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Former MP says he has been “retired” by people and party

by Barbados Today
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Former Government Minister and Member of Parliament for St. Lucy, Dennis St. Elmo Kellman has formally announced his intention to withdraw from elective politics.

In an interview on Wednesday with Barbados TODAY, Kellman, who lost his seat to Peter Phillips in the 2018 General Election broke two years of silence to reveal that he has been retired by “the people” as well as the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), which he has served for decades.

In fact, DLP President Verla DePeiza also revealed that a new candidate had been chosen since February this year and would be formally announced along with others next January.

One of the nation’s longest serving MP’s, Kellman was elected in 1994 as one of two opposition parliamentarians sitting in the Lower House. He served for 24 consecutive years – 14 in Opposition followed by ten years in government.

Prior to 1994, he was a Member of the Executive of the DLP’s St. Lucy branch for many years and served as First Vice President of the party from 1999 to 2001.

Under the Freundel Stuart administration, Kellman, an accountant and businessman, was appointed Minister of Industry, Small Business and Rural Development and later Minister of Housing and Lands.

In 2018, the outspoken MP lost his extended hold on St. Lucy in a historic General Election that saw all 30 DLP candidates rejected by the electorate.

“I have been retired. The people have retired me,” he told Barbados TODAY with a light chuckle.

“It seems that both the party and the people have retired me, so I have to accept the decision that was made. I don’t fight over issues like that. I now need to move on and focus on other things,” Kellman added.

“You don’t just leave people just like that, but when people make a decision, you don’t just ignore it like that either,” he added.

Nevertheless, Kellman, well known for his supermarket/bar and restaurant business in Moontown, St Lucy, vowed always to remain a party member and said he would serve in other capacities if asked to do so.

“If you know me, you would know that I believe that everything in life happens for a good reason. I don’t fight decisions… and sometimes you only know how good you are when you are no longer there,” Kellman explained.

When contacted, DePeiza told Barbados TODAY: “There is always room for Dennis Kellman. I am aware of his wish and intention to assist and I am grateful to him and all of the former MPs who have stepped up to assist.

“The candidate for St. Lucy was chosen for the party in February of 2020 and has been working, but the party will announce candidates formally during the Errol Barrow week of activities,” she added.

Kellman noted that throughout his political career, he has always sought to put his words to action, for example in the area of community tourism – a niche that he often touted.

In St. Lucy, the former MP contended that he was instrumental in transforming the constituency from a traditional rural parish to one that embraced some forms of urbanization and modern commercial activity.

“I was also able to look after the housing stock…and increase the business acumen. St. Lucy has become a self-dependent constituency,” he boasted.

The 62-year-old has also been credited for his contribution to several community events including sports and social clubs, and was the first sponsor of the Youth Milan Football Club. He is also said to have been instrumental in the restoration of the Rockfield Community Centre and the development of North Stars Sports and Cultural Club.

As a minister, Kellman prided himself in his ability to think outside of the proverbial box and “trample on new ground that others often dismissed”.

“No matter which ministry I went in, I was able to make a change and an impact. Whether it was the environment, small business, rural development and even in housing in those hard times, I was able to complete the housing structures without having to rely on the treasury in a big way,” he told Barbados TODAY.

“A lot of people did not realize that I was not fortunate to have money coming from the treasury like other ministers. I had to create the right atmosphere and do the right things. For example, I moved toward something called commercial lots so that we had enough money in those hard economic times to run the [National Housing] corporation,” Kellman recalled.

He added that one of his biggest regrets to date was that he was unable to realize his vision regarding vending that included the creation of a large commercial space near the old helipad in The City.

When asked about the current direction of his political party, Kellman replied: “The party has great potential and they must use it. That is as much as I will say about that.”
(kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb)

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