Dr Maria Agard, Lynette Eastmond, Sandra Husbands and Margo Durant-Callender – all present.
Mia Mottley, Cynthia Forde and Dame Billie Miller – all absent.
This was the political picture painted in Gall Hill, Christ Church, a divided female grouping within the Opposition. The Arthur females on one side and the Mia females on the other side.
The persons invited to speak at the meeting on August 2 constituted the Anti-Mia Women’s Movement (AMWM). They all came in support of the candidate for Christ Church West Central but came without the real political hierarchy. The absence of the three most powerful female faces of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) emphasized the divide among the females.
The presence of the deputy leader was another indication of how serious the Opposition is in responding to the plight of the new candidate. Dale Marshall once again was asked to bring up to rear.
The Opposition Leader knows how to pick his fights inside and outside; the advice not to have the Gall Hill meeting was ignored. Arthur was returned to office after the Anti-Mia Male Movement (AMMM) ousted Mia. Dale understood this to mean a greater role for him in shaping the BLP’s message. The shock came when Arthur decided; this was a one-man show again!
Arthur betrayed the Mia Revolution by publicly extending the olive branch. By now, Dale must have read the script coming from the political manuscript of Arthur.
There will be no unity in the BLP. This period in Opposition for the BLP has come to help Barbadians see what drives the Opposition leadership: opportunism. Politics of opportunism has dominated the BLP’s stint in Government and now in opposition.
As a Government, we have depended on the trust of the public to help implement and support our polices. Despite the hard times, Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley, Member of Parliament for Christ Church West Central, saw to our Crop Over Festival attracting increased prize money for the winners. We understand the importance of people to making a success of our festival. The minister and his staff must be complimented for ensuring that we increased participation all around. The attempt to unseat Stephen Lashley must be agreed to by the good people of Christ Church West Central, not opportunists.
Our reading indicates that Stephen Lashley enjoys tremendous support as the Member of Parliament. He has awakened the energies of the people through his continual support for the educational, sporting, cultural activities. His energy, like his predecessors in the ministries assigned to him, cannot be questioned. Stephen likes his people in Christ Church West Central, and that love is returned.
The pedestrian approach to politics as offered by the BLP, in this and other constituencies, will not keep pace with our hard-working Members of Parliament. The neglect of the constituency has become a thing of the past. The leadership of the Democratic Labour Party has not starved and will not starve the people of Christ Church West Central as was the case under Joe Edghill and Owen Arthur. We urge the good people of the constituency to stay the course with Stephen Lashley as their constituency is another one that is better with the Dems!
• Douglas Leopold Phillips is a pseudonym for the Democratic Labour Party.