I can’t imagine how history will record this period in the political life of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP). The current impasse has begged the question: in whose interest are the current machinations taking place?
My limited knowledge of what takes place in Roebuck Street has guided me to some assumptions.
1. Owen Arthur and George Payne have reached a private accommodation.
2. Owen intends to see that the back of the BLP elites broken.
3. Owen does not care what the status quo in the party is thinking.
4. Owen has had a change of heart about being leader.
When taking the above assumptions into consideration, I am led to believe that Owen has promised Payne something big, whenever the BLP retains power – whenever that is.
This relationship is puzzling as we ponder on the historical relationship of the two individuals.
Deafening silence
We all appreciate that BLP politics is viewed as a convergence of interests where minds meet for a stake in the bigger pie. In this scenario, we have witnessed the deafening silence of Owen, the man at the centre.
However, he has managed to have all knives and arrows pointing towards Mottley and Payne.
There is something in this political equation that is fundamentally telling. How does Owen, the principal of the spectacle, stay so quiet and unnoticed? The BLP’s factions are calling for Payne to be pulled in line while others are saying that Mia should step aside and let Owen take over.
Owen Arthur has been able to get two of his known party adversaries to go after each other in public.
Now that is where the coup is occurring!!!
With one swoop, Arthur will perform political annihilation on his two obstacles. Come on, Labourites, you have got to look into the forest and separate the wood from the trees.
It is clear that Owen is of the view that his legacy is under threat by the status quo. It’s no secret the way Arthur treated the party stalwarts during his tenure. The likes of Sir Richard, Sir Louis, Dame Billie and, of course, Lionel Craig, who was later honoured during this current administration’s tenure, have all suffered by his tongue.
Arthur’s reign did not only come to an end with the loss at the polls, but the elites saw it as an opportunity to purge themselves of his posture – a posture they tolerated because they understood what politics and interests meant at that time.
Owen does not care for the views of the elites of the party. He did a number to attain the job as Opposition Leader; that episode is a matter of public record. Once Sir Henry Forde fell for the drama, Owen was able to begin dismantling the status quo as he found it.
The gradual redefining of the BLP in the image of Arthur was his next project. He kept the ones close to him that he thought would do the most damage. Hence, we saw where the darlings on the BLP were located – as his deputies.
The only comment from Arthur regarding the leadership issue was that he was trying to be civil about the matter. When one peels back what he was saying it reminded me of what David Banner would say in The Incredible Hulk.
“Mr McGee, don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like when I am angry.”
On the matter of being leader, I think that the comments by Arthur in the past regarding his disinterest must be seen in context. I don’t think he is the type of guy who lets on what his intentions are too early.
Even if he has intended actions, he will defer the announcement until the time is right.
But you can always tell when he is up to something (check his short grin). There can be no doubt that at the back of Arthur’s mind – way back – he genuinely believes that he can be Prime Minister of Barbados again.
This belief, however, will have to square with the wishes of his party people on conference day. On this occasion he played his hand badly. The elites of the party will make life very difficult for Arthur. He has experienced what it was like to have cooperation in Government but that was because they had a goal post.
Preservation of their party
In Opposition, the issue will be survival of the BLP as an institution, and the elites have already accepted responsibility for the preservation of their party. These are the guys who built the walls of the empire that Arthur came and found. But Arthur does not and will never share their outlook.
Arthur was recruited into the fold of the BLP to do a job, but he saw an opportunity and ran with it. He delivered for them and now they have had enough of him.
I am not sure where the glory is in this for Arthur to be facing off with the status quo. But one thing is certain is that they intend to defend their girl Mia to the max.
What the public debate has shown is that Arthur is certainly in planning.
He has set the scene for a showdown between two of his party rivals without batting an eyelid. I am led to believe that Arthur is the single beneficiary of the current machinations – not the BLP.
• George Pilgrim is a research student of the SALISES and general secretary of the Democratic Labour Party.