67 responses to “How PM Mottley created a ‘WTH’ moment”

1. 

   Tron

   February 20, 2026 at 6:13 pm

   
   

   Westminster democracy is a thing of the past. People’s democracy is the new normal.

   We must adapt in order to survive in a world full of autocracies. China and America expect their partners to have strong supreme leaders, not prime ministers without decision-making power.

   I would also like to point out that in the age of digitalisation and AI, slow decision-making processes are outdated. No other nation can react as quickly as ours. The Supreme Leader’s will can make decisions in a millisecond, while a formal legislative process takes months or years.

   In such a unitary state with a single ruling party and unity of powers, such criticisms are irrelevant. On the contrary, it is only logical to fill all leadership positions with party members.

   Tron
   Secret State Councillor

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2. 

   Enuff

   February 20, 2026 at 8:36 pm

   
   

   Where is Bushtea?

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3. 

   Tron

   February 20, 2026 at 9:06 pm

   
   

   Warm greetings to our new Senator Goodridge. She will represent the so-called opposition with dignity …

   I view Old Thorn’s departure with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I am saddened because he would have seamlessly continued his destructive work against the opposition in the Senate. On the other hand, I am pleased because he can now finally devote himself to his great-great-grandchildren from his retirement home. Yes, Old Thorn is that old, when I think of his legendary parliamentary speeches with their many slip-ups.

   Tron
   Her Majesty’s Cheerleader

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4. 

   NorthernObserver

   February 21, 2026 at 3:30 am

   
   

   Where is Bushtea?
   He is the new AGs most senior advisor. Causin’ nuhbuddy love Wilf like the Bushman 🥰😍

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5. 

   David

   February 21, 2026 at 5:12 am

   
   

   DLP faces leadership dilemma

   By Colville Mounsey

   colvillemounsey@nationnews.com

   The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is grappling with a political leadership puzzle after the swearing in of Senator Ryan Walters left him as the party’s only parliamentary representative.

   With no seats in the House of Assembly following the third consecutive Barbados Labour Party’s 30-0 General Election victory on February 11, the DLP’s internal rules governing the selection of a political leader are now under scrutiny.

   Rule 50 of its constitution states: “The parliamentary group shall consist of all party members of the House of Assembly and the Senate”. That same rule reserves to that group “the election of a political leader”.

   The constitution further defines the political leader as “the person who commands the support of the majority of members of the parliamentary group in the House of Assembly” – language that complicates matters since the DLP has no members in the House.

   DLP general secretary Pedro Shepherd said the party did not enter the election anticipating such a scenario.

   “We were not thinking of political leadership because we were thinking of a Government. We expected that those who won the seats would have decided amongst themselves who shall lead. That did not take place so we just waited and see,” he said.

   With Walters now the party’s sole parliamentarian, Shepherd suggested that the party’s constitution appears to point in a practical direction.

   “The constitution will speak to political leadership in terms of those members in the Parliament of Barbados, which includes senators,” he said.

   “The person who commands the majority support among the parliamentary group would be the person deemed as political leader. Which is Ryan Walters, who is a member of the Democratic Labour Party, I believe, and who is the only Democratic Labour Party member in the Parliament. So, if it is the obvious choice, then it is obvious that Ryan Walters would be [the political leader].”

   At the same time, he confirmed that party president Ralph Thorne remains in office and that discussions were ongoing.

   “Yes, he is still the president of the party . . . . I don’t know if he has intentions at the moment, but that is another process that we will have to discuss and go through to reduce any conflict or negative public sentiment,” Shepherd added.

   Political scientist Dr George Belle said the matter turns squarely on the party’s constitution.

   “I think you would have to look at the constitution of the DLP explicitly on that question, because I suspect . . . if that is so, that he should assume the position of political leader of the party,” he told the Saturday Sun.

   However, he acknowledged the complication created by the reference to the House of Assembly.

   Still, Belle suggested that the broader political context could not be ignored. He described President The Most Honourable Jeffrey Bostic’s decision to appoint Walters and Friends of Democracy’s leader Karina Goodridge as potentially strategic.

   “His choice, actually, in terms of Barbadian politics, might have been quite wise. He followed the Constitution . . . and he remained with the opposition voices,” he said.

   “Whether fortuitously or deliberately, he has created a political opportunity for the Democratic Labour Party and the Friends of the Democracy, which is an offshoot of the DLP, to work together and put aside their differences. This adds up to political wisdom.”

