The silly season is upon us, and it is expected that every imaginable “issue” will be raised on the political campaign trail in the quest to win votes. The upcoming general election follows the unprecedentedly low voter turnout of the 2022 poll, recorded at 42 percent attributed to COVID19 fears. All eyes will be on turnout this time to determine whether 2022 was an outlier.
There is no doubt – despite what the raw numbers may suggest – that voter apathy and cynicism toward the political system are increasing. These sentiments may not be fully reflected in the percentage of eligible voters who actually cast a ballot, especially when compared against a voter list that all sides agree requires a serious scrub. Many will overcome concerns by exercising the right to vote. Predictably, perennial questioning of the voter’s list by the political opposition has resurfaced, prompting the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC) to issue a public statement defending its integrity.
A general election in our system is the primary mechanism through which Barbadians evaluate the performance of the outgoing government. In the current climate, the next election will also serve as a referendum on the fitness of the other member of the duopoly – the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) – which has spent the post‑2018 period grappling with internal disruption, most notably the Ralph Thorne vs. Ronnie Yearwood conflict.
Anecdotally, many Barbadians remain wary of the scars left by the DLP’s 2008–2018 tenure. Compounding this is the fear among some that Prime Minister Mia Mottley has become a “de facto” dictator after leading the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to consecutive clean sweeps in 2018 and 2022.
In the view of the blogmaster, Barbados has entered an uncertain period of governance. A leadership vacuum is evident across both major political parties with alternative political parties a wish and a hope. Institutional capacity continues to erode: the court system groans under its own weight; traffic management remains ineffective; public health services struggle to cope; the education system is failing to produce citizens with the skills required for national development; the National Insurance Scheme (NISSS) has not produced audited financial statements for a decade; and the economy remains tied to an unsustainable model with foreign reserves overflowing from borrowings.
Unfortunately, the blogmaster is among the cynical who expect little from the upcoming political campaign – more theatrics than substance. For many, it will be entertainment, with Kerrie Symmonds and others of his ilk taking center stage. What is unlikely is a serious public demand for political actors to share positions on issues such as parliamentary reform, a modern Constitution, meaningful education reform, and a focus on governance matters.
If the head is unwell, the body cannot sustain itself.
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