Adriel Braithwaite suing the office of the AG
Everybody struck dumb!!
Struck dumb by Adriel’s stupidity!
What exactly can the courts do?
Order us back to the polls on the basis of an “undesirable” result???
Order us back to the polls to vote in an opposition???
What nonsense?
What is the remedy? I hear all kinds of criticism but I hear no remedy!
I swear that American Assholery has taken hold of Barbados!!!!
I hope you assholes know that Mia still has all the cards. She can send Cynty across to get some of the public funds that we are currently saving!
Assholes!
If House(s) of Parliament do/does not exist and there is no opposition only a complete idiot could accept someone’s claim to cross the floor?
That is pure comedy.
There is no floor to cross .. the person would fall in the cellar
Asshole! An election was held. People hold legitimate seats. The Constitution does not recognise parties. The Lower House is in place. All somebody has to do is declare to the President that they no longer support Ms. Mottley as leader and that person is then in opposition.
The President cannot question that person’s intent.
That person, being recognised as the Opposition then recommends two senators to the President.
Mia can recommend another seat warmer and it is finished.
All you do is talk a lotta shite but cannot say how we can achieve a government.
And we all know that a government must and will be formed! We also know that no new election can guarantee a different result. We also know that we will not be ordered into what could be a never-ending election cycle.
The people have spoken. “Stop making a poppet of yourself!”
John…all we can do is 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 and wait for the charade to end….but wait…there is a reason for the charade….
What an unholy alliance – The Trump supporter and the Afrikan Freedom Fighter!
Strange bedfellows indeed when one cries,”Stop police brutality!” and the other cries,”More police brutality!”
It is hilarious to see them awkwardly attempt to sleep in one bed. Surely one must kick the other off!
Makes me wonder – who would you want in witness chair in the event of a police killing of your relative, me…. or John?
Human beings are interesting creatures.
John..i know you will figure it all out eventually. More to come.
DonnaFebruary 10, 2022 12:13 PM
Makes me wonder – who would you want in witness chair in the event of a police killing of your relative, me…. or John?
Human beings are interesting creatures.
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Very interesting.
Believe it or not the guy who assaulted me in 2014 called me as a witness on his behalf in the case the Police brought against him for assaulting someone else!!
He decided to conduct his defense himself.
The Police prosecutors were stunned as was I but I dutifully went to the new court near Bridgefield in St. Thomas and gave my evidence to the best of my ability.
I had to go several times and wait my turn which I dutifully did.
At the time the guy assaulted me and others, he was 29 years old and had already spent 10 years in jail, he is now 37 so almost half his life has been spent at Dodds.
The guy got several more years and he is yet to be prosecuted for assaulting me or the others.
What a waste of a life.
When he gets out he will probably be an arthritic.
Hopefully he will find Christ in Dodds.
You pass through Bridgefield on the way up to the Highlands of St. Thomas, and Endor.
Come to think about it he was prosecuted in the Oistins Magistrates Court for his assault on me.
The Police called me and I gave evidence against him at Oistins and was cross examined by him there.
The case in the St. Thomas Court was in the High Court which sentenced him to Dodds.
my G G