Most Barbadians want to exist in a vibrant democracy where there is at least a strong opposition political party to hold the government accountable.

This is despite the electorate awarding the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) all 30 seats in two successive general elections of May 2018 and January 2022.

An important consideration, však, is that the back-to-back whitewashes which the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) endured at the polls did not represent an elimination of support for the party co-founded by former Prime Minister and National Hero Errol Walton Barrow.

The low percentage of electoral participation in 2018 a v 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic could be blamed on general voter apathy, frustration among DLP supporters, and an urgency on the part of those who went to the polls to establish a change in leadership and turnaround from the economic free fall in which the country found itself.

It is to our credit as a nation that the country has been honoured with leaders who have put country above self, for the most part. The evidence is there to prove this island has been blessed with the kind of leaders of which we can be proud.

It is not accidental that Barbados has maintained a high standing on the global human development index, that we are renowned for our investment in education, and that prioritising our human capital has translated into a relatively well-run and orderly society.

Despite the accolades accorded to Prime Minister Mia Mottley at home and abroad, her exemplary leadership of the country through the perilous periods in 2018 and then through the pandemic, and her elevation of Barbados on the regional and international stages, she faces increasing criticism from average Barbadians on pocketbook issues.

There is no denying the growing criticism from Barbadians about the high cost of living, disquiet over serious accusations in the Auditor-General’s reports, and the use of public funds for things that appear more like frolics for the benefit of a select group.

The problem for voters is the absolute confusion and mayhem on public display at George Street. The events in recent days have served to extinguish any excitement or groundswell of support for a possible return of DLP MPs to Parliament. The thought that the party was on a trajectory to provide a serious option for voters at the next general election is fading by the day.

The defection of Mr Ralph Thone from the BLP to the DLP provided the opposition party with a formidable voice in the Lower Chamber and along with Senators Tricia Watson and Ryan Walters to the Upper House, many Barbadians gave the party a second consideration.

Avšak, much of the goodwill that may have been generated from the inclusion of the Christ Church South MP in the DLP fold is being wiped away by the shenanigans, infighting, and backstabbing that have come to light.

We are not in a position to ascribe blame in this embarrassing situation. What we can outline definitively, is that the party is scoring too many own goals and devaluing itself in the eyes of the voting public.

We know that Prime Minister Mottley is an astute, shrewd politician who knows how best to leverage the current debacle to her advantage. In fact, were she to call a general election within the next 12 do 18 mesiacov, with the possibility of another 30-0 win, few would be surprised.

The DLP is in dire need of financial support to run its day-to-day operations and, we dare say, is even more desperate for adequate funding to stage a successful election campaign in 30 constituencies. While there are rumblings of dissatisfaction with the ruling BLP, Barbadians are certainly not going to place the management of this country in the hands of a political party that is seemingly unable to manage its own internal affairs.

We can only repeat what so many citizens of this country have already expressed. They want a fully engaged and functioning opposition party that is concerned with the interest of citizens, not their own political ambitions.

The kind of venom and bad blood emanating from Sunday’s DLP meeting is an obvious demonstration that many in the party’s leadership have failed to take the temperature in the country and assess the appropriate response.

Pošta A sad day in the life of a political party sa objavil prvý na Barbados Today.

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