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In an obvious strategy to ride the goodwill generated from Errol Barrow Day and possibly to redirect attention from the ‘#wegatherin’ revelry at Archer’s Bay, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) announced 15 of 30 candidates to contest the next general election.

It was an austere presentation that did not excite a cynical blogmaster. However, it is good the DLP leadership has stabilised the workings of the party and finally reveal candidates for public examination. We await the other 15.

The candidates and their constituencies are as follows:

•  Amoy Gilding-Bourne will run for Christ Church East.

•  Andrew Cave will represent Christ Church West.

•  Senator Andre Worrell has been named as the candidate for St Michael Central.

•  Senator Ryan Walters will contest the St Michael North West seat.

•  Pedro Shepherd has been selected for St Michael South East.

•  Dr Rolerick Hinds will vie for St Thomas.

•  Richard Sealy, a veteran politician, will run in St Michael South Central.

•  Nathaniel Wesley Boyce has been chosen for St Michael South.

•  Randall Rouse will represent St Joseph.

•  Shaquani Hunte has been named the candidate for St Michael West.

•  Dale Rowe will run in the City of Bridgetown.

•  Alvin Toppin has been selected for St Lucy.

•  Neil Marshall will contest the St Philip South seat.

•  Dr David Estwick, another veteran politician, will run in St Philip West.

•  Dr Dawn Marie Armstrong will represent St Michael North.

Both Dr David Estwick and Dr Dawn Marie Armstrong could not attend the press conference. 

Source: Nation

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72 responses to “DLP 50% ready”

  1. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Does the DLP have white or brown shadows to finance the cost of contesting the next election?

    Hopefully they will find 15 more candidates soon.

    With a little luck they may win 3 or 4 seats.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    There will have to be a significant national swing for the DLP to make inroads. There are possibly 3 seats in play from among the 15 announced.

  3. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Should seem to us, all else being equal, that the natural political pendulum will start to act in their favor.

    Not to the extent to totally reverse recent misfortunes but surely to reestablish the historical and central electoral tendencies.

    Faced with the internal difficulties of responding to the banging of empty bowls, unceasing demands to separate guts from back, the growing fallibility of the regime, maybe the dictatorial bent could be less pronounced, maybe?

    Certainly, this BLP regime must have lost its touch of king Midas, or the Guyanese barrister Lookoo, well known for his every win of murder cases. And dey have murdered the DLP twice, could it be thrice?

    Certainly, after two clean sweeps, the DLP’s re/centering of the god of the slave master, surely posterity must attend a once dead DLP no?

    Certainly, Mia Mottley and her BLP cannot continue to inhale that rarified political and dictatorial air any longer, could they?

    Certainly, if we find that this Mottley is likely to be another Lookoo, an investigation must then be ordered into her electoral provenance. For we now know that Lookoo had familial and financial relationships with all those who gave him those ‘victories’, including jurors.

    The DLP may best hope for a better showing. For them that would be a victory. Maybe the time after next they’ll then hope to be like the Lookoos of this world.

    The jury is still out!

  4. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @David blogmaster “DLP 50% ready”

    Party leader ready too?

    In which constituency will we find him when the bell rings?

    And as a “northerner” I am wondering about St. James North. Wha’ happening there?

  5. David Avatar
    David

    You have read the other 15 will be announced in the coming weeks? Thorne is obviously taken a wise decision to try his hand at a ‘safer’ seat.

  6. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Before the DLP make a move they build up the vital electrical energy in their body and then they stand up.

    Their campaign slogan is “Forgive Them”

  7. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Is Mia running scared?

    Non-verbal cues offer deeper insights
    The world’s top body language and behavioral analysis experts says she feels confident in her approach to leadership, politics, and human connection.

  8. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    The headline is what’s termed “damning with faint praise’ if the DLP is 50% ready then one can surmise that they are 50% unready, so we await to see what Ralph “The unready” Thorne’s next move will be. It is hard to compete with a Bread and Circus act aka “We Gatherin” so what does a Leader of the Opposition do?

  9. David Avatar
    David

    @Sargeant

    The launch flopped somewhat because the question on everyone’s lips after the 15 was announced is why did the Loto not led from the front by announcing where he will run. The dilemma for him is that he is the sitting member for CCS.

  10. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Maybe, just maybe, he sees strategic or tactical value in concealing his intentions from his enemies, us all.

    Maybe, a constituency with a deep DLP history may serve him best. Maybe the party’s internal polling, instincts of the party apparatchiks, are guiding such a decision.

    Beyond gossip, we see no need to so do now, the most important thing is ‘to win a seat’. Even more important than that, is to head a strong team into the parliament buildings.

    Thorne otherwise seems confident that this regime could be dislodged. This writer is much less certain.

    Lastly, neither Thorne nor the DLP hold many political cards. Those few held will have to be accompanied by stealth.

