When Prime Minister Mia Mottley unveiled her new Cabinet on February 16, 2026, the headlines were not about the size of the Cabinet or portfolios assigned. They were about the return of Chris Sinckler, once the Democratic Labour Party’s (DLP) Minister of Finance, now sworn in as Senior Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Michael Lashley, another former DLP senior minister, now elevated to the Mottley team. A reasonable question being asked by sensible Barbadians is – “how she cud do dah?”
The DLP administration, in which both men served, was decisively rejected by voters in 2018 after years of poor economic performance that ushered in what has come to be known as the “Lost Decade. Sinckler, in particular, was the man at the forefront of austerity budgets, runaway debt, credit rating downgrades that resulted in loss of confidence by Barbadians. Lashley, as a senior minister, was part of a DLP Cabinet widely criticised for being inept. To observe them being called back to Cabinet under the banner of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) raises uncomfortable questions about the integrity of our governance setup. Sinckler and Lashley were key members of a political party that was soundly beaten by the BLP, what sensible explanation can justify coopting them in a BLP Cabinet?
“I little slow so help me understand this. The man that crippled the NISSS fund and holds the award for being the worst minister of finance under the DLP, has now reincarnated under the BLP as a minster, having not contested the elections?”
Are you saying political appointments have nothing to do with competence but only the political whims and schemes of the Maximalist Leader?
Hopefully the card carrying political hacks on both sides will start to see that the joke is on them.
Barbados is not a real place!
BU Commenter: Dullard
Mottley defended her decision as being strategic by emphasising the need to add experience to the Cabinet in order to deliver for Barbadians. To quote her – “We must draw on the best talent available to us, regardless of past political affiliation. Barbados’ challenges require competence and experience, and my responsibility is to ensure that the government reflects that.”
Although all agree that Barbados must confront some daunting challenges in an uber-competitive global space – the inclusion of figures associated with a “disgraced” administration risks eroding the very trust Mottley has worked hard to build. In fact, the move to include Sinckler especially, should remind political pundits of the move when the late Owen Arthur invited Clyde Mascoll in the party to compete with Mottley after he was rejected as leader of the DLP. Barbadians believed they were voting for a clean break from bad DLP governance. Mottley’s decision suggests that Barbados’ political class is a fraternity. What a sight it was to observe BLP actors holding noses at the swearing in ceremony as Sinckler sat amongst them.
If Sinckler and Lashley perform well by delivering tangible results in foreign affairs and law & order ministries, Mottley will be hailed as the greatest political leader in our history. Especially if the BLP wins a fourth term, with or without her at the helm.
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