   Fellow political scientist Devaron Bruce approached the issue from both procedural and practical angles.

   “The selection of the third party, Karina Goodridge, is not surprising to me. I believe it is a direct response to what the Democratic Labour Party has done, which is try to influence the President’s decision by only selecting two individuals when four are requested.

   “Had they followed the process, they may very well have had two members of the Democratic Labour Party in the Senate, [but] they bungled the process,” he added.

   On the leadership question, Bruce pointed to precedent and practicality. “If you recall, Clyde Mascoll would have been the political leader for the Democratic Labour Party from the Senate . . . although Thompson was in the Lower House. Mascoll, who was in the Senate at the time, led the party politically,” he said. “Given the fact that Ryan is the only person that has parliamentary presence, whether Upper House or Lower house, I would think logic would dictate that he become a political leader.” Shepherd said the immediate focus remains on renewal. “The next step for me would be for us to meet all of the candidates who took part in the General Election. Once we do that and we have a review of the election from the candidates’ perspective, then we can move into meeting with the membership of the party,” he said.

   “There will be a rebuilding. There will be probably a rebranding, and I can tell you that the Democratic Labour Party surely is not dead. It is not going to just lay down and pretend that it’s dead either.”

   Source: Nation

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6. P for Parliament, P for Pappyshow – Carribwyre

   February 21, 2026 at 6:55 am

   
   

   […] – Donald […]

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7. 

   David

   February 22, 2026 at 8:23 am

   
   

   Long road back to power for DLP

   By Devaron Bruce With the conclusion of the 2026 General Election, Barbados is witnessing a full consolidation of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) as the dominant political force in the country. For the third consecutive election, the BLP has secured every seat in Parliament.

   This outcome is especially troubling for the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) on several fronts. Immediately, it will have a demoralising effect and likely plunge the party into internal disarray. While broader political analysis will unfold in time, there is a need to focus on the DLP’s current performance and its likely future trajectory.

   In 2026, the DLP captured 28 per cent of the vote, representing a low two per cent national swing, and down from a five per cent improvement in 2022. Based on current trends and the party’s historical performance, the DLP is unlikely to form a government until the 2040s at the earliest.

   Even more concerning, the numbers suggest that, all things being equal, and based on historical performances, the DLP is currently positioned to win no more than two seats in the next election.

   There is a familiar saying that a day is a long time in politics and much can change. It is this possibility of change that deserves attention.

   Undoubtedly, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has been a major factor in the BLP’s sustained success. With increasing speculation that she may soon depart from political leadership, many within the DLP view this as a major political opening. While this is a reasonable assessment, a critical reality remains: the BLP is likely to remain electorally strong even without Mottley at the helm.

   Weakest moments

   Historically, the BLP has performed well under various leaders. Its four worst electoral showings, 1971 (42 per cent), 1986 (40 per cent), 1991 (44 per cent), and 2008 (47 per cent), still reflect a strong average of 43 per cent of the vote during its weakest moments. By contrast, the DLP’s four worst results, 1999 (33 per cent ), 2018 (22 per cent), 2022 (26 per cent) and 2026 (28 per cent), averaging only 27 per cent. Notably, three of these poor outcomes for the DLP occurred within the last decade, while only one of the BLP’s worst results occurred nearly two decades ago.

   These numbers make one conclusion clear: as a political brand, the BLP is significantly more appealing to voters, Mottley or no Mottley. Therefore, the DLP cannot rely on a leadership change within the BLP to reverse its fortunes.

   It must instead confront deeper issues within its political strategy, messaging and organisational structure. This is also particularly urgent given the scale of its losses. Of the 16 seats required to form a government, only six are relatively competitive, each with at least 40 per cent support.

   Ultimately, the DLP must undertake a profound re-evaluation of its political and electoral strategy. Years of declining support, poor national swings, and limited competitiveness across constituencies indicate deeper systemic weaknesses. These problems will not be addressed even with the absence of Prime Minister Mottley and therefore the DLP must first look within to create its win.

   Devaron Bruce is a political scientist.

   Source: Nation

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8. 

   David

   February 22, 2026 at 8:26 am

   
   

   SPOILER PARTIES

   Bruce and Belle examine impact on General Election

   By Colville Mounsey colvillemounsey@nationnews.com

   They won no seats and attracted just three per cent of the national vote but the presence of third parties may have significantly shaped the outcome of the General Election.

