DePeiza punches back at challenger

Democratic Labour Party (DLP) President, Verla DePeiza is challenging the Reverend Guy Hewitt to be honest with the party and the wider electorate while attempting to unseat her as leader of the country’s second oldest political organisation.

During a Barbados TODAY interview on Monday, she claimed that despite suggesting otherwise, Hewitt’s interest in contesting the St John seat is no secret among party members.

And, despite public attacks on her leadership throughout what is usually an internal process, Depeiza expressed confidence that her record of political leadership stands tall when placed alongside a man whom she considers a “political neophyte”.

Less than two weeks ago, the Anglican priest declared that he had no intention of contesting any of the 30 constituencies under DePeiza’s presidency, “because she does not possess the competencies to successfully lead us to victory”.

At the time, he explained that while he “wanted her to be a success in politics”, he feared that trying to win the St Lucy seat and leading a party to an election victory may be more than she could manage.

Declaring that her public comments on the matter were in defense of self and party, DePeiza claimed that Hewitt had already informed her and other members of the party of his desire to hold the “symbolic” St John seat.

“He is seeking both the nomination in St John and the presidency. Whether he wishes to say so out loud or not, he is seeking both. He, a political neophyte, thinks that he is able to do it, but I, more seasoned than him, can’t do it. Tell me how that makes sense,” DePeiza declared.

In fact, she added that his expressed desire to run for president of the party and challenge Prime Minister Mia Mottley, whilst having no intention to contest one of the 30 constituencies is utterly inconsistent. The former senator has therefore advised Hewitt that only four constituencies – St Michael West, St Michael South, the City and Christ Church West Central are still up for grabs.

According to DePeiza, the reverend’s inconsistencies in politics started last month, when Hewitt swore he had no interest in entering the race for the DLP presidency and just two weeks later launched his candidacy at the Hilton Barbados Resort. Well before the announcement of Hewitt’s “New Dawn” campaign, DePeiza recalled receiving a photo from him, informing her that “a new day” was “dawning”.

“I am seeing a trend and I am certain the party members are also seeing it and this is the thing. I believe politics in Barbados has reached a stage where people want their politicians to deal straight with them. They don’t want empty rhetoric, they don’t want wool pulled over their eyes, they want the straight truth, whether it is unpalatable or not,” DePeiza explained.

“He has taken it there, so it is in the public domain and will be dealt with in the public domain, but certainly, my record speaks for itself. I will send you my flier just so you can see what has been accomplished. I hope he sends his as to what he has accomplished to date so that we are not only evaluating him on promises and rhetoric only, but on actual works,” she added.

Among DePeiza’s achievements, she claims, are increasing numbers in membership, readying 26 candidates “and counting” for the next general election, and increased advocacy on issues of national importance. And despite criticism of the party’s handling of the St George by-election, the president has identified signs of promise even in defeat.

“I am not sure who his statistician is, but in 2018, the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) candidate secured 80 per cent of the vote and by 2020, that has been reduced to 66 per cent. Whereas the Democratic Labour Party increased our percentage from 12 to 24. That is a trajectory in the right direction if an election is sprung on us in a Barbados Labour Party stronghold and we managed to field a candidate who performed credibly.

“What you must do when next you speak to Reverend Hewitt was to ask what was his contribution of any kind to the by-election effort,” she contended, adding that his public spat with the party’s youth arm was further evidence of Hewitt’s disconnection from the party.

Over the weekend, Hewitt was successfully nominated to contest the presidency of the DLP during a meeting of the St John branch at which DePeiza was also nominated. Barbados TODAY understands that while the Reverend secured 13 of the 10 votes required to make it on the ballot, DePeiza amassed 22 at the same meeting. The sitting president is said to have also been nominated by “several” other branches.

In a statement the following day, Hewitt thanked the members for their support and promised not only to become a candidate, but to restore “the long and important tradition of a two-party political system”.

“I speak out of a deep belief in the ideals of the DLP and in the potential of our party and its leadership to make a difference. And I speak out of a deep trust in our capacity to unite in a common vision to mend the deep tears in our social fabric and the moral decay taking place around us, while also healing the divisions in our party,” the Reverend declared.
(kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb)