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Ralph Thorne reaches ‘dead end’

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Submitted by Victor Callender

What a politically castatrophic situation has befallen the Democratic Labor Party (DLP).The party founded by political stalwarts, and once a powerfully vaulted party in the lexicon of Caribbean politics, has fallen into disrepute. At the helm of this maniacy is Ralph Thorne, with fire in his belly, and a commitment to a political scorched earth mentality.

Mr. Thorne, who while a political backbencher in the [Barbados Labour Party] BLP, could not summon himself to meaningful political discourse, now parades in the DLP, with the mentality of Dr, Kevorkian. Claiming to have crime saving ideas, this officer of the court, only had to walk a few steps across the aisle of the House of Assembly, and reach out to the Attorney General of Barbados, and the Prime Minister of Barbados.

Mr. Thorne you will find yourself in the political potter’s grave, that dooms all who act and behave like you have. My old Ellerslie School teacher, Toney Olton, would always say to his students, “it is better to be thought of as a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” Mr. Thorne you opened your mouth, and from it came political, spiritual and mental midgetry. The Shakesearian end to a meaningless political career, and so it goes.

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150 responses to “Ralph Thorne reaches ‘dead end’”

  1. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    The new face of the dlp old farts and rejects
    When the Honourable Errol Barrow founded the dlp he was 35 years old
    This party inability to visualize a young and strigent members going forward into a new era which can bring new ideas and growth to the party is an indictment on the elder persons who continues to hold on to past ideologies that have hampered stagnate and more so creates division within the party

  2. David Avatar
    David

    It must have taken a lot out of you to make the comment AC. In the same way Barbados is allegedly pursuing parliamentary reform and a new constitution, we need a new governance model for political parties which are essential private members clubs which have national import.

  3. Frank Avatar
    Frank

    Nobody befell the DLP, they befelled themselves. A public display of what grasping for power looks like, and a stinging rebuke of Bajans, who cannot seem to bring themselves to vote other than B or D. So D it is, and a myriad of concerned citizens will battle for its leadership opportunity under the guise of wanting to serve Barbadians. They will echo names of the dead, in the hope it stirs emotional support. Speak to historical records. For other than a natural frustration swing away from the status quo, and that too contains hope, they have little else going for them. For anybody who still wishes to believe this isn’t about ME, just watch the show.

  4. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Wuhlaus! When you have lost ac, yuh loss!

  5. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Before the usual suspects wake up with their repeated messaging on the bu
    I will say that this Ralph nonsense is just part of the generic problem in politics

    If politicians don’t work for the people
    then people should not support them

    don’t waste your energy on them
    don’t be naive to believe they have morals
    or care about you
    it’s just another hustle
    and bullshit talking

    People are drawn into this games of charades
    with one side versus the the other
    like WWE wrestling which is all an act

    you pick a side and argue with each other
    and get shafted
    and then wonder why shit ain’t changing

  6. Observing Avatar
    Observing

    @Donna
    You sure ac isn’t one of the ones that resigned? lol

    @Frank and David
    Correct, a new way of doing things is needed. But, it should still be buttressed by order and values.

    @ac
    I have been trying to work out how long these divisions have been. Seems like forever!!!!

  7. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Why is it so impossible for anybody here, except possibly Bushie, to correctly tell a recent history?

    Why are most blinded to the core facts?

    Has there been any direct counter narrative that Thorne made a mistake by elevating a woman to the senate who held, at least, divided loyalties and found it impossible to help him, as leader, in any way?

    Why is Watson getting a free pass for the exercise of such dishonesty within the public square?

    Why did she accept the position, knowing where her loyalties lie, and then failing to resign after not having the decency to at least operate in the party’s interests?

    Is it because she’s a woman?

    Can anybody here cite a single instance where Watson attended any media event with Thorne and helped him with any argument?

    More directly, she was, and maybe more firmly is, a supporter of Yearwood. This is the unspoken truth here!

    Can the people here who ad infinitum complain about maladministration, the absence of governance, or people like William Skinner, who continue with notions about the lack of leadership, not consider that, in the circumstances thus, Thorne himself would have been unfit for leadership should he shown himself as lacking the intestinal fortitude to correct his own mistake.

    Separately

    The old DLP to which people like AC refer has been failing since Barrow died. We are saying that Sandiford, Mascol, Stuart, de woman from St. Lucy and to a lesser extent Thompson have misled the DLP to death.

