Bishop Joseph Atherley is not concerned about the talk of him possibly losing his title as Opposition Leader in Parliament if the DLP wins next month’s by-election in St George North.
In fact, Atherley, who won the St Michael West seat as a member of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) in the 2018 general election before opting to leave the party and form the Opposition People’s Party for Democracy and Development (PdP), has said the law clearly speaks to the issue, should it occur.
However, during an interview with Barbados TODAY, Bishop Atherley declined to say if he would remain as Opposition Leader if the Democratic Labour Party’s (DLP) candidate for St George North Floyd Reifer is victorious in the November 11 by-election.
“It wouldn’t put me in any sticky position at all. I have heard some of that talk and not only now because of the by-elections but even before. People have been talking about if somebody crosses the floor and all kinds of stuff.
“But it doesn’t put me in any sticky position because those matters are governed by Constitutional Law. It is not a matter of whims and fancies or preference. It is a matter of law. Those decisions are made on the basis of law, established law,” Bishop Atherley pointed out.
When asked if regardless of the outcome of the by-election if he would remain as Opposition Leader Bishop Atherley responded, “I didn’t say that. All I said to you was that I am not put on any sticky wicket. Those things are governed by law not by speculation or people’s personal preference or bias.”
In a recent interview with Barbados TODAY, political scientist and pollster Peter Wickham suggested that Atherley should step down as Opposition Leader if Reifer won the by-election.
He said it would give the DLP the opportunity to appoint two senators and gain access to the $150,000 subvention from Government.
“Most definitely it would be the decent thing…A lot of what has happened is about political expediency,” Wickham noted.
DLP President Verla DePeiza told Barbados TODAY that the party had considered the scenario but would not yet comment on the intention if the DLP candidate was successful.