  11. John2 Avatar
    John2

    Verla leaving St Lucy and Andre St John

  12. David Avatar
    David

    Thorne needs to project strength as the leader of the party. At the moment he is perceived as weak, a leader searching for safe harbor.

  13. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    Pachamama January 22, 2025 at 4:41 pm “Maybe, a constituency with a deep DLP history may serve him best.”

    And where is that?

  14. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Project strength?

    Ralph Thorne just defeated the people who were in charge of the party resoundingly. To have first crossed the floor and then defeat those within the DLP who were insistent that they had some right to lead was not unremarkable. There can be no exhibition of greater strength from an opposition leader. Notions of weakness can only be ascribed to those who believe entitled to every tactic of Thorne and the DLP, even before decisions could be made. We never heard these types of demands of Mottley!

    Notwithstanding, every PM of Barbados was perceived as weak until he or she became the dictator and perceptions of weakness are instantly replaced by lionization, at least by one of the political tribes.

    We describe all PMs this way except Barrow, Adams number two and possibly St. John.

    Once power has been so assumed, all of a sudden they become larger than life.

    In the battle between ‘David’ Thorne and ‘Goliath’ Mottley, the present Goliath of local politics will have access to all the levers of power. She can spend government money as she likes to aid her re-election, she can call the election whenever she wants, and on and on.

    None of these unlimited powers are with David as he fights Goliath. And David perceives that he has a tactical advantage around where he runs, it would be less than fair to demand of David that he gives up his gutter perk to satisfy his political enemies and those in the Blogosphere whose interests may only reside within the collection of factoids.

  15. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Well said Pacha,
    What a mature observation on your part – notwithstanding that you are talking about a man who often quotes the Bible.

    Bushie keeps on wondering about the expectations from Thorne being voiced by BB Bajans who are themselves unable to ‘botch a peg’ to help themselves in the face of gross exploitation by Tom Dick and Harry.

    These jokers suddenly know EXACTLY what Thorne should do, when he should do it, and in which constituency…. to be in position to provide better circumstances for THEM…
    One such joker calls Brass Tacks every damn day, complaining that he needs to know where Thorne will be ‘running’… evidently, so that he can then provide context on the call in shows ..

    Bushie would be completely UNSURPRISED if Thorne, (like Grenville has done) were to decide to run HOME ….and leave the broke, know-it-all, brass bowls to themselves.

    Bushie is just GRATEFUL to Thorne (and was to Grenvile) that he is willing to expend SOME peronal efforts towards the urgent need for GOOD national leadership.

    Nothing worse than ungrateful Parros telling you how to run your successful business …so that they will be better able to beg-a-food…
    Steupsss

  16. David Avatar
    David

    Thorne winning over the party leadership is no achievement. It was a broken party and he had the backing of the old guard who controlled the party machinery. His ‘strength’ can be found in being the only DLP member with his bum in parliament. That is all.

  17. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Bushie

    Thanks man. Sometimes a grounding in justice seems to escape some.

    But Bushie

    Did Pacha not draw upon your acili to dramatize the arguments we share? LOL

  18. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    He’s been MP for Christ Church South since 2018, so he should let his constituents vote for him as DLP or for BLP to prove if he has a right to be their MP,
    22% voted for DLP and 70% Ralph/BLP

  19. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    And the BLP helped him to get it there.

  20. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    It is a clear sign of brassbowlery that every shiite bout here boils down to ’BLP’ or ‘DLP’.
    How silly and petty.
    Althought William has been at PAINS to point out that the B/DLP duopoly has been the MAIN source of our current predicament, BBs still INSIST on rationalizing EVERY shiite by that denominator…

    Steupsss..
    Suppose Thorne is like Hammie La…
    … or perhaps like Grenville …
    … or like stinking Bushie – who don’t give two shits about EITHER of the two mafia-like gangs that seek to divide the Brassbados turf between themselves and their soldiers.

    How the hell does an intelligent, HONEST citizen get to even offer themselves – when the VERY CLOWNS that they are looking to represent – can ONLY think in terms of two political mafia groups?
    SMH!!
    Self imposed brassbowlery!!

    Every damn candidate SHOULD be judged on:
    – Commitment to the development of the country
    – Ability to provide LEADERSHIP – and have successful experience in doing so
    – HONESTY and uprightness – a role model for youth
    – Empathy with BB behaviors (…count Bushie OUT of dat!!)
    – Willingness to work hard – and to get results.

    If the people in Ch Ch ONLY voted for, OR against Thorne, because of which one of the two particular mafia mobs (that ALL SERIOUS POLITICIANS are FORCED to align with), then it is no wonder that we are where we are – up shit street….

    What a place… after wasting BILLIONS on free ‘Eddykashun’…
    What blindness..

