BARBADOS LABOUR PARTY (BLP) HOPEFUL Hudson Griffith believes the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has a lot of explaining to do to the people of St John.
“They have to explain the recent increase in bus fares, and they can’t run away from the issue of unemployment,” he told the WEEKEND NATION, ahead of last night’s BLP meeting at Edgecliff which attracted a few hundred people.
The meeting started with an opening speech by Maria Agard, who was followed by Ronald Toppin, MP, and Senator Kerrie Symmonds lending support. Unlike during the last general election of January 2008, the BLP did not stream its meeting live on the Internet.
Candidate Griffith sought to clarify early reports that said that he had intended to make the St John Polyclinic a focal issue in the by-election campaign.
He insisted that “representation” was the central issue for the people of the rural constituency, while charging that they had been neglected by the DLP.
Griffith also defended the Opposition BLP’s stewardship between 1994 and 2008, saying “it isn’t that we are unfeeling or uncaring” but “there is simply too much social work that still needs to be done in a constituency that has been kept by the DLP for 52 years”.
He listed the construction of a clinic in Gall Hill, a library and social club among the accomplishments of the BLP, while pointing out that the much talked about St John Polyclinic formed part of the unfinished business of the DLP.
While Griffith’s campaign is largely being viewed as a long shot, the BLP candidate said he intended to “speak from the heart” during this campaign, and remained confident of gaining the majority support of the 8 000-odd eligible voters in the January 20 poll.
However, the DLP’s Mara Thompson last night warned constituents not to be fooled by “the fox that is seeking to enter the hen house”.
In her inaugural campaign speech delivered before a large crowd at Gall Hill, she said the DLP, which retook the reins of Government nearly three years ago, remained committed to addressing the concerns of the people of St John, including the polyclinic.
She also promised that “St John will have no softer or less demanding a voice than it has had” for the 23 years when her husband the late David Thompson represented the constituency.
She also expressed particular concern for the welfare of the youth and the elderly in the community.
Last night’s DLP meeting was carried live on the Internet and Thompson had the full support of Ministers of Government, backbenchers and its senators.
By 8:30 p.m. hundreds of people had gathered for the meeting, many armed with their chairs.
Government Senator Jepter Ince was the first on, followed by Acting Minister of Drainage Denis Kellman. (KJ)
