Mottley, Bostic liked, DePeiza lashed in ‘survey’

Former parliamentarian Hamilton Lashley has claimed an informal survey has praised the leadership of Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Minister of Health Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic but has poured scorn on Democratic Labour Party (DLP) leader Verla DePeiza.

Lashley told Barbados TODAY that in his 2020 People’s Choice Award for outstanding people in politics, Prime Minister Mottley was voted Regional Leader of the Year, while Lt. Col. Bostic was named Minister of the Year for his “ leadership in the fight against the coronavirus.

He declared that Opposition Senator Caswell Franklyn was considered the Workers Representative of the Year for his advocacy for workers, while Leader of the Opposition Bishop Joseph Atherly has been named Opposition Leader of the Year from amongst political parties including the DLP and others, for “keeping Barbadians abreast of national issues and policing Government”.

Lashley said: “They were very impressed with [Prime Minister] Mia Mottley’s leadership. Their fear though is that if something happens to [Prime Minister] Mia Amor Mottley, what becomes of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and the leadership of the country? She and Bostic and Caswell were undisputed. Well, they give Atherley a passing grade because they felt that he really was on top of the issues.”

Trevor Prescod was deemed Most Controversial Minister over his handling of his dismissal as Minister of Environment and National Beautification which led to Prime Minister Mottley appointing him as Special Envoy for Reparations and Economic Enfranchisement.

Opposition Senator Crystal Drakes, for her “handling of economic issues and truthfulness”, was voted as one of three Emerging Youthful Politicians of 2020, along with Minister of Maritime Affairs and Blue Economy Kirk Humphrey for his “management of issues affecting the fisherfolk” and Kemar Stewart who served as General Secretary of the DLP.

But Lashley said: “Most people are dissatisfied with Verla DePeiza’s leadership of the Democratic Labour Party, mainly as a result of the outcome of the St George North by-election last month. They felt that Floyd Reifer’s campaign wasn’t managed properly and that from the time he [came] out and he did not read a script, he did [lose].

“They don’t feet like he was properly prepared for the elections. Verla De Peiza got a serious unimpressive vote as it relates to how the grassroots people see her, which is sad.

“They believe that if you are going to look at the Democratic Labour Party going forward that you cannot look at it from within, they have to look from without even if they have to go to the Diaspora to seek leadership. But Verla got a serious failing grade. When we asked who within the DLP they see could lead the party the name of Richard Sealy came up all the time.”

According to the survey, pollster Peter Wickham was voted as Political Commentator of the Year, while the Nation’s retiring political writer, Albert Brandford, was named Political Journalist of the Year for their “solid views and analysis of the political landscape”.

Lashley said the People’s Choice voters had participated in a verbal survey in recent days and came directly from communities across the island.

He told Barbados TODAY: “I spoke to over 100 people drawn from mainly housing areas, community centres, rum shops, and other ground zero areas. These are voices that are not normally heard as it relates to their opinion relating to the performance of government and politicians.

“This intended to be an annual exercise I will take on every year. It is interesting how grassroots people look at politicians and how they examine them and draw their general conclusions. If you want an honest consensus of what is going on, you need to interact with grassroots people and they will tell you what you may not want to hear but what is true.”

(anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb)