Thorne unveils St John development plan during manifesto launch

The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate for St John, Ralph Thorne, has pledged upgrades to infrastructure, education and healthcare in the constituency if elected in the upcoming general election, declaring the parish is “owed a debt”.

During the launch of the party’s national manifesto on Saturday night in Gall Hill, Thorne, who is also the DLP political leader revealed the “manifesto of the people of St John”.

He said the time had come for the parish to be transformed into a commercial, educational and social hub, with Four Roads earmarked to become a centre of economic activity.

Pointing to what he described as underdevelopment, Thorne said the parish currently has one gas station — down from three.

“That tells me, and that must tell you, that St John is not as infrastructurally developed as it should be,” he told supporters.

Thorne appealed to Barbadians to allow the State to deploy public resources to accelerate development in the parish, citing its contribution to national leadership, including National Hero Errol Walton Barrow and former Prime Minister David Thompson.

“We now commit to the progress of this parish, the infrastructural progress of this parish. And I say to you, the people of Barbados, please make the sacrifice. Please allow us to use the resources of the State to ensure that Four Road becomes a commercial centre. Please allow us that.

“This parish has given great leadership to this country. This country is now asked to give back to this parish,” Thorne added.

Central to Thorne’s plan is a commitment to build on existing public services such as the fire station and post office, and expand business opportunities in an area.

“St John is ready for the commercial compensation in exchange for what St John has done for Barbados and what St John has done for Barbados brilliantly and well over the years,” he said adding, “St John, your time is due, your time is now and after the 11th, we will commit St John to repaying you, the debt that this country owes you.”

On education, Thorne highlighted the decline in primary schools in the parish, saying the number had fallen from five to two, forcing children to travel long and difficult distances each morning.

He added: “Is the time due St John, for the construction of a large and modern primary school, so that the little children of this constituency and this parish can sit in the same dignity as other children sit in their primary schools. And there’s one secondary school here, and that is Lodge and Lodge is modern. . .”

Healthcare reform also featured. Residents, he said, have complained that limited hours at the parish’s polyclinic were placing unnecessary strain on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Thorne who says the health facility should operate on  24-hour basis again asked: “Can you lend your public resources to the development of this parish, this parish that has done so much for the economy of this country, this parish that has done so much for political democracy in this country…

“St John, your time is now and as I said, we will upgrade the polyclinic, and it will become the shining star of polyclinics in Barbados, and it will take the strain off the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.”

He also pledged investment in recreational facilities, noting that St John has only one playing field compared with multiple venues in other parishes.

“There’s a debt that is owed to this parish Barbados, and we in St John are asking for that debt to be repaid and we want the development of recreational areas,” Thorne added.

In the DLP’s national manifesto the party outlined its plans to tackle the economy, housing, crime, the cost of living and healthcare among other issues.