Ready to run for Dees

The man offering to be the next Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate for the St Michael North West riding, says he is ready to represent.

Forty-year-old financier Ryan Walters told a group of DLP supporters on Sunday during a meeting at the St James South branch office of former DLP representative Donville Inniss, that his foundation of candidacy is representation.

“I want to give a contribution to the community in which I grew up. I think that I have the capacity to give a contribution at the country level. Why the DLP? I have always voted for the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) and in my opinion the DLP has always looked out for the interest of poor people. They have always brought policy for poor people in the country, and for the development of the normal working class,” he said.

The last DLP representative for St Michael North West was former Minister of Finance Christopher Sinckler.

Walters, who was raised in Ferniehurst, Black Rock, St Michael, said he came from a poor background, but was able to climb the academic and professional ladder through free education.

“I grew up in the constituency and I am close to that constituency up to today. I chose there because there are some things in that community per se that I want to do and I think that I would be able to do them.

“At the end of the day I believe that the candidate should represent the party, and represent the constituents. Now you can walk through a constituency and see the things that are needed. You have constituencies where there is nothing to do, there is no development at all; there is no community life.

“In St Michael North West where I grew up, there was Deacons football club, which was a top football club; Deacons basketball club which was a top basketball club . . . . Sports was big in the community, sports is not big in the community today, and that is something that I would be looking to make sure happens,” he said.

Walters said he was also interested in getting the children in the community to get into church.

He is the General Manager of Burger King Barbados and the father of four children.