Prime Minister Freundel Stuart is standing firm.
In fact, any discontent within his Cabinet or the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) about his approach to leadership does not appear to be riling him.
Reports have been swirling in recent days of growing discontent among party colleagues about Stuart’s perceived lack-lustre engagement with the public and how this could affect the party’s chances in the next general election.
The reports which surfaced after Monday’s parliamentary group meeting escalated yesterday to the point where it was being suggested that he had lost the confidence of the majority of the 21 DLP parliamentarians and would not survive another day at the helm.
The Prime Minister said opposing views on leadership styles and approaches were expected.
“Let me put it to you this way. The only places in Barbados where I know for certain that there is unquestioned unanimity is Westbury Cemetery, Bushy Park Cemetery and all the other churchyards in Barbados where everybody is dead,” he told the media during a Press conference at Grantley Adams International Airport yesterday.
“As long as you have a situation where you have living persons . . . there will be differences of opinions on differences of approach,” he said.“Churches, political parties, families . . . people will have differences on approach.
“I have been a member of the Democratic Labour Party since I was a teenager and I have seen those differences of opinions and approaches play out over time,” the?Prime Minister noted.
According to him: “I would be very unhappy if, as Prime Minister of Barbados, as president of the DLP and as chairman of the Cabinet, everybody around me agreed with everything I did and every way I approached [things] because I would feel very unsafe. “I feel that it is healthy for people to express themselves if they feel that a different kind of approach is necessary; that they express themselves on that.
“That happens – has happened in the DLP for as long as I have known it, and long may it continue. I think it is healthy.”
Stuart, 60, also fended off concerns about his health.
He assured the publc that he was fine even though he had fainted in public in January and November this year.
While not revealing what was behind the two collapses, Stuart said there was nothing for the public to be concerned about.Making light of rumours that he was “an acute diabetic”, that he had “lost three toes” and “collapses all over the place”, the Prime Minister said his health “occasions me no worry”.
He added: “So far as my personal health is concerned – and I can only rely on two things, how I feel and what the doctors I consult on a wide range of issues . . . what they tell me – . . . there is no cause for worry.”
Prime Minister Stuart took over leadership of the Democratic Labour Party and the ruling administration following the death of Prime Minister David Thompson in October 2010. (GE)