    How many degrees did you say you have SS…?
    steupsss…

  21. David Avatar
    David

    Political experts react to DLP picks

    POLITICAL SCIENTISTS have weighed in on the Democratic Labour Party’s announcement of 15 candidates to contest the next General Election with one viewing it as a step towards readiness and another sceptical about its impact.

    Dr George Belle and Dr Kristina Hinds offered contrasting perspectives, highlighting both progress and lingering challenges within the party as it seeks to rebuild after significant electoral losses.

    Belle viewed the announcement as a natural step for a party attempting to regain its footing.

    “It’s part of their stabilisation efforts, but it’s also a response to external pressure to present candidates to the electorate early,” Belle said.

    He noted that while the move might project readiness, it alone would not be enough to reverse the DLP’s significant electoral defeats.

    “They want to appear convincing as a real alternative, but to win the next government, they need to overcome the massive swings against them in previous elections. That won’t happen unless the Government fails significantly, which hasn’t occurred yet,” Belle added.

    Hinds, while recognising the significance of the announcement, pointed out the gaps that remain.

    “At least the party is getting its act together, which is something we should credit. But there are still unresolved issues, such as St Philip North and the Opposition Leader’s constituency plans,” she said, speculating that the delays in announcing additional candidates might be strategic.

    “They could still be negotiating or working out arrangements for candidates in key areas. However, the questions around Ralph Thorne’s constituency – whether he stays in his current seat or shifts to another, like St John – are particularly significant,” she said.

    Significant leverage

    Both analysts underscored the complexities surrounding St Philip North, where the DLP candidate in the last election, Michael Lashley’s influence remains strong. Belle noted that Lashley’s power base granted him significant leverage, allowing him to operate independently of party leadership.

    “Lashley’s established presence makes him a critical figure in the party’s future, whether or not he chooses to align fully with its current leadership,” Belle said. Hinds concurred, adding, “The Michael Lashley question is pivotal. It’s clear the party needs to find a way to address his role, especially as it shapes their strategy in St Philip North.”

    Belle also suggested that Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne might face challenges in maintaining his current constituency and speculated on his potential move to St John.

    “St John is not an easy target. The historical voting patterns there make it a tough constituency to win, even for the leader of the opposition,” Belle said. Hinds echoed this concern, pointing out the potential complications of a constituency switch.

    “It may be difficult for him to move to another constituency while still representing his current one. This could raise questions about his leadership and the party’s broader strategy,” she noted.

    Both Belle and Hinds agreed that the DLP would face significant hurdles in positioning itself as a credible alternative.

    “This is a step in the right direction, but there’s still much to be done. The announcement of only half the candidates suggests there are still decisions to be made, and those decisions will be critical in shaping public perception.”

    Belle concluded that while the announcement reflects the DLP’s efforts to project readiness, real transformation would depend on more than just appearances. “The party needs to address the fundamental issues that led to its defeats and offer a compelling vision for the future. Without that, their chances of reclaiming Government remain slim,” he noted. (CLM)

  22. David Avatar
    David

    One would have thought the launch of another political party would be big news. Although it must be said that every election cycle this occurs.

    strong>New party plans weekend launch

    A NEW POLITICAL group, the Conservative Barbados Loyalist Party, is expected to be launched on Saturday.

    Reports are that it would be led by attorney Corey Beckles, known in the past for his social activism on a number of issues including elder abuse and human rights.

    Beckles was quoted by Starcom Network yesterday confirming Saturday’s launch while a statement from the party’s vice president Anthony Hinds said Barbados already had suitable infrastructure and in the right hands could lead to real change for those here and overseas.

    The party is, according to the statement, first and foremost conservative and secondly committed and loyal to the social, economic, political and health interests of Barbadians. (AC)

    Source: Nation

  23. David Avatar
    David

    Today’s Tennyson Joseph column in the Nation newspaper.

    Time for bigger issues

    AS THE YEAR 2024 ended, I perused the Caribbean newspapers for the issues which might animate regional politics in 2025, and was deeply disappointed.

    I was searching for evidence of the kinds of issues that have emerged during periods of fundamental regional transformation: the struggle against colonialism; the demand for universal suffrage; the fight for independence; the efforts at social and economic landscape through the investment in housing, education and health; and the quest for regional integration and political unified Caribbean state.

    Where are the similarly broad and fundamental questions which should drive Caribbean politics as the world moves into a more dangerous and uncertain phase in 2025?