    Thorne maybe, just maybe, the small chance for a DLP revival within the short term. Meaning, the reemergence of the DLP as an equal partner within the duopoly. A duopoly which itself cannot continue much longer.

    For beyond DLP/BLP the centre cannot hold. Neither party is able to confront the forces threatening this system.

    Thorne may yet prove himself to be cut from the same leadership cloth. But that he has the balls to shoot a general in a public place, at least shows a necessary even if insufficient leadership characteristic.

  8. The OG Avatar
    The OG

    👍@000 👍
    Though it is a rare event, you are on the mark this morning.

    It is a silly game that we play called elections.
    I consider it as similar to changing batteries Eveready vs Duracell.
    However, the electorate pretends that it sees a difference between the two groups of hustlers, “get shafted and then wonder why shit ain’t changing”

  9. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    Unbelievable that fools within the dlp party going on social media platforms with a continuing sopera of written pages of wanting to shame Tricia
    What these fools don’t understand at her young age she has already won the hearts and minds of barbadians as she has demonstrated by her works in and out of Parliament that her desire is to be an advocate for the people
    Some how these dlp fools don’t understand what the words backlash means and how those words can affect a party negatively

  10. Peter Thompson Avatar
    Peter Thompson

    I used to be a member of the Democratic Labor Party. I joined after the 2022 election because I felt a responsibility to help rebuild the party because Barbados needs an effective opposition.

    I did not resign from the DLP, a few months ago I was expelled. I was expelled because I wrote a letter to the editor at the Nation newspaper, expressing my opposition to putting Mr. Donville Inniss on the general council of the party. Donville Inniss is in breach of Article 2.(xx) of the constitution of the DLP; this article makes it clear that corruption and bribery have no place within the party.

    Instead of abiding by their constitution, the DLP decided on my expulsion. They did this at a secret meeting to which I was not invited, and they did not even have the decency to inform me of the decision until months after it had taken place.

    This is the DLP of 2024. My expulsion is a badge of honor.

  11. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    “Why is Watson getting a free pass for the exercise of such dishonesty within the public square?”

    Watson is more popular than Thorne by a country mile
    she has her own mind which is not up for sale

    the little geezer crossed the floor and then shat all over the DLP floor
    when Ralph offered her a job she did not realise he meant a blow job

    Tables are turning..
    people are disgusted in that little snake man
    The harder they come the harder they fall one and all

  12. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    WWE Smackdown
    Tricia should have joined the BLP and run for the Christ Church South nomination contest today as she would have beaten the old billy goat

  13. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    How many more have leave the DLP before the dust settles?

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2024/08/31/women-exodus-exposes-deep-rooted-misogyny-in-dlp/

  14. David Avatar
    David

    The LoO has an expectation that a Senator he appointed would push his narratives. Senators and ministers are appointed at the pleasure and of the PM, LoO and President. We tend to conflate issues in this space. The fact that Watson is popular remains irrelevant. Thorne and the DLP will have to manage the political fallout, if they can.

  15. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    PLT

    We are sorry to read this. Of course, knowing why you joined and having been so expelled is a tragedy.

    Even as this writer felt at the time you announced your best intentions to join, that the DLP had to find ways to save itself, if not, that it be allowed to die.

    Our position remains, not to be a member of any party, not to vote for anyone, in any country.

    Weee shall remain content to stay on the sidelines and pelt some big rocks, most times.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    The ‘oh betide woman’ narrative is simply a group taking a position for political purposes. The DLP has been accused of not promoting women for years. It is ironic all is unfolding in the wake of the death Maisie Barker-Welch.

  17. Peter Thompson Avatar
    Peter Thompson

    @Pachamama
    Ralph Thorne has behaved in a profoundly cowardly manner… it grieves me to say this because I was a strong supporter of his membership of the DLP.

    He has not mustered the courage to face the membership of the party in any internal election. I am reliably informed that he has relied instead on corrupt zoom meetings of the general council where people who were entitled to speak were muted and people who were entitled to vote were blocked from the meeting entirely.

    I do not understand how he could be so cowardly that he couldn’t run for the Presidency of the party… even after Yearwood and Blackett had been expelled.

  18. John2 Avatar
    John2

    Tracia go join the upp and he fraction not Ronnie0 though

  19. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    David disagree that her popularity is irrelevant in the political arena of today especially when social media plays an important part in driving narratives
    Now what voters see is a leader who draws a sword against one of their favorites
    A picture which can resonate in the minds of a voter and which can be held against him
    Also remember that popular leaders commands much of the attention from the voter

  20. John2 Avatar
    John2

    PT. Voting for president as I understand it can / will happen next year AGM.

