THE WORDS coming from Lynette Eastmond, former Barbados Labour Party (BLP) senator and Cabinet minister during her by-election platform speech in St John, last Sunday, spoke to frustration that there is a “safe seat” in Barbados’ political landscape. And that any candidate had a right to a seat because of a dynasty.
She also frowned on the notion that the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate was being described as “a queen”.
“I don’t want you to discriminate against anybody that come here to live and work, but I got a problem when Barbadians are being discriminated against. And the Democratic Labour Party had discriminated against all the women in Barbados; all the women that look like me and sound like me that were born here, nobody ain’t look at me and say that ‘I going to get a safe seat for you . . . .’”
Eastmond was speaking in reference to DLP by-election candidate Mara Thompson, who is running for the seat left vacant by her late husband, former Prime Minister David Thompson, who died last October.
“We have to work to support Hudson Griffith (the Barbados Labour Party candidate) to make sure the correct person is representing St John.”
Eastmond said she was speaking on the platform in her “own right and my husband did not send me” .
“If in Barbados I had to go on a political platform and tell you that I am coming to represent a constituency because my husband send me, wunnah would steupse and walk ’way. You all won’t take me on. So wuh is the difference between me and Mara? Because I born here? Because I ain’t come from no dynasty? Because I ain’t red? Because I got a Bajan accent?
“And it ain’t only me. [Senator] Irene Sandiford-Garner has to ask herself what is the difference between her and Mara, that she got to go and butt up against George Payne and fight for a seat in St Andrew . . . . Mara ain’t got to fight for it.”
Eastmond, who was speaking at Sargeant Street, also lamented that it looked as if women in the Democratic Labour Party had to have a foreign accent and be part of a dynasty to get access to an easy seat.
“Mara Thompson, that come from St Lucia, ain’t got to fight for one. I am the last person who believes in discriminating against anybody that comes to Barbados to seek a living – not me, I don’t do it – but I have a problem that people who look like me that come from Barbados are being discriminated against.”
Eastmond also said that Mara Thompson could not represent her “interest as a Bajan woman”. (JS)