   That is the position of two of Barbados’ leading political scientists, Devaron Bruce and Dr George Belle, who argue that while the numbers appear modest nationally, the constituency-level impact of smaller parties may have undermined the Democratic Labour Party’s (DLP) ability to break the Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) commanding hold on Parliament.

   “The election third parties had a lot of moderate impact nationally, so they would have received about three per cent of the national vote, which is down from 2022 and down from 2018,” Bruce said.

   “But if you look at the constituency level, that is a different conversation.”

   While the BLP swept all 30 seats, Bruce contended that in several constituencies the third parties functioned as spoilers, fragmenting Opposition support at crucial moments.

   He identified St Philip West as a prime example.

   “Similarly to 2022, you had the combination of Lynette Eastmond (People’s Coalition for Progress) and Karina Goodridge (The Friends of Democracy) in St Philip West who, one could argue, prevented David Estwick (DLP) from entering into Parliament,” Bruce said.

   In 2026, the DLP candidate secured 40 per cent of the vote while the third parties combined for nine per cent, a gap that, if consolidated, could have significantly tightened the race.

   Bruce noted that in the justconcluded election, the BLP’s Kay McConney secured 50 per cent and Estwick 41 per cent, with roughly nine per cent again going to third parties.

   “They have been a spoiler, one could argue, in St Philip West,” he said.

   Bruce also pointed to St Lucy as another constituency where the arithmetic deserves attention.

   “The numbers are also showing a similar thing in St Lucy, where the third parties combined with the Democratic Labour Party would have received more votes than BLP candidate Peter Philips, showing again they are spoilers at the constituency level,” he said. “In actuality, Philips is a minority MP.”

   However, Bruce acknowledged that third parties have not expanded their base significantly.

   “They have an impact electorally in that sense, but nationally they have not been as forceful as one would have expected. I think The Friends of Democracy received about 1 500 votes or so, so they have some work to do.”

   Beyond the numbers, Bruce framed the rise of third parties as reflective of deeper fissures within the DLP.

   “The third parties in many ways are the DLP, as they are in many cases splinters of that party.”

   He traced that pattern historically. “If you think throughout our political history, the third parties emerged first and foremost with the NDP, which broke off with the DLP, and then you had the emergence of the third parties again in 2018 and, to my mind, that was also reflective of where the DLP was,” Bruce explained.

   “Even 2018 reflects the fact that the third parties are a direct response to a Democratic Labour Party that they have not found to be effective and has been found wanting, and the data shows it as well, too.”

   Meanwhile, Belle noted that the impact of third parties extended beyond simple vote totals to voter psychology.

   “In terms of statistics, you can’t come to a total conclusion as to how they impacted the elections but I think that in terms of their campaign . . . the campaigning would have impacted on people’s posture in participation in the election. The negative implication of that would have been towards the Democratic Labour Party.”

   He argued that their presence might have dampened enthusiasm among DLP supporters.

   “If people needed to be inspired to come out to support the party, I think that the presence of the third parties would have broken or undermined that to some extent,” Belle said.

   “In some cases, they definitely would have split the vote,” he added.

   Source: Nation

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9. 

   Artax

   February 22, 2026 at 10:51 pm

   
   

   @ David

   I’m surprised you didn’t post the following Barbados Today article.

   BARBADOS TODAY

   Friday, February 20, 2026

   DLP DIVISIONS DEEPEN AS WALTERS SWORN IN TO SENATE WITHOUT PARTY OFFICIALS PRESENT

   Opposition Senator Ryan Walters was sworn in to the Senate on Friday WITHOUT A SINGLE Democratic Labour Party official in attendance, a striking absence that has intensified concerns about growing divisions under party president Ralph Thorne.

   Senator Walters, who contested St Michael North West in last week’s general election, arrived accompanied only by his wife and son — a stark moment at a ceremony already clouded by controversy over the party’s decision to submit just two Senate nominees instead of the four requested.

   Confronted with questions about the absence of visible party support, Senator Walters sought to project unity within the DLP, stressing that his appointment was part of a broader collective effort rather than an individual advancement.

   “This gives me the opportunity also to identify that while I am the representative of the party in the Senate, what we need is a unified collective party,” Senator Walters said. “Although people might see me as your voice, just be rest assured that we have a party called the Democratic Labour Party which I intend to represent.”

   He added that the focus now had to shift away from personalities.

