Tag Archives: Barbados General Election

Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart Biding His Time

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Prime Minister Freundel Stuart

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart

JORDAN: So the 11 MPs were eager to meet with the Prime Minister simply to have a discussion?

SINCKLER: Well, you say eager; I think some of us wanted to meet.

A question posed to Minister Chris Sinckler in the Big Interview  by former Editor in Chief Kaymar Jordan (18.12.2012)

BU is reluctant to ‘sully’ its blog offering during the Yuletide season with content of a political flavour. However, we have been enticed to compromise our position as a result of Prime Minister Stuart’s weekend pronouncement. He stated that he saw no evidence of a coup and therefore his promise to ‘chop’ off’ the head or heads of those in the vanguard of the Eager 11 (E11) assault is not required. In the minds of many Barbadians Stuart’s inaction to deal with the E11 affair agrees with a widely held view that he is not a leader.

Some who read the tea leaves maybe intrigued that Prime Minister Stuart waited almost one year to the day to make a decisive statement about the E11 affair. Perhaps the Prime Minister is readying the party for election battle by seeking to deflate this issue which is sure to raise its head on the election platform. Was he advised by Hartley Henry to be so bold as to address the issue? Perhaps Stuart appreciates the sandy political turf he will have to trod shortly and the appearance of a cohesive and united team more favourable weighs the scale then giving political fodder to the Opposition which ‘chopping of a head or heads” may cause. It is accepted that Prime Minister Stuart CANNOT ‘touch’ Minister Sinckler who CADRES has fingered as the most popular political personage in Barbados after Owen Arthur and Mia Mottley.

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Time to say Goodbye…DLP

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Submitted by BLP Supporter

E11 affair lurks

‘Too oft we overstay our welcome’

What will it take to bring down the curtain on this farrago and consistently fractured performance? Like the sesame street hagglers Nit n Wit….. the people of Barbados have now endured for too long. We were given a promise of “better days are coming,” only for Jimmy Cliffs up-tempo Caribbean renaissance “to be punished with laughter” by descriptives and their promised “delivery to the light.”Far the less, as one seasoned blogger had put it…”What light? Emera? – waiting at the end of the imaginary tunnel, with increasing fuel charges to inflict pain, in exchange for unscrupulous gain.”

We have been duped, twisted and re-duped, by Ms. Fowl-up, Mr. Bleep and Madame Blunder, way too often. Why welcome all to Bottle Gas and Gasoline Merry-go-rund…up a 10c today down a 1c tomorrow, bringing in more than $100 Million to BARNOC in less than a year. Who ever said scooping off 17c per litre from the blinded,ain’t big bling bling. Why who can forget the even bigger Rip Van Winkle of marking up own drilled fuel oil, to be resold to BL&P, only to be marked up and “vat-attacked” to unsuspecting householders. This tragedy of errors could only be capped by an encore performance of even greater colossal;  holding on til the end…”til the last tether

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Choice Of An Elections Date

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Submitted by Old Onions Bag

Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart has the responsibility to fix the general election date

How does a Prime Minister go about choosing the right day to have General Elections? What must be the essential ingredients that will weigh to his party’s advantage to secure another term? Constitutionally that nominal day is set as five years from the date of the last elections date with a ninety day grace in the eventuality of an unforeseen emergency. Given this criteria, the latest this election date should be set is April 30th, 2013. It would take some fortitude to postpone the upcoming elections until that date, as such might be seen as desperate and lack of confidence.

So what is left to be considered using most likely decision trees and PERT (project evaluation and research techniques) analysis  as necessary inputs to these models? Using today’s date as the start or current date, what other factors of interest would be of interest to the Hon. Prime Minister, should he, if being a scientific mind, consider as relevant and most crucial to aid in his decision making? Here is our rack, what we considered as most relevant :

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The Question Of "Good Governance" For Barbados: Freundel Stuart Or Owen Arthur

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Submitted by Yardbroom

Owen Arthur, Leader of the opposition (l) Fruendel Stuart, Prime Minister (r)

In the September 1994 General Election, Owen Seymour Arthur – a matter of days before his 45th birthday, 17th October – became Prime Minister of Barbados, he was of course leader of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and went on to hold that position until 15th January 2008 when the BLP lost the general election to the DLP – Democratic Labour Party – by 10 seats to 20.  During that reign – some might say an illustrious period – Owen Arthur became the longest serving Barbadian Prime Minister.  On the 19th January 2008 Arthur relinquished the leadership of the BLP and Mia Mottley was elected to that position.  He was reinstated and sworn in as leader of the BLP by a vote of confidence by four of his parliamentary colleagues on the 18th October 2010.

I will not dwell on the period January 2008 – October 2010 the Mia Mottley leadership interval.  I should make it quite clear this is not because of any misgivings about Mia Mottley it is just this submission is not about her.

In a relatively short time – months – the electorate will decide on the next government of Barbados; more should be pondered on than a simple reaction to the moment; a skip back in time should be part of that process.

