The Democratic Labour Party can face a landslide against it in the next General Election, says political scientist Peter Wickham.
His comments were made last night at the Nation’s Talkback session discussing The Next General Election….who should run the affairs of this country?
Wickham said it was disappointing that they did not attend the session, which was held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre before a packed audience.
Echoing this was Editor Emeritus at The Nation Publishing Co Limited Harold Hoyte, who said the DLP dropped the ball last night by not participating.
Hoyte said it was a sad commentary, adding that the party had lost an opportunity to speak to the people of this country. “There has been full ventilation from the public on a wide range of issues,” he said, noting the absence of the DLP was unfortunate.
Hoyte touched on the recent CADRES poll, noting it was a snap shot of the country at the time. He suggested that another poll be conducted prior to elections to see if the feeling of the electorate has changed.
He also cautioned that the public needed to hear from the Democratic Labour Party before “rushing to a conclusion”.
Barbados Labour Party MP for St Michael North East, Mia Mottley, who was also part of the panel, addressed the relationship between herself and Opposition Leader Owen Arthur.
She noted that the good of this country and its people were bigger issues that confront them..
Wickham, however, said he believed Arthur and Mottley would have their work cut out for them in convincing the public that their relationship has healed.
Bobby Clarke, the deputy leader of the People’s Empowerment Party (PEP) said it seemed those attending the session seemed bent on either voting BLP or DLP, and urged them to open their minds to an alternative.
Some of the 1 531 people who were following the live feed and live blogging session of this event, also expressed disappointment about the DLP’s absence from the panel.
One person wrote: “The DEMs are dissapointing. There should have been there tonight to answer to the people.”
Another wrote: “It is vain and arrogant for a party to absent themselves from a forum such as these that the public can hear their perspective.”
“By refusing to send a representative to this meeting they have essentially turned they back on us the people of this country” was another comment received.
Comprehensive reports of the Nation Talkback session in tomorrow’s WEEKEND NATION.