  21. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Meanwhile at the DLP Social Media HQ
    HA HA HA HA HA HA
    [Knocking on the door rhythmically]
    [Ralphie the Clown] what’s the password?
    [DLP Youth] I see dead people

    Not Like Us
    Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop, Dot, fuck ’em up
    Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop, I’ma do my stuff
    Why you trollin’ like a bitch? Ain’t you tired?
    Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-Minor
    They not like us, they not like us, they not like us
    They not like us, they not like us, they not like us

    Once upon a time, all of us was in chains
    Homie still doubled down callin’ us some slaves
    Atlanta was the Mecca, buildin’ railroads and trains
    Bear with me for a second, let me put y’all on game
    The settlers was usin’ town folk to make ’em richer
    Fast-forward, 2024, you got the same agenda
    You run to Atlanta when you need a check balance
    Let me break it down for you, this the real nigga challenge

    Are you my friend?
    Are we locked in?
    Then step this way, step that way

  22. David Avatar
    David

    @ac

    Should the LoO and the Ralph Thorne controlled DLP ignore she has chosen not to be very visible at party events? Importantly her narratives in the Senate have lacked strong support for Thorne?

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @ac

    Watson has done good work as an intervenor but the criticism of her by some is that she tends to be self absorbed.

  24. Peter Thompson Avatar
    Peter Thompson

    @David,
    The role of a senator is NOT To kiss the party leaders feet and show up at social events.

    The role of a senator is to do the people’s business. The role of an opposition senator is to hold the government to account in their legislative agenda… to critique bills and hope to improve them.

    Rebuilding the party’s apparatus is the job of the elected party functionaries, the president and the handful of vice presidents etc. There Is zero room for a senator to pursue that agenda.

  25. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    What does self absorbed mean
    I guess because she doesn’t say yes to all of Thorne’s desires the best thing is to plant seeds of doubts in the minds of the people
    Also if Thorne had done right by the Dlp Constitution rather than taking it upon himself even before he was given the ok of membership with due diligence and respect
    Thorne would have met with board membership for guidance on his picks for senate seats
    Rather than! he provided his own unilateral choice
    Now that his decision doesn’t work out to his pleasing he ratchets up a game plan to place the blame on Tricia rather than himself

  26. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    PLT

    If your narrative turns out to be true, again a tragedy.

    However, what is described as cowardly could be seen as him coming up against an intrenched leadership ethos and not having time to consolidate support within. In these circumstances, he might have reasoned such contests are best avoided at this time.

    But that, to our mind is a distant secondary consideration for the DLP right now.

    In war some battles are best delayed. A strategy of attrition. We’ve said that politics is war by other means – Clausewitz, 1830’s sic. In reverse!

    For us the party most needed a leader who has a seat. And that leader should wield the traditional powers all others have, on both sides.

    Therefore, to invite a contest against people who have no seats but intended to control the leader of the opposition from George Street seems to be the kind of a two-headed monster unknown to either the BLP or DLP, the political culture!

    Certainly, those same members who you believe wound have wanted such a presidential election should have summoned the courage, you now demand of Thorne, to vote against his entrance into the party in the first place. For us, it took more than a modicum of courage for him to leave the BLP.

    Are these people not the same folks who voted to expel you instead of a known criminal?

    Might you not be slipping from you characteristic logical standards, maybe because of your bitter experiences therein?

  27. David Avatar
    David

    @Peter

    A bit idealistic but you are entitled to your opinion.

  28. Lorenzo Avatar
    Lorenzo

    Lorenzo
    As far as i am concerned,Ms Watson was appointed by Mr Thorne to the Senate snd csn and was fired by Mr Thorne.My view is Ms Watson comes across as arrogant,having been hyped up by certain people.I read somewhere where she claims she protected Mr Watson who was in over his head.Really?I heard both in the Senate and she did not outshine him in my view.This is the level of arrogance displayed by Ms Watson.The other question would be why was she not present for Mr Thorne,s speech?Lastly,it appears like seversl times she was slated to speak at meetings,she apparently was absent based on reports.In my view,based on her actions she got what she deserved.Any fall out Mr Thorne would have to deal with.

  29. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Wu wei is an ancient Chinese concept has a polymorphic meaning that expresses “inexertion”, “inaction”, or “effortless action”

    Ralph should have been more organic and attentive to the party he joined without the intention to force changes. When people take over business management in the real world they will play the nice guy with my door is open to everyone policy for a year or so to gain respect and then make natural changes. He became a tool for the old guard to manipulate and has irrecoverably split the party and loyal DLPers are now leaving the empty ship. If he wasn’t so clumsy and messy he could have achieved the same goals over a period of time without any blame.

