by Emmanuel Joseph
A University of the West Indies (UWI) political scientist and an Opposition legislator are urging Barbados Labour Party (BLP) candidate for St George North Toni Moore to do the “right” thing and resign her seat in the Senate.
Senior lecturer in Political Science at the Cave Hill Campus of the UWI Dr Kristina Hinds said this afternoon it would look good on Moore – an Independent Senator who supports the Government – to give up her seat even though the Constitution of Barbados allows her to remain until she is nominated.
“It probably would be a good call, on reflection, to step down from the Senate. But as it stands right now, she is within her rights and within the rules to remain within the Senate. I think it really is an ethical call and she may require some guidance on this,” Hinds told Barbados TODAY.
“I don’t know her personally and I don’t really know exactly the kinds of discussions that are ongoing within the Barbados Labour Party, but it may be an issue that she can benefit from some guidance on. She could make a personal choice as to whether it is right to be operating as an Independent Senator while also campaigning on a BLP ticket.
“Even though it is allowable at this point, doesn’t necessarily mean it is the right thing to do,” Hinds contended.
The university academic also addressed the current situation where Moore appeared to be functioning on two sides of the Upper Chamber.
“It is a bit odd to be an Independent Senator on the one hand and on the other to be campaigning as a Barbados Labour Party candidate.
“If I were in that position, I think I would probably be a bit uncomfortable with wearing these two odd shoes,” she declared.
Opposition Senator and General Secretary of the Unity Workers’ Union (UWU) Caswell Franklyn also said that Moore should do the “decent” thing and step down.
While he also conceded that she could constitutionally remain in the Upper House until she is nominated, he told Barbados TODAY the Governor General had been put in a bind.
He explained that having appointed Moore to be a politically impartial member of the Senate, she was now a declared supporter of the BLP.
“The Governor General appointed her not to speak for any party but if she took a decision now to revoke the appointment, some people may say it is a political move.
“So, the GG may be waiting on Toni to do the decent thing and send in her resignation,” said the outspoken legislator.
When Barbados TODAY reached out to the St George North BLP branch spokesperson Pat Parris, she said she could only speak from the constitutional position that Senator Moore is lawfully in the Upper Chamber until she is officially nominated as the candidate.
Parris said that Moore’s campaign manager and Cabinet Minister Dwight Sutherland would be the person to comment on the moral aspect. Up to the time of publication, Sutherland could not be reached.
Meanwhile, President of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Verla DePeiza told Barbados TODAY that one “can’t legislate morality”, as she responded to the question of whether the union leader should step down from the Senate.
“You can’t legislate morality. Morality is a very individual thing. You have a conscience and you have a standing on things or you don’t. I can’t speak to her level of morality and how it should inform her. That is something for her to battle her conscience with daily,” DePeiza stated.
It was late last month that the ruling BLP named Moore as its candidate to replace Gline Clarke in the by-election in the constituency of St George North. That vote is set for November 11.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb
