Eversley says declining trust in politics and politicians should concern local political parties

By Shamar Blunt

Political strategist Reudon Eversley on Friday warned that the time had come for a new style of politics to be practised in Barbados.

Delivering the first Democratic Labour Party lunch-time lecture for 2023 entitled, “Why a New Politics”, at the George Street Auditorium, Eversley stated that the current level of disenchantment with politics in everyday Barbadian life, should be of grave concern.

“There is a lot of disenchantment with politics and politicians out there. On the talk shows, hardly a day goes by without someone voicing a grievance that stems in some way from a failure of politics. The mounting complaints speak to the existence of a crisis in our politics; a fractured relationship between politicians and the people, characterised by declining trust.

“It ought to be of concern to any serious political party and politician,” explained Eversley, who has been associated with the two main political parties and most recently appeared on the platform of the Barbados Labour Party in the 2018 general election.

Eversley stressed that governments must target their policies and programmes to serving the interests of all citizens and not just special interest groups.

“I wish to submit that one of the reasons why the interests of the ordinary man and woman are often sidelined, is because some governments are more busy catering to special interests. You see it in their approach to economic development where there is a belief that if you give more to certain groups at the top, somehow there will be a trickle-down to those below. That’s a core argument of the dominant neo-liberal economics orthodoxy. I call it a Dives and Lazarus approach to economic development because it reminds me so much of the parable of the rich man and the beggar found in the 16^th Chapter of the Gospel of St Luke. While the rich man, Dives, feasted on the finest, the poor man, Lazarus, sat below waiting for the crumbs to fall from the table.  And this is what the ordinary man and woman are getting so often today. The crumbs from the table.”

Referencing the outcome of the 2023 general election, the trained political strategist, noted that the results tell a wider story of the level of disinterest by voters that should not be dismissed.

“The sitting government again won all 30 House of Assembly seats. At face value, it appears to be a comprehensive victory.  However, when one digs below the surface, the victory is not so spectacular. What many Barbadians seem unaware of is the fact that the so-called “red wash” was achieved with the paltry support of just 31 per cent of total registered voters — significantly less than half.

“Now there are some who will say it was because of COVID. I do not buy that argument. When people are motivated and determined to vote, they’ll do so regardless. During my journalism days travelling this region and the world, I have seen people defy threats to personal safety in strife-torn countries because they were determined to vote.”

The former newspaper editor added: “Change is a must because practising the discredited, old politics which has turned off Barbadians, will not bring out political redemption for you. It’s either fundamental change through the embrace of new politics which the people are calling for, or you will pay the ultimate price of political sin.” “The choice, ladies and gentlemen, is yours to make.” shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Changes were made to this story to accurately reflect the comments of Mr Eversley.