    One Barbadian headline read: “ Political Shakeup in 2025”, and featured the views of local commentators on expected “big changes” in 2025. And what were these “big changes” that so excited our political commentators? It was nothing more than the likelihood of a by-election in a safe Barbados Labour Party constituency, in which a backbencher is expected to be replaced by a newcomer. For good measure, one commentator spoke of coming “constitutional reform” ignoring the statement from members of the ConstitutionalReform Commission, that most of the expected reforms had not been proposed in the final report. Similarly, discussions in St Lucia, Jamaica and other Caribbean countries, all revolve around the coming elections. In Trinidad, the discussion is around the imminent retirement of Prime Minister Keith Rowley, and in St Vincent, on whether Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves is likely to continue. Whatever the electoral outcome in any of these jurisdictions, it is unlikely that elections or changes in leadership will usher in moments of fundamental Caribbean transformation. Is the creative political imagination of our commentators so limited that they cannot think beyond the boundaries of the periodic petitbourgeois political carousel of dependent parties and leaders?

    Organic movements

    Earlier periods of momentous Caribbean change were characterised by broad organic movements involving intellectuals, the media, the trade unions, and political activists collectively organised to overcome impediments to democratic and social and economic development. Today, Caribbean political discourse is trapped in electoral and partisan considerations. The Barbadian republican euphoria which promised to spread to other countries seems to have died as quickly as it was born.

    Elsewhere, sections of the Middle-East are overthrowing the post-1945 geopolitical settlement imposed by European powers; the Sahel region of Africa is rejecting French colonialism; Europe is at war; there is vocal hemispheric opposition to United States grandiosity; China continues to expand its global power; and the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries continue to offer alternatives to the global economy. The Caribbean is silent.

    Had our commentators offered evidence of similar action in the Caribbean, then their optimism for change in 2025 would have been justified. However, no such evidence exists. Only a stale partisan-focus remains. 2025, should be a time for bigger issues to emerge.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    Political scientists say third party could split votes
    The Democratic Labour Party’s announcement of its first 15 candidates for the next general election has been met with cautious optimism by two top political analysts.
    Political analysts Devaron Bruce and Peter Wickham have welcomed the initial slate of 15 candidates for the poll, constitutionally due in 2027. However, they cautioned that if rumours about former DLP leader Dr Ronnie Yearwood possibly forming a third party to contest the election are true, it could spell disaster for the DLP, potentially leaving them without any seats in Parliament once again.
    While explaining to Barbados TODAY that the announcing of candidates is a normal act for any party seeking to gain or return to power, Bruce questioned the effectiveness of the chosen seats and candidates, in achieving meaningful parliamentary representation.
    He said: “One would expect that a major political party would be able to name candidates, you are the party that are in essence saying you want to take government. But the reality is that where the party stands currently, it is whether these seats that we have seen announced for instance will do the party any [good] as it relates to returning to Parliament with any meaningful numerical representation.”
    “What I find interesting is the absence of the political leader’s seat from the announcement,” he noted, referring to the fact that Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne, who represents Christ Church South – having won the seat on a Barbados Labour Party ticket before he crossed the floor in 2024 — did not reveal his candidacy intentions.
    This was a point that Wickham also raised: “What struck me about that arrangement though is the glaring absence of any mention of the St Philip North scenario, and also no mention on where he [Ralph Thorne] plans to run. I thought those were two glaring absent omissions; one would have thought that he could have started by saying ‘I am the representative for Christ Church South and I will continue so to be,’ and that it is his intention to run there. Instead, he made no mention of the candidacy of Christ Church South.”
    Responding to recent rumours of the possible formation of another party comprising former DLP members, Wickham emphasised that if this materialised, the DLP could face another whitewash at the polls.
    The regional pollster said: “If Ronnie Yearwood forms a third party and runs it, he will guarantee that the Democratic Labour Party will be beaten soundly in the third occasion, and they arelooking at another 30-love. That is my view. One of the easiest ways to ensure that the Democratic Labour Party does not get any seats in the next election is by Ronnie Yearwood running a third party.”
    Bruce mirrored Wickham’s analysis: “Generally Barbadians do not seem to support third parties in any real major way, [however] two things can be correct at the same time. You have longstanding members [and] attractive members of the party who have left and have now headed in the direction from what it seems like as third parties. You have a [situation] where a weakened DLP, as opposed to a united one is now having to likely fend off its former members who were turned off by the behaviour of the party in 2024.”
    The analyst stressed that while Thorne may want to present the current DLP as a united front, there has been significant negative attention towards the DLP due to the infighting, which may have hampered the choices for candidate positions.
    “That is the danger with the problematic nature of the infighting that happened in 2024,” he explained. “You have a circumstance where the party is divided, and several individuals who may have been viable for the party, whether it be Ronnie Yearwood, whether it be Tricia Watson [etc], all of those individuals no longer exist within the party ranks. Therefore you are not left to pick up individuals who may not be as viable as other persons.”
    Wickham, however, slightly differed in his view: “Among [the group] are people like Dr [David] Estwick who came very close to winning [in the 2022 general election]. If I can argue that Michael Lashley because of the fact that he came so close deserves a consideration for the DLP next time around, it’s reasonable then that I should also argue that Dr Estwick should be given similar considerations. That is the more optimistic way to look at it.”
    He however said: “There are others like Richard Sealy . . . I am not sure what role Richard Sealy is playing in there, he also was soundly beaten twice and my sense is that his usefulness in politics is in serious question.”
    Some of the announced candidates include former government ministers Dr Estwick (St Philip West) and Sealy (St Michael South Central), alongside returning candidates Senator Ryan Walters (St Michael North West), Pedro Shepherd (St Michael South East), Neil Marshall (St Philip South), and Senator Andre Worrell (St Michael Central). shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

  25. David Avatar
    David

    Thorne proposes sports academy to empower youth
    As Barbados continues to grapple with a crime crisis and other deviant behaviour among its young people, Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne has called for the creation of an academy of sports which would play a pivotal role in shaping a future Barbados.
    He made the suggestion at the Democratic Labour Party’s annual Errol Barrow Memorial Lecture, awards and reception held at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination at the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill on Monday.
    The DLP political leader explained that the academy would nurture athletic talent, generate employment opportunities, and address deviant behaviour among youth. The proposed academy would have a positive impact on youth empowerment and national development, he added.
    In his lecture titled The Vision, The Mission: From a Village to a Nation, Thorne outlined the pressing need for a modernised approach to youth development. Highlighting the inadequacies of existing government initiatives.
    “The government needs to modernise the National Sports Council, to integrate with the several sports associations and this University of the West Indies, for the establishment of an academy of sports that will graduate our young athletes into international competition,” he told a capacity audience which included a strong presence of young people.
    Thorne stressed that an institution dedicated solely to sports could serve as a transformative force, harnessing the potential of young Barbadians while simultaneously creating pathways for sustainable employment.
    “There have been legitimate voices of protest against the government limiting the aspirations of young people to street sweepers, and most recently, gully repair,” he noted, underscoring the frustration of the nation’s youth.
    According to Thorne, the proposed academy would serve as more than just a training facility for athletes. It would become a beacon of opportunity, addressing the structural issues contributing to high unemployment among youth and offering alternatives to emigration for those seeking better opportunities abroad.
    “We looked on in horror as the Barbados Defence Force sports programme was suspended,” he said. “Our aspirational young people now seek the path of emigration, while the word opportunity is most used as an explanation for their plight.”
    The opposition leader argued that Barbados’ youth deserve programmes that go beyond “casual labour” and focus on meaningful, long-term investment in their development.
    “There continues to be a dissonance between local aspiration and the government’s public desire to attract foreign investment in the local economy,” Thorne observed, calling for a realignment of national priorities to empower the next generation.
    After the lecture, during a question-and-answer segment, most of the questions were posed by youth, the youngest a nine-yearold.
    Four members of the party were awarded for their hard work and commitment with Hazel Brewster receiving the prestigious Mirror Image Award for 40 years of service. Other awardees were Donna Hinds, Senator Andre Worrell and General Secretary Pedro Shepherd. (IMC)

    Source: Nation

  26. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Thanks for offering these articles. Unfortunately, Belle and Hinds seem more to agree with Bushie than you. Of course, there’s no shame therein.

    Joseph, is a fellow traveler of this writer. We seldom disagree. While most people here like to be embroiled in the pork barrel politics of localism, Joseph’s inclination is to unearth the emergence of local, regional and global structures, their interactions, convergences, which have the potentials to be far more important.

    This inclinations of local and regional governments tend to rest on a failing Western set of systems and an empire heading for destruction. They lack the courage to be friends of all, enemies of none, as Barrow best counciled.

    He’s obviously a man who has been so trained. A training which requires him to analyze and estimate the relative importance of each of the many forces, internal and external, acting to influence the centre. A proper developmentalist approach.

    Of course, nothing he aims at would be treated seriously until the lion of global events supersedes American hegemony. Then all local and regional begging bowls will more properly present themselves after missing the opportunity this writer has long been talking about, both to the powers that be and to this here blog, to be participants, framers, in the emergent multi-nodal, multipolar, system of things.

    Joseph has put his finger on the greatest failure on on this generation of half-bred, one-eyed, colonialist, generation of politicians, who like children, are blindly doing the greatest of harms to this region through their willful ignorance to extra-regional formations and the decline of Western imperial forces.

  27. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Moreover, even Joseph has a blind side too, living within an oligarchy, cum fascist state, as an academic.

    https://youtu.be/oPz8YyGb_PI?si=Ktay4t5cM35Dy-Fn

  28. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    “….even Joseph has a blind side too,…”
    ~~~~~
    @ Pacha
    The ultimate ‘blind side’ is captured in the question;
    “What does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and to lose his own soul?”

    We are all playing games on the various decks of the Titanic.
    The ONLY serious LONG-TERM game in town – is the lifeboat contest.

    The orchestra can play as sweet as they like – or as Auntie Mia can talk..
    The Ship’s captain can parade on the top deck – like Putin and Xi
    The Deck hands can arrange the chairs as immaculately as ever… like Elon and Gates

    BUT…
    ALL WILL shortly become fish food and bottom reef material….
    ..EXCEPT for those who were wise Enuff to negotiated a place on the lifeboat.

    It is quite fun to argue the minutia, and to explore and savour the musical tones being played, ..especially since Bushie got the big rock instead of conkies…

    …BUT that major ‘BLIND SIDE’ remains…..

    What a world nuh!!

  29. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    While all the talking heads are pontificating
    The people are asking for solutions and the kind of goverance that can steer this country out of a path of self destruction.
    Thornes lack of vision is evident even though is highly skilled statements in Parliament are true and merits discussion
    Unlike Barrow he has yet to provide the country Hope and necessary changes to meet and correct the social and economic problems faced by people and country

  30. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    AC

    As an ardent Dem and a stalwart supporter of the feckless and deposed misleadership the doctor.

    You should better know that the time for the consolidation of counterveiling narratives will come at election time.

    Absent these, we can well rest on the political history which has given us a sameness of a sameness.

    Is RAT not telling us what his plans would be to some extent already?

    However, the more important question must be the interrogation of those who said “geh muh de vote and watch muh”.

  31. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    Pachamama
    January 23, 2025 at 9:17 am
    1 Vote

    You should better know that the time for the consolidation of counterveiling narratives will come at election time.
    ×××
    The political wheel of time has become shorter along with the patience of a suffering people
    Who carries the best message wins the prize
    Waiting for an election to draw night to exposed the hands is a high risk which a party divided cannot take in this technological era

  32. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    slip sliding away.

  33. David Avatar
    David

  34. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Elections February 27th.

  35. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    https://youtu.be/oPz8YyGb_PI?si=Ktay4t5cM35Dy-Fn

    https://youtu.be/D9MXOjZMRkg?si=dDmcklhYTjiA54so

    Trump

    The good! The bad! The ugly!

    This writer is unafraid to say when even the Devil, himself, does something good!

    Of course, within Afrikan cosmogeny there are no devils! But readers would permit us a literary device.

    That stinking Joe Biden and his criminal, wokeist, genocidal, socalled democrats had watched hundreds of thousands of women and children dying for 16 months, in conditions worst than the Holocaust of Nazi Germany and did nothing but to conspire to murder all of the Palestinian peoples and those of the wider region by supplying every bullet, every bomber, every missile, preventing food, medicines from entering as Palestinian children died in wintry conditions, shall live in infamy!

    May these dispecable vagabonds all burn in hell starting now! Pacha wants to be the person stoking the very hottest fires under wunna.

    Thanks Donald Trump. May you continue to be just. You may also expect this writer’s strongest rejections of you when yuh do shiiiiite! And as Bushie would say “yuh intend to do a lotta shiiiite”.

    That Trump has made a diplomatic opening to Iran is also encouraging and demonstrates the the ignorance of Western policies to thebregion and world.

    When Trump said there will be hell to pay if the ceasefire was not implemented in all its phases is now being generally interpreted as meaning all parties, especially the Zionists, for these are the violators.

  36. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    Oh my Pacha, you feeling ok?
    Normally you would have seen the good guy bad guy American pawns, as they knelt before their Jewish funders.
    Gaza is now part of Israel, no longer an occupied territory. The Palestinians, like the Kurds, will be dispatched, likely to the West Bank. Their penultimate stop to nowhere.
    And watch, you’ll never hear DJT say Oct 7.

  37. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Alt-Right White Boys like Thumper Trump take and parrot any narrative in public domain even if from liberal minds but they will twist it with their white boy biases and take the comment out of context intended

    For example I bemoaned on the net about Yank Corporate Globalism, buying up foreign industries, outsourcing IT work to India and other Third World Countries, but Alt-Right took it as harming America and ran with it. 24 years later it has sprouted into Trump’s deluded tariffs and his bringing back manufacturing and production to America (albeit at 20 times higher labour costs than third world and also harming World Trade where American Globalism dominates)

    Left and Alt-Right were against Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya Wars and spoke about 911 false flag Conspiracies on internet threads. Many Alt-Right and Far Right are Antisemetic Anti-Israel and many people from all backgrounds and ages are Anti-War and against Israel’s genocidical War.

    I had mentioned that White Boys are failing Math and doing bad in school as they are not as hard working as immigrant children and the far right took it that White Boys are prejudiced and let down by the Education System.

    The fact that Trump is friends with extremists racists and fascists all over the world means he is the Grand Wizard figurehead of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan reformed again.

