Opposition Members of Parliament Owen Arthur and Kerrie Symmonds last night sought to quash any ideas of factionalism within the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), stating that dissent in good faith had always been welcome and that concerns about factions could make the BLP “unelectable”.
In a speech before scores of party faithful at Grantley Adams Memorial School, Symmonds said that after being asked by the media and BLP members about the meeting, he was convinced such inquiries stemmed from “wickedness” or “obsessive paranoia”.
He stressed that the BLP would do itself “a terrible disservice” and would serve the people of Barbados poorly if it subscribed to a view that it must repress, suppress, gag or underutilise the skills and competence of its most experienced, talented and gifted members.
“We have to end this climate of distrust and fear of Labour Party people inside the Labour Party. The time has come to stop peeping under ourselves, to stop peeping behind BLP people, but to unleash the wealth that this BLP has so that the BLP can reposition and ready itself to assume the reins of Government,” the St James Central MP said.
