Some Barbadians say they cannot take another term of a Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Government, while others are more sympathetic to the Dees, recognizing the economy has put some pressure on the effective running of the country.
Their comments come on the heels of a CADRES poll that shows a four to six per cent swing against the party. The poll was carried out in four constituencies.
We asked our Facebook readers to comment on the findings of the poll, as well as the request, contained in a letter from 11 DLP parliamentarians, for an urgent audience with Prime Minister Freundel Stuart.
The letter stated: “Against the backdropm of growing concern among supporters of the Government and our party, with respect to perceived weaknesses in our leadership of the country and a sense of drift and inertia arising therefrom, we, the undersigned elected members of the Parliamentary group, seek an urgent audience with you to discuss matters of grave concern to us, as well as chart a path forward for the retention of our party in Government.”
Here are some of the comments:
Samantha Inniss: “Another term to try? My pockets can’t allow that. I have two children to support and the supermarket bill killing me.”
Dionne Anne-Marie Deane: “I cannot take another term of them. My salary has already been cut by $600. Their method of excessive taxation is not the way to go. There are other methods of public finance.”
Raquel Gilkes: How can . . . a poll which was done across four DLP constituencies be represented to any sane person as ‘indicative of a national swing’? On the actions of the MPs, it is their right to request a meeting with their leader and as politicians it is in their interest to be anxious if their policies and programmes are not popular with the public.”
Devaron Bruce: “I’m interested in seeing how things play out: the politics, the process and the results. If the PM is polling poorly and there is a general dislike that comes with him, the party should asses its prospects, just make sure the process is transparent, clean and respectful, with all members having a fair say.
“Avoid destroying the image of the next leader by a dirty process.”
Faith Oh’cee: “A better job could be done, but by whom I’m not sure. I think they are trying their best and would be willing to give them another term to try. Taking over a country in a recession cannot be easy. It is for us the people to learn to start growing backyard gardens to help feed ourselves and cut back on some of the unnecessary spending . . . .”
Marc Duke: “Although, the DLP is a political party, what I find rather instructive is that their concern seems to surround the retention of power, as opposed to helping Barbados. If, by inclusion of the words ‘sense of drift and inertia’, that is to lay blame at the Prime Minister’s feet, I believe it speaks volumes about their own individual lack of performance . . . .”
Kemar Bacchanal Sobers: “Had the PM and his team been performing, there would be no discontent. The PM is like a CEO. When a company performs well, all the directors are praised, but when it performs poorly you blame the CEO. Come on, you can’t blame the PM.”
Adrian Hinds: “It is the economy. It is the economy that has cost the Italian PM, the Greek PM, the St Lucian PM their jobs. It’s the economy that caused the results in Russia and the projected outcome of the next US elections.
“The global economy, it is suggested, will not be getting better any time soon, so a BLP Government four years from now will likely not fare any better in spite of their marketing their ‘economic know-how’.”
Andrew Headley: “Leadership is not taking a lackadaisical approach to the sufferings of people in your country and saying you will not let it be a bother; that’s called politics. Leadership is not sitting back and saying you would prefer to listen and not speak. Again that’s politics. Taking a stand for something, trying to make a difference and not blaming others is leadership.”
Melvin Skeete: “It seems to me, once you become a PM in Barbados it is your right to be always PM, even though you don’t have the necessary skills to motivate or lead the country and also if it is clear the people don’t want you as leader. Mr PM, if the majority of your sitting members don’t want you as their leader, give it up. It is not your right to be leader or PM.”