   “What we need to focus on is not individual performances, but we need to look at the party in its entirety,” Senator Walters said.

   Those remarks came as he acknowledged that the optics of the ceremony had raised questions, particularly in light of persistent rumours of continued division within the party.
   Senator Walters said the party’s internal process, rather than any lack of support, explained how events unfolded.

   “To be honest with you, as you’re aware, the process that the party went through was that we received a letter from the President of Barbados and we were asked to suggest or nominate representatives that he could use on his basis for his selection to the Senate,” he said. “The executive council met, and the general council of which I am a part was asked to nominate two persons, and we did submit the names of those two persons, and I happen to be one of those.

   “And after getting the call this morning, I turned up for duty, and I think I represent the party in this regard. Definitely I am here on behalf of the party,” he added.

   Senator Walters said that while the DLP put forward its preferred nominees, the final decision lay outside its control.

   “What we do not control is the decision of the President,” he said. “It was a democratic process and that was a decision made across the two councils of the party, and I think the party stands behind that decision.”
   Asked whether he was surprised that the President opted for a different route after reports emerged that other parties were also under consideration, Walters said the party had done what it believed was necessary.

   “As a party we decided what we wanted to put forward as options to the President, and that was a democratic process,” he said. “I think we are satisfied as a party that we suggested the names of the persons for consideration.”

   He said he was not aware at the time that other political parties had also been contacted.
   “Personally, I was not aware, and to be honest with you, it didn’t make a difference to me personally,” Walters said. “I thought that we would have been given due consideration at the end of the day.”
   Senators Walters argued that the party’s electoral showing justified its continued presence in the upper chamber.

   The Democratic Labour Party contested the election.

   We’re one of the major political parties and we garnered over 30 000 votes in the last election unofficially,” he said. “I’m sure that those 30 000 persons that voted for us will be more than happy to hear that we have a voice in the Parliament of Barbados.

   “In addition to the tens of thousands who did not vote and who would like to hear an opposing view or seek clarity on the bills that pass in the Parliament, I think that Barbados is better for this,” he added.
   Senator Walters said no additional party meetings were convened after it became public that the President was not bound to select the DLP’s nominees.

   “We were not asked to attend any subsequent meetings since the decision was made,” he said. “It was not an individual decision. It was a collective from the two bodies or organs of the party, and the general council is the highest organ of the party.

   “They made the decision to submit two names, and they made the decision to submit the names of Comrade Ralph Thorne and myself, Ryan Walters. I don’t think that there is any regret to that decision,” he said.

   He described his return to the Senate as a continuation of service rather than a personal milestone.

   “My journey to this opportunity again is one that came with a lot of responsibility,” Walters said. “This is just a continuation of that, but rest assured it is in the best interest of the party.”

   The appointments follow the Barbados Labour Party’s third consecutive clean sweep at the polls, a result that left Barbados without a parliamentary opposition or opposition leader.

   (SZB)

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10. 

    David

    February 23, 2026 at 7:30 am

    
    

    Thanks Artax but the DLP seem to be fixated on imploding. As others have opined, maybe the party should be allowed to die for the Phoenix to do its thing.

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11. 

    Bush Tea

    February 23, 2026 at 7:49 am

    
    

    LOL@Enuff
    “Where is Bushtea?”
    ~~~~~~~~~~
    Murduh!! ha ha ha
    Bushie is good as shiite!

    But Boss, you like you is a masochist yuh!!
    This is like Pharaoh asking for Moses to come back…
    Tek care yuh don’t end up in the Dead Sea hear….

    First the whacker get tek way…
    Now the little ‘collins’ uh had gone missing…
    This could only mean ONE thing…
    Mission accomplished!

    ie
    Ensure that BBs were AWARE of their need to CHOOSE righteousness over shiite.
    Confront all forms of wickedness with TRUTH, and do so respectfully…
    Remind ALL that there is a CREATOR – who has an unrelenting PLAN…

    All this so that BB can FREELY choose between life and death… (or sit at home and let idiots make their choices for them).

    Like BBs of a past era, we have selected Barabbas.

    Who knows, perhaps Barabbas may yet see the TRUE light – and become a champion of RIGHTEOUSNESS…
    but Bushie is not holding his breath…

    Now the Bushman will (like his favorite Prophet Jonah) just sit outside the gates of the City and await the inevitable…

    So ‘where is Bushie?’…
    …check under the dunks tree outside the gate anytime you want him…

    What an era in which to be alive…

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12. 