  30. David Avatar
    David

    Clearly the Yearwood faction made serious mistakes in the fight for the leadership of the party.

    Why not invoke section 40 as advocated by Walter to trigger an extraordinary general meeting if he has the numbers? It requires only 20.

    This is against the background Yearwood and Blackett had issues with being expelled from the party?

    Why not wait on the Saturday morning for the meeting to be ‘constitutionally’ called to order before attempting to move a resolution?

    It was all too emotionally and blindly driven.

  31. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    “The role of a senator is NOT To kiss the party leaders feet and show up at social events. ”

    Senators in the upper house are meant to be non-partisan and are the means to hold the Government and Parliament to account for overreaching and untenable decisions in new laws or passing and signing them off to be made law

    They are the 2nd stage authorisation process to parliaments 1st stage verification of Governments inputs

    what Tricia said or thought about DLP or Ralph had nothing to do with her remit as Senator

    Ralph’s LoO work in the lower house has no significance in the upper house process

  32. David Avatar
    David

    Further, these are a bunch of septuagenarians or thereabouts mired in process, didn’t Yearwood consider waiting it out? On current trajectory the DLP will fail miserably at the next general election. All he has done is effectively stunted his political career.

  33. David Avatar
    David

    Steuspe

  34. Peter Thompson Avatar
    Peter Thompson

    @David
    I’m not idealistic, just principled.

    The Saturday morning resolution was moved AFTER the meeting had been constitutionally called to order. That is a fact.

  35. David Avatar
    David

    Didn’t Hal Gollop, Neil Marshall shake hands with Ricky Williams and agreed to talk over a bowl of soup to settled party problems?

    What happened?

    It was a big lie?

  36. David Avatar
    David

    @Peter

    It was widely reported in the media the meeting was not at the stage to take resolutions from the floor. This is different to calling the meeting to order.

    In addition to do what was intended 30 days had to be allowed for consideration my membership? It is these simple process matters which is turning off Barbadians from politics and politicians.

  37. David Avatar
    David

    Regarding your “I’m not idealistic, just principled” comment. This is not theory, it is the nuance of the democracy practiced in Barbados. If you are in the game and want to win you have to be aware of the realities of the situation.

    It was not unreasonable for Thorne to expect Watson to be ‘visible’ as a member of Team Thorne. What are we saying? Let us take the emotion out of it.

    Notwithstanding all of her goodwill with the public there was the growing perception with some members of the public she was playing a waiting game. It turned out to be a dangerous game.

  38. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @PLT
    Expulsion seems to be the order of the day for anyone who expresses an opinion contrary to certain entrenched individuals within the Party. I couldn’t fathom the expulsion of the former leader who was elected by a majority of the members during the last election cycle.

    The party is poorer for your loss as well as resignations of all the other individuals whose departures are being announced daily, seems that it will be relegated to a rump of people who are comfortable in a leader from the governing party who seized an opportunity to elevate his status through the unfortune circumstances of it not having an elected member.

    Stuart made a comment that following the last election loss, the party was looking for a Moses which was a criticism of the election of Yearwood, yet he was unable to see the irony of the party choosing Thorne as its current Moses.

  39. David Avatar
    David

    Quotes Of The Week

    “You have a small group of persons who have no legitimacy outside of these walls of George Street. They have been rejected by the public of Barbados twice. They’ve been rejected by the internal membership of this party and still they do not seem to understand that the Barbadian people, the DLP members, do not want them. I do not know what it’s going to take to give them that message.”

    – Expelled former president of the Democratic Labour Party Dr Ronnie Yearwood.

    “They did not allow us to even get to standing orders; they did not heed our requests to be quiet so that the conference could continue. They basically behaved, as was said, as a renegade group and prevented orderly members who were sitting in the auditorium from engaging in the business of the DLP. So, unfortunately, we were forced to put in place those measures.”

    – Acting president of the Democratic Labour Party Andre Worrell explaining why certain members were barred entry to the final day of the party’s annual conference on Sunday.

    “Gone are the days when we young people sit down and just follow structures blindly when they make no sense. We are tired of being told what to do and having no respect being given to us. What message is this sending to me, and the youth of this country, that because I stood up for my rights and I did so democratically, that I am not being allowed onto the premises of the ‘Democratic’ Labour Party? I will say this today, all young people out there, if that is the example that is being set, don’t vote for those people. Our country will be gloomy, gloomy [if you do].”

