PM, Clarke chided as PdP makes their case for Waldron’s election

Leader of the People’s Party for Democracy and Development (PdP) Reverend Joseph Atherley, has accused the present administration of playing a political game with constituents of St. George North.

His comments came during the PdP’s spot meeting held in Roach village, St George on Thursday to help garner support for their candidate, David Waldron. According to Atherley, the reason for the by-election being called was not a genuine one, but a chance to seize power during this time of COVID-19.

“This election, is all about what serves the interest of the people in the Barbados Labour Party, what serves the political interest of the Prime Minister, it’s about nothing else. She thinks that this is a good time to call a by-election, because the Democratic Labour Party is divided and fighting among themselves. That was her thinking. She thought that this was a good time because the PdP is an emerging party who do not have the resources, and have not made its mark significantly across this country, and therefore is a good time to call the by-election,” he said.

Atherley added: “You forced Gline Clarke to retire, when just about a month ago he was saying to the public of Barbados that he is getting ready to run again. Then suddenly, after 26 years of service, he comes and does to you the discourtesy of giving you just about only one week notice that he is leaving. Now if you tell me, you have not forced him to leave, and that is why it happened like that, then you have got to accept that perhaps, you paid him off, and he sold out the people of St George North,” he stated.

Waldron said that unlike the other candidates from the other parties, he has never left the parish since his birth, but instead has worked with constituents over the years to help build and develop several parish initiatives. Having done work with the District Emergency Organisation (DEO) and Constituency Councils, Waldron said he was accustomed to helping members of his district for most of his life.

“I believe that mitigating disasters is a very important thing. This thing about responding does not fly with me, I like the idea of being prepared, and being able to mitigate disasters. Being the leader of the DEO, I had the privilege of doing major clean-up in St George North, starting from Bourne’s Village to Roach Village. I moved over 110,000 tons of bulk garbage. This was a decision to help clean up our gullies,” Waldron said.

He added: “Part of my journey would have been working with the Constituency Councils, from its inception until its demise. I’ve worked with the Constituency Councils, assisting persons who had mobility issues. We also donated to students and did a lot of work in terms of helping people in St. George North. So helping people in St. George North is normal to me,” Walrond said. (SB)