The Democratic Labour Party (DLP), at its 70th Annual Conference over the weekend, elected Ralph Thorne as President. Thorne’s high-profile defection from the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) sparked internal tensions, culminating in a very public confrontation with ousted DLP leader Dr. Ronnie Yearwood. For political observers, there’s a sense that business as usual may be returning to George Street.
In true Machiavellian style, Thorne outmaneuvered Yearwood. It was messy but like a butterfly born from the struggle of the caterpillar, the better man emerged. And the DLP, it is hoped, will be better for the process. The big question now is whether the current configuration of the party has repurposed it enough to be seen by the public as a credible alternative. What is certain is that a public starved of rich and relevant opposition representation wishes the DLP well. This is especially poignant given that no viable alternative opposition voice has emerged in Barbados.
To seasoned pundits, Thorne’s victory came as no surprise. He was courted by the old guard of the DLP—those who still command the party machinery. Now that he’s proven he can fight and win internal battles, the real test begins: can he carry that momentum into the mother of all battles against the very popular Prime Minister Mia Mottley who continues to suffocate the political space?
Another development from the weekend raised eyebrows: the election of Donville Inniss as 1st Vice President. Inniss was incarcerated in the USA on money laundering charges in 2020 and sentenced in 2021 to 24 months. He was ordered to forfeit $36,536.73. The DLP will have to manage the optics of a convicted criminal serving at the highest level of the party. The blogmaster will not opine except to say, it was a bold move by a party still struggling for relevance on the Barbadian political landscape.
The DLP AGM also confirmed that one of the party’s more popular candidates, Michael Lashley, is serious about his disengagement from the party. Whether he is done with politics or simply waiting to pick up the pieces after the next bout at the polls remains to be seen. The truth is, many Barbadians continue to show intolerance for members of the Freundel Stuart Cabinet. Whether time has softened those feelings is left to be seen.
For those disappointed that a new politics has not emerged in Barbados since 2018, a reborn DLP will have to suffice for now. Ralph Thorne may not be the ideal candidate given his résumé, BUT politics is unpredictable. The next few months will reveal whether the DLP has truly righted the ship in the eyes of a cynical and apathetic public, one tired of voting en bloc for the BLP in recent elections, yet still distrustful of a DLP that once led the country to the edge of economic collapse.
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