EMBATTLED Leader of the Opposition Mia Mottley has major backing in the St Michael North East riding that she has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for nearly 20 years.
When a DAILY NATION team visited the constituency yesterday afternoon, predictably, the majority of constituents kept faith with Mottley, who is now locked in a Barbados Labour Party (BLP) leadership battle with former Prime Minister Owen Arthur.
At most street corners and shops in Bush Hall, Long Gap and Grazettes, Mottley held sway, especially among the youth, with many of them of the view she deserved the chance to lead and that Arthur’s time had come and gone.
However, there were pockets of dissenting voices.
One young man in Bush Hall felt she needed to do some introspection and did not quite possess the qualities he was looking for.
An outspoken man, liming by Roach’s popular shop in Grazettes, denounced her, mentioning that he had no confidence in her to take the country forward.
Hammie Hoyte, who operates a shop in Long Gap, had divided loyalties, but leaned towards Arthur.
“Both are good people and are my customers. It is hard for me to choose. Mia is a good girl but Owen has been there before and knows what it is all about,” he said.
Rommel “Pruckle” Quimby, a young man from Bush Hall, made it clear he was firmly in Mottley’s corner.
“I want Mia to run the country. I am not going back to Owen. I don’t reverse. She has done much to uplift this community and should get the chance to lead Barbados,” he said.
Theodore “Billy” Sobers, who runs a small shop, wants Mottley out front.
“Mia has the potential to be the next Prime Minister of Barbados.
I am supporting a change. Mia is going to bring new exciting ideas and deserves the chance to run things,” he said.
Jonathan “The Barber” Francois thinks that Arthur is the one the BLP should turn to.
“Arthur has to be the choice. There are certain things that I look for and she does not possess them,” he said.
Eulene Rollock is also going with the former PM.
“I am going with Owen. It is about leadership and I think he is the one that can bring us out of this economic downturn. I think Mia should step aside and support Mr Arthur if you are putting the country first.”
Richard “Rasta Man” Griffith is not a fan of Mottley’s.
“Owen would be a better choice. Mia does not have it to be leader of Barbados. We have to go forward and not back.” (MK)