    The War Against Woke started from comments I made about being righteous and correct (like Jesus) and enlightened and woke (like Buddha) which the white trash boys from the right started their nonsense about political correctness and wokism.

    Trippy Notes for Bass Remixes
    Sonic journey of stretched out understated soundscapes

  38. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    NO

    We’re afraid your readings of events are toooo inspired by Western media. This writer don’t and therefore more difficult to misinform.

    And whereas this writer has certain unshakable values they must be of necessity always be subjected to internal questioning.

    Your Western media narratives are never to be subject to the unexpected, the rare arrival of logic at the centre, the possibility that a stopped clock is right at least twice in a Millenium.

    Our Iranian contacts are telling us that back channel contacts have been made. Trump’s regional interlocketer is scheduling a meet. Hamas has plainly stated that Trump was the reason for the ceasefire in the first place. That direct conversations are in the offing, a visit to Gaza at Hamas’ invitation, while Blinken was serially refused by Hamas.

    Of course, our position is subject to change based on developing circumstances.

  39. David Avatar
    David

    Party to focus on family values

    Barbados’ latest political party has not drawn its members from any of the other parties, established or fledgling.

    On the eve of the launch of the Conservative Barbados Loyalist Party (CBLP), president Corey Beckles said the party was formed to give a voice to a philosophy that firmly stands on the traditional family values.

    “You can call it a third party but it was time for another voice and one that has a particular focus. We are conservative in that we stand for traditional family values. We found in our analysis and our work with the elderly, children and the Ministry of Education – a combination of all the work that we have been doing for the past two and a half years or so and feeling the temperature of the environment – it was time for not just another voice, but a new voice consistently focusing on those values Barbados was built on,” Beckles, an attorney and activist, stated.

    On whether the party would field candidates for all or any of the 30 seats when the next General Election is called, Beckles said that was under discussion.

    Official launch

    “At the launch on Saturday we will have a specific number, but at this time, I can’t tell you how many we will have. Of course, we know the party has to discuss certain things, but at the official launch, we will have that number,” Beckles stated.

    In response to questions on whether others from political parties have joined the CBLP, Beckles said not so far.

    “I can say not at this stage but I don’t know whether or not that will occur in the future. We’ll leave it open. We have said in our statement that we are willing to work with all who have Barbados as their main interest as well as the future of Barbados and the longevity and sustainability of Barbadians,” he stated.

    So far the party executive is comprised of the president, who will be handling matters that fall under the Attorney General’s office; vice president Anthony Hinds, who is tasked with issues related to family and social welfare policies; a secretary general; a health advisor; an advisor on science, technology, innovation and microbiology; a finance advisor and an attorney to advise on criminal justice.

    The family values on which the party is based, he said, were expected to reverberate throughout the economy.

    “We have what it takes to be able to succeed. We know we had COVID-19 and we know of all of the different financial troubles that the world is in, but we have everything that we need to be able to create a prosperous and sustainable future. However, we have to start from the foundation. We have to go back to that original foundation and start from the ground up, from the family,” he said.

    There were a number of different issues facing the society that the party has compiled plans and policies to address. Some of these would be revealed tomorrow, mainly in relation to the economy and fiscal strategy.

    “We have a blueprint that will guide all the different sectors of the Barbados economy and society. But those three pillars, traditional family values, the economy and also the health of the Barbadians are paramount,” he said.

    Health statistics

    On that note, Hinds said there were worrying health statistics, including one that stated 83 per cent of all deaths in Barbados was related to noncommunicable diseases. He said the health of Barbadians was important to the party because discussing anything else is irrelevant “if we’re not around to live to tell the tale”.

    “So the health of Barbadians is at the forefront of what we do and the other aspect that was the driving force was the internal development of the economy. We haven’t done that for years.

    “We haven’t had any grassroots initiatives. Government hasn’t done that for years. We haven’t set up any initiatives, any policies of any sort that has made the country any money. We’ve looked further afield but we can start to make money internally, start to make ourselves profitable,” Hinds reasoned. ( AC)

    Source: Nation

  40. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    NO

    Also remember, Trump is expected to do the unpredictable. Remember his meet with the DPRK leader?

    Even as none of the world leaders, including Putin, likes this kind of unpredictability, for it makes strategic planning difficult.

    A madman if you will!

  41. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @David January 24, 2025 at 7:11 am “On the eve of the launch of the Conservative Barbados Loyalist Party (CBLP), president Corey Beckles said the party was formed to give a voice to a philosophy that firmly stands on the traditional family values.”

    Waiting to hear their interpretation of “traditional family values” and to find out whether the party leaders themselves practice “traditional family values”

  42. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Third parties are a waste of time in Barbados! Has this not been the history in Barbados and the rest of the world.

    That even when factions pretend to be, is it not true that in Barbados every brassbowl body is essentially B or D.

    We should stop this pretense that multiplural means anything more than duopoly!