    Bush Tea

    February 23, 2026 at 7:58 am

    
    

    @ NO
    Skippa, Bushie like de man doh…
    But yuh gotta call a spade a spade…
    and EVERYTHING he touches DOES turn into jobby…

    Unfortunately, Bushie is not into PR…
    but only into the TRUTH, and nothing but the truth…

    …except of course, when it comes to Cuhdear Bajan,
    where Bushie will still pretend to be friendly
    (like the PM said that pretends to care about poor people)
    …until some kinda conkies come forward.

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13. 

    Sargeant

    February 23, 2026 at 12:20 pm

    
    

    There is a certain curiosity regarding the makeup of the Opposition Senators. Traditionally it is understood that the President is obliged to appoint individuals whose names are put forward by the “opposition”. What I’m understanding is that the DLP submitted two names for consideration but only one was accepted by the President. Is this within the President’s prerogative to act unilaterally or does he have to consult other officials (hint hint the Governing party)? The situation leads one to conclude that the power to appoint is accompanied by the power to withhold. I am not a fan of Thorne, his ascension to the leadership of the DLP was a Pyrrhic victory and the costs to the party outweighed the benefits.

    What about the electoral performance of the “Freedom for Democracy”? Did it field a full slate of candidates? I read somewhere that its percentage of the votes was in the single digits, but its reward was more akin to a party with significantly more electoral support e.g. the DLP.

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14. 

    David

    February 23, 2026 at 12:27 pm

    
    

    @Sargeant

    The selections are solely at the President’s discretion.

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15. 

    Bush Tea

    February 23, 2026 at 12:31 pm

    
    

    @ Sargeant
    The WHOLE system is broken.
    This is not a local phenomenon, …but we are leaders in high level brassbowlery.

    Even a basic constitution or bylaws for a decent social club would have made sensible provisions for a THIRD clean sweep of parliament – without putting the President in the position of appearing to be blatantly partisan.

    But surely you have been around long enough to understand how women think and act.

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16. 

    Artax

    February 23, 2026 at 2:41 pm

    
    

    @ David

    Apparently, many of us prefer to “use our imagination,” as suggested by a ‘BU regular,’ rather than read relevant information to ‘guide’ our comments.

    The Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2022, repealed and replaced section 75 of the Constitution.

    My understanding of the situation is that, under ordinary circumstances, if an Opposition Leader is chosen, then he/she could submit two names for appointment as Opposition Senators.

    Although the DLP, “the opposing political party which obtained the highest number of votes in the general election following the dissolution of Parliament,” they did not win any seats.
    Therefore, the process to fill the “vacancy in the Office of Leader of the Opposition,” according to Sections 75 (1) (a), (b), 2, and 3, could not apply.

    Since the constitutional responsibility for the appointment of Senators now lies solely with the President, he/she could consider other “opposing political parties” as well, which for the purpose of Section 75, “means the members of a political party which contested the elections, but who do not form the Government.”

    In other words, the President is not obligated to confine his decision to the two DLP nominees, but chose instead to appoint Ryan Walters from the DLP, and Friends of Democracy (FOD) political leader Karina Goodridge, as Opposition Senators…… one from the ‘DUOPOLY,’ and one from a ‘THIRD PARTY,’……

    ……which, in MY opinion, SEEMS to be a FAIR and NON-PARTISAN.

    Perhaps other considerations could’ve included Walters’ senatorial experience, and Goodridge receiving the most votes, 222, from amongst the other ‘third parties.’

    If President Bostic had appointed two OS from FOD, People’s Coalition for Progress, or a combination of both, for example, THEN I would have a legitimate reason to question such a decision as being PARTISAN, since it would’ve suggested a political BIAS against the DLP.

    Unless we’re ‘subtly suggesting’ Bostic deliberately chose Walters instead of Thorne.

    However, I believe giving a ‘third party’ an opportunity to participate in the parliamentary process is good for democracy, and welcomed competition for the ‘duopoly.’

    {By the way, “UP and ON” to President Bostic}. 👏🏽

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17. 

    David

    February 23, 2026 at 2:47 pm

    
    

    @Artax

    Agree with your read of the situation.

    The President would have to confirm his thinking but it is obvious he gave consideration to stoking life into the ‘opposition’ space. Ours is an adversarial system as you know. Given current trajectory we are heading towards a dark place.

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