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The DLP Must Go Now: “Man Call The Election” Part II

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Austin

The DLP had a meeting in St. Michael for five constituencies and it is reported that only 130 persons attended total for all five constituencies. Now compare that to the BLP Dwight Sutherland’s St. George South Branch meeting held on Sunday the 25th March at St.Luke’s Brighton Skills Training Centre which featured Opposition Deputy Leader Dale Marshall and former political leader Mia Mottley where over 100 persons attended.

What is happening in St. George South is beginning to happen all over Barbados as the election grows near, finally the people of St. George South will get the kind of representation they deserve in these challenging times from its BLP candidate Dwight Sutherland.  Dr. Suckoo has “not” served the people of St. George South well, and she has done a “poor” job as Minister of Labour.    The labour force in Barbados and the people of St. George South want more that seeing their representative “cheesing in the newspaper every day” saying and doing absolutely nothing tangible for her constituency in St.George South, or bajan people.

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The DLP Must Go NOW, Man Call De Election, Ya Killing We – Part 1

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Austin

As I have said many times before “I am for what is best for Barbados and right “NOW” that is the BLP under the leadership of Hon. Owen Arthur, period”. I am a Barbados Loyalist Patriot who puts country first and second a proud supporter of the BLP.

For 14 long years the BLP has managed the national affairs of Barbados in an effective manner, which cannot be said for the last 4 years under the current DLP administration.  While the BLP administration was “not perfect” under Owen Arthur’s leadership challenges where confronted, unemployment was driven down, and the average bajan family was in much better shape than today.

The DLP would like Bajans to believe that “the global recession” is the blame for all our challenges, but this is NOT the case.  What is to blame is the DLP “RECESSION OF IDEAS AND VISION” in these challenging times which can only be fixed by “CALLING THE ELECTION”.  In soccer when you keep passing the ball to a striker who keeps missing the goal, you don’t keep passing him the ball; it’s time to pass the ball of government leadership back to the BLP.

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Timing Is Everything: When To Call The Next Barbados General Election

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Submitted by Yardbroom

Owen Arthur, Leader of the opposition (l) Fruendel Stuart, Prime Minister (r)

After the death of Prime Minister David Thompson, no sooner had the funeral ceremony been respectably completed with much deserved ceremony befitting a Prime Minister in Office, when the call was made to the DLP, call a general election.

I said then an election should not be called.  Many here (BU) disagreed and still do judging by recent comments.  I will explain later the reasons underpinning my position.  There was a lot of public sympathy for Mr. Thompson, the circumstances of his death, coupled with his relatively young age were significant factors.  That this public sympathy could be translated into votes was evidenced by the successful campaign launched by his wife – Mara Thompson – now elected to Parliament….I am aware of her previous work in the constituency that not withstanding.  It was felt by a vocal segment that on a larger scale public sympathy could be exploited, thus handing victory to the DLP in a general election.

It is true an election could have been called by Prime Minister Stuart, but allow me to rewind and remind you of the circumstances then.  The DLP had only been in office for a short time and prior to the election it was said by the BLP that the DLP did not have the experience to govern Barbados.  That obviously had not been put to the test over time, it was therefore incumbent on Prime Minister Freundel Stuart to put any doubt to bed.  It was also believed there was dissent in the DLP with a myriad of members jockeying for leadership of the Party.

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Although The Music Is Playing The “Party” Cannot Start Until She Takes To The Floor: Mia Mottley

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Submitted by Yardbroom

Mia Mottley, former leader of the Opposition

In making a political decision you “must” factor in what is the likely outcome and how you will respond to it, obviously to your advantage…..that is real politics.  We are where we are, therefore the present situation has got to be dealt with.  The euphoria – for some – in the recent successful change of leader in The Barbados Labour Party is almost a distant memory but the heat of the next general election has already started to warm the hands of a few; others can feel the chill of defeat.  In balancing the risk factors resulting from that change of leadership and how to turn them into a positive result, it will take the acumen of a keen actuarial brain coupled with tactical awareness; but so it should be for the prize is to be the next Prime Minister of Barbados.

Like him or loath him, Owen Arthur was able to persuade his parliamentary colleagues to support his bid for re-election as leader of the Party.  I will not concern myself here with the minutiae of that challenge germane as it is.  I am looking forward.

A section of the electorate – even here on BU – who are dedicated DLP supporters seek to praise Mia Mottley with a view to sow discord in the BLP ranks; not to be outdone a few BLP supporters are praising Chris Sinckler and even asking why he is not leader of the DLP, such activists – not always – seek to be mischievous and appeal to ego.

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BU If The Next General Election Was Held Tomorrow, Who Would You Vote For; DLP or BLP?

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Austin

The people of Barbados spoke loud and clear in the last election for change they could touch and feel. Their vote came after hearing all the “right stuff” as detailed in the DLP manifesto. However what was lost in the excitement of the historic moment was an analysis of whether the promises in the DLP manifesto could actually be fulfilled.  At this point the answer appears to be an honest and disappointing “NO”, but don’t take my word for it go review the DLP manifesto and see what was accomplished to date “not much at all”.  The blaming of the global recession for all our challenges in Barbados as a reason to “not act” in defense of Bajan families on a wide range of issues, gets weaker by the minute.

As a political observer the logical question that comes to mind is whether “today” the people’s choice of a DLP administration to bring about desired chance was a good choice, again the answer is been proven as “NO”.

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