    – Tyra Trotman, chairman of the Democratic Labour Party’s Young Democrats, who was one of those barred entry to the annual conference on Sunday.

    Source: Nation

  40. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Rings of Power
    Darkness falls over the DLP leading to conflict escalation before it’s destruction
    the Old Guard predecessor’s vices have killed new members virtues
    all voices of dissent and challenges are eliminated in the kinetic journey

  41. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Pacha
    We can’t remember having any say in why Thorne fired Watson. All we are doing is watching the comedy . Pacha, fire all yuh big rocks but try to choose yuh targets more carefully. We don’t care about this foolishness. So, you on your own wid dis one. You seem to know the actors very well . Ah lie ?

  42. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    “The role of a senator is NOT To kiss the party leaders feet and show up at social events.”
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Surely PLT jests…
    Perhaps he means the role of an INDEPENDENT senator.
    The Role of an OPPOSITION Senator can ONLY be to represent the position of the opposition leader WHO APPOINTED THEM…

    Just like the role of government senators is to be official senate lackies of the PM.

    Steupsss
    Every damn body knows that there is heat in the DLP senate kitchen, and that there is very little room for personal opinionating.

    If Ms Watson could not stand the heat, she should have resigned as soon as she realized that her views differed from that of Thorne who appointed her…

  43. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    “Perhaps he means the role of an INDEPENDENT senator.
    The Role of an OPPOSITION Senator can ONLY be to represent the position of the opposition leader WHO APPOINTED THEM…”

    people love messy politics but don’t understand the system

    the opposition and government may get a say in the selection of senators

    but they are not there to serve them and be partisan

    When Parliament passes and finishes a matter is up for review in the upper chamber

    that’s why US politics is so fucked up as Senators and even Supreme Court Judges are politically biased and reject and accept laws purely along party lines and are failing their duties

    UK House of Lords now take people who have retired from politics as well as distinguished members of the public (as well as descendants of historically rich dodgy people who owned large chunks of land – which is where the term landlords come from)

  44. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    “All 21 Barbadian Senators are formally appointed by the President, but this duty, as most of the President’s duties, is carried out on the advice of other people. The President appoints 12 Senators on the advice of the Prime Minister and two on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition.”

    Partisan politics in Senate would mean the Government would win every vote 12-2 and it is just another circus act to dupe the people

  45. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Bushie

    Weee are in a minority it seems.

    But what you’re saying is the standard, long-held, Westminster position as always accepted by all. The only thing that makes sense in this system.

    Except for this time.

  46. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    When a Parliament has 30-0 or 29-1 seats to make laws, then the Senate’s role is to ensure that Draconian harsh and repressive laws are not passed

  47. David Avatar
    David

    You are posting nonsense. The role of Senators appointed by the Opposition party is to represent the views of the party. It is why political parties have parliamentary groups that meet to agree on the narratives to push.

  48. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    “You are posting nonsense. The role of Senators appointed by the Opposition party is to represent the views of the party.”

    that would mean the left hand is just reconciling what the right hand is doing
    and the 2 Opposition Senators could do jack shit apart from talk the talk
    i.e. Bums on seats in a parade

    unlike some, I’m not starting from a biased view working backwards in my thinking to find a point to prove. It is better to be impartial not partial.

    If a BLP Senator voted against a BLP should they be fired

    Tricia Watson was neutral in the DLP dog fight and held Government to account in Senate

    [Verse 1]
    Everyone come behold Christopher Tracy’s Parade
    The show will proceed unless it should rain strawberry lemonade
    Hopefully, that will not occur, the man above has been paid
    Give what you can, all you can stand, and all of your life will be made

    [Verse 2]
    Everyone should come and dig Christopher Tracy’s piano
    The chord strikes, the devil no like, so he runs to his evil car

    [Verse 3]
    Everyone come behold Christopher Tracy’s Parade
    Goodness will guide us if love is inside us
    Christopher Tracy’s Parade
    Christopher Tracy’s Parade
    Christopher Tracy’s Parade

  49. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    If a BLP Senator voted against a BLP Law* should they be fired

  50. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @David
    Maybe someone could enlighten me on the issues where Ms. Watson departed from the party line; according to the Press the newest Senator held that office for 10 years, but I can’t recall a single thing that stands out about him. Thorne didn’t want a colleague he needed someone to kiss his ring.

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