The ongoing ‘situation’ brought about by the application of sitting member of parliament Ralph Thorne to the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has morphed into the laughable. The majority of onlookers anticipated Thorne’s application would have been routinely accepted and just like that the DLP would have used the lifeline to regain relevance in the eyes of an electorate that rejected it twice in two general elections and in a by election. Not to mention access to a subvention naughtily withheld by Prime Minister Mottley to blunt the effectiveness of the duopoly.
Last evening news broke that the 26 member DLP Executive voted to delay making a decision on Thorne’s application because it is a road the party has not travelled before. In fairness to the DLP Executive one can understand the hesitance because of the implication to the leadership of the party.
Any other new member applying for membership would have been accepted once the rules of the DLP were met – “All persons of the age of 16 years and upward are eligible for membership of the Democratic Labour Party, provided that: (a) They are nationals, citizens or residents of Barbados, or their descendants; (b) They are not members or supporters of any other political party in Barbados; (c) They are not members or supporters of any group or organisation whose object are prejudicial to incompatible with those of the Democratic Labour Party.” In this case by accepting Thorne’s membership, as a member of parliament he becomes political leader of the DLP, a situation that will marginalise incumbent President Ronnie Yearwood, whose role would demote to being administrative..
Thorne has not helped his effort to smooth the transition by appointing two Senators, Watson and Walters, without it seems consulting the key players on the DLP (executive). It appears to be a miscalculation on his part given the deep divisions known to exist within the party. To date Yearwood has struggled to mend those fences and Thorne’s entry appears to have given life to the ‘old guard’. A guard that was soundly rejected at the polls.
The DLP finds itself in a situation where an incarcerated Donville Inniss sits on the DLP executive BUT former member Thorne has to wait to be admitted. The irony!
Whatever happens from here initial comment from Barbadians ‘hungry’ for a relevant political opposition suggest disgust at the recent turn of events at George Street. A win win position maybe for Thorne to fire one of the two elected Senators and appoint Yearwood to the Senate, it would be the ultimate act of embarrassment by him to establish good-faith with the new DLP management AND President Yearwood.
The more protracted this matter gets the bigger the black eye and continuing fall from grace in the eyes of the public. One has to admit the public has become short on patience with the inability of the DLP to resolve differences as the so called government in waiting. If this continues the Barbadians Labour Party is waiting to do the unthinkable, three 30 loves!
Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive
Sir Walter Scott
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.