    Even as duopoly was always about a one-party stateism.

    Stop the shiiiite!

  43. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @Pachamama January 24, 2025 at 7:28 am “is it not true that in Barbados every brassbowl body is essentially B or D.”

    No it is not true. I am neither “B” nor “D” I switch my vote regularly, maybe that is why I could not get a government pick, contract nothing so. No party trusts me to be loyal to party.

    10% or more of Bajans regularly switch their votes, which is why regularly the “B’s” lose and regularly the “D’s” lose elections, and which they will continue to lose elections.

    Neither party likes to know that they WILL REGULARY LOSE ELECTIONS. Both the B’s and D’s like to believe [and note I say believe, and not think] that they have us all on partisan lockdown.

    They do not.

    So it is a myth that “in Barbados every brassbowl body is essentially B or D”

  44. David Avatar
    David

    The Bs and Ds political parties do not lose general elections regularly. Even an unpopular Stuart was given another chance to feed on taxpayers titties.

  45. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Pacha
    Not every Bajan is a B or D. However 95 percent are PIPs. (Party in Power).
    Since this has translated into either B or D over the years you are technically correct.

    However, so is Cuhdear, …who, characteristically, keeps keep switching when she does not get a government pick, contract or handout. …LOL

    So what CAN be stated emphatically is that practically all Bajans are BBs, and that a third party is therefore viable …
    …BUT only if they can give more government picks, offer more freeness, tell more lies, borrow more money, and hold more fetes than either the Bees or the Dees.

    If Bajans did not embrace ‘Solutions’ after the Froon Goon Squad has mashed upmevery shiite..
    What chance for ‘Family Values’ after thev LGBTQFRT squad’s reorientation of the damn place?

    The next new party will be the BBE team… installed with mighty power.

  46. David Avatar
    David

    Unfortunately Bush Tea we live in times where traditional values like integrity to mention one do not factor in decision making for many. It is all about what is in it for ME. This is where leadership in any situation must be able to stand apart to lead the ‘ignorant’.

  47. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Bushie

    What Solutions what?

    If the great Richie Haynes, William Skinner and that group has not proven the point that Barbados is essential a close duopoly we could continue fooling ourselves at our own peril.

    And this Grenville and his fringe group was no Richie Hayes and his, and it belonged to him, real party.

    And even with the NDP it was centrally an amalgamation of Bees and Dees. There is no other significant political breed or DNA within Barbados.

    We have stated before that even if a third party arose, like it did before, it displaces one of the two thus reasserting a reformed duopoly.

    This is another reason why RAT was right to ignore this third party shiite and should have been the man of the year, for this alone, not just the reasons previously stated.

  48. David Avatar
    David

    Richie Haynes was older and lack the energy to drive a third party movement. Added to which he was perceived as a subset of the DLP at the end anyway. William will probably disagree.

  49. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    Correct.
    Bajans OPENLY would tell you that they are not voting for a particular person – EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE BEST INDIVIDUAL OPTION, because they are ‘not likely to win’ due to the popularity of the alternative joker – so it would be a ‘wasted’ vote.
    ZERO principles….so we get what we DESERVE.

    @ Pacha
    What NDP what?
    That was like the Anglican Church – started because a fellow did not get his personal wish in the DLP. No REAL new philosophy.

    While Grenville is an accomplished and proven engineer – a professional who solves complex problems for a living.
    The alternative choices were Froon’s goons, or the ‘gimme de vote and watch muh’ emotional ride into false promises and binge borrowing…

    …but of course BBs rationalized that Solutions ‘could not win’ – since they were offering no freeness, …just ISO9001 standards and specific (even if initially unrealistic) remedies for ailments… to the tune of 30-0

    The percentage of our current youth who would support ‘family values’ grows LOWER every damn day.
    Vibes Cartel – YES!!
    But what ‘family values what??!!

    A successful new party in BB would need to champion the following;
    – no taxes whatsoever
    – free eddykashun
    – free fetes every month
    – everyone can do as they like
    – retirement at 45 with full pension
    – subsidised junk food – delivered on request
    – free, top class, medical care
    – Brass tacks on all day – so that regulars can complain and spill their shiite continuously

    We have already struck the iceberg (gone pass the point of recovery).
    You can grab your academic bucket and start bailing water from BB Titanic…
    but as for Bushie … he can only see ONE lifeboat….

    What a time…

  50. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Bushie

    There is no significant political leader in Barbados who formed a party coming from another.

    Our estimation is that the NDP had a leadership group most capable of achieving success.

    And they had resources, political pedigree etc, though they lacked a popular base, like all other have.

    Certainly, the age or experience of Haynes was not a significant factor in its failure as this writer perceived. If this was so, the party could have continued even now.

    To us, the main reason for failure was its inability to displace one of the two. This is the only path forward!

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