Thorne: DLP manifesto won’t be based on “lofty promises”

Leader of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Ralph Thorne has framed his team’s election push around a promise of accountability, social justice and a shift in governance.

Addressing the country virtually on Monday, Thorne said the approach was not a slogan but “a different way of governing, a higher level of accountability and a deeper respect for the intelligence and dignity of Barbadians”.

Explaining the party’s core theme, Thorne said ‘Barbados First’ meant “people before politics, country before convenience, service above self.”

He said that philosophy had shaped the DLP’s forthcoming manifesto and stressed that the document would not be built on “lofty promises or fancy words”, but would serve as “our contract with the people of Barbados shaped by what you have told us, grounded in reality and focused on solutions that can actually work.”

Thorne identified crime, cost of living, trust in government, public health, transportation and infrastructure, as priority areas.

He contended that public safety was a right, that too many families were struggling to cope with rising costs, and that “no society can thrive if people fear the systems that are meant to care for them.” 

Thorne said these matters would be discussed further with the public in the coming weeks.

Turning to his own political journey, Thorne reflected on his decision to leave the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), saying that about 20 months ago he spoke out as a backbencher against what he regarded as an injustice. 

“Barbados I was vilified,” he said, adding that he had been “insulted, cursed, even threatened” after raising issues he claimed the BLP government had kept hidden. 

“Let me say I have no regrets whatsoever for speaking up on behalf of the people of Barbados and standing up for what is right and for what is just,” Thorne declared.

Thorne challenged the BLP to speak on several issues, including crime, the cost of living, borrowing, housing, transport, education, health and water. 

He queried whether government accepted that gangs existed in Barbados and whether anti-gang legislation was needed. Thorne also questioned whether the BLP would honour past commitments to reduce the cost of living and to provide information on if any of its economic programmes addressed household pressures. 

Additionally, he also questioned the country’s borrowing levels, the status of investigations into housing matters, the future of the Transport Board, the treatment of students who leave school without certification, the performance of the health system, and ongoing water supply challenges in several parishes.

Thorne warned that a failure to respond would reflect how government viewed ordinary Barbadians.

The DLP leader also promised to address several key issues if elected. These include reducing government waste, introducing anti-gang legislation, taking immediate steps to lower the cost of living, promoting productivity while reviewing wages in relation to inflation, and proclaiming and enacting integrity in public life legislation. 

Thorne said the party was prepared to disclose its own assets, stating, “We are not afraid.”

Additional pledges included moving towards a freedom of information regime, implementing a cohesive education reform programme, maintaining a macroeconomic framework focused on sustainability, relief and growth, further reforming the criminal justice system to address root causes of crime, and removing political interference from the public service. 

Thorne also pledged to retain control of the Transport Board, noting its incorporation in 1955 and promising that if it is closed, “our Democratic Labour Party government will reopen it”. He also committed to prioritising renewable energy to reduce oil imports and electricity bills. 

Thorne also outlined the DLP’s plans to engage the public, including an islandwide canvass on Saturday, which he said would involve direct interaction with communities. 

He said the DLP’s social media platforms would be used to share plans, highlight activities and introduce candidates, whose biographies would be published shortly, as the party continued to solicit feedback from the public.