Walters, Watson get Senate opposition seats

Business executive Ryan Walters, a Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate in the 2022 general election, and lawyer and consumer advocate Tricia Watson were sworn in as the two new opposition senators on Tuesday, a move triggered by Ralph Thorne’s appointment as Leader of the Opposition.

In a brief ceremony at State House on Tuesday, Watson and Walters took their oaths in the presence of President Dame Sandra Mason who advised the new senators to take their roles seriously and to put the nation first.

Following the ceremony, Thorne, who last Friday crossed the floor and was on Monday sworn in as opposition leader which afforded him the privilege of selecting two senators, told reporters that the choices were obvious to him considering their backgrounds in contributions to the community.

He said: “These are two people of merit, outstanding young people of merit, educated in the finest Barbadian tradition…. These are two rounded people, I had no hesitation [in choosing them] because it had to be done quickly. This is a process that began only last week, and I knew that this was the quality of Barbadian that I wanted to nominate in the Senate.”

Walters, a former DLP vice president and party spokesman on business, ran in the St Michael North West riding on a DLP ticket against incumbent MP Neil Rowe. He told reporters that despite his new position, he remains committed to the DLP and improving the lives of residents.

“I see my role in the Senate as complementary to any opposing voice of any other interest groups in Barbados,” he said. “I remain committed to the Democratic Labour Party. As you are well aware, I joined in 2018 after the first 30-0, and between 2028 and 2022, I served as the first vice president, third vice president [and] spokesperson on business. I also responded to the Budget of 2022 when there was no office of the [DLP] president. That commitment still stands today,” Walters said.

“I am looking forward to working not only on behalf of the people of St Michael North West but on behalf of the people of Barbados as we go forward in this new journey.”

Watson, a consumer intervenor in the Barbados Light & Power rate hearings before the Fair Trading Commission (FTC), said her new position in the Senate will be a continuation of her efforts to advocate for the lives and rights of Barbadians.

“I have been involved in service to the people of Barbados in terms of working with both governments when called upon to do so, and also in my personal capacity, as you know, as a consumer advocate [and] energy justice advocate,” she told reporters. “This is a furtherance of service, and it’s a service to the people of Barbados, and the country as an entity.”

When asked what would be her focus in the Senate going forward, she revealed: “As a team, we have to do some team strategy; that will always be our approach to things, but energy justice is my advocacy platform at the moment. The rate cases continue. There are two; one in court and another one presently before the FTC. Protection of Barbadians’ constitutional rights will be at the heart of what I do. All laws flow from our Constitution; therefore, that means the scrutiny of the policies of the government and the laws that will underpin those policies, [to] ensure that Barbadians’ interests are protected.”

Walters had a similar response but said his focus would be on the support of small business owners.

“For me, it [will be] reiterating what the leader of the opposition said yesterday about fair justice for all. We all come from humble beginnings, and we need to make sure that we have a level of equity for Barbadians, especially those that are vulnerable,” he said.

“If you have been paying attention to my contributions, you would have noticed I would have been advocating a lot for the entrepreneurship and small business people in this country. I see the entrepreneur economy as one of the accelerators of this economy.”

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb