Political analyst says DLP internal leadership not yet an issue

Discussions within the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) about the selection of a political leader will resolve themselves once general elections are complete.

But, according to political analyst Maureen Holder, those with lofty aspirations of becoming either Opposition Leader or Prime Minister under this country’s Westminster system of governance must first focus on winning their seats in parliament.

In fact, she believes much of the opposition party’s success or failure on January 19 will hinge on its ability to make an impact at the community level in constituencies across the island.

She was responding to questions in the wake of a report that surfaced prior to the calling of the election, that some in the Dems camp preferred seasoned political candidate Richard Sealy over party president Verla De Peiza as a political leader.

The Constitution of Barbados indicates that the President shall appoint both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition based on their ability to “command the support of a majority” who, respectively, either support the Government or do not support Government.

“So, let’s say, for example, that the Democratic Labour Party wins nine seats. All nine of them, including the current president, could decide who they want to advance as Opposition Leader or who they want to advance as Prime Minister,” said Holder.

“So, there’s no hard and fast that the leader of the political party would become Prime Minister or would become Opposition Leader.… I don’t see the need to advance to unsettle anybody because down the road, further decisions will have to be made in terms of the leadership question, and that is either Leader of the Opposition or Leader of Government,” she added.

Holder recalled that in 1984, when Errol Barrow retained the reins of government after many years in opposition, the Father of Independence was not a particularly prominent feature within the party in a public way.

“So, a party could have a leader who does not feature prominently for various reasons but can have voices who can lead the populous, who can convince the populous, who can influence them because of their charisma, their ability to speak on platforms, because of their charm and for various other reasons,” she suggested.

“The Democratic Labour Party needs that kind of approach where there are strong and influential voices being heard from the political platform, being seen by the public, so that the current leader could concentrate on her St Lucy seat because she has to really work down in St Lucy. So, if she surrounds herself with a team like that, that could really cushion her,” the political analyst added.

She, however, noted that De Peiza has not yet been able to distinguish herself as a Prime Minister or MP in the same way as Barrow.

At a broader level, Holder noted that not even the DLP’s newer candidates ought to be underestimated, as the quality of prospective MPs, in many cases, could be evenly matched on both sides.

She added that waning popularity over the country’s COVID-19 situation, the rising cost of living, joblessness, and government’s handling of situations like the nurses’ strike, could leave a window of opportunity for the seatless DLP.

“Obviously, incumbent candidates would have a certain degree of experience, and they would be more familiar as they would have won the seats and the constituents would be familiar with them, and even if they lost the seat they would have had to campaign and still the constituents would have been familiar with them,” said Holder.

“I heard other political voices putting forward sentiments about old and new candidates and who has this kind of candidate or that kind of candidate. I am not getting into that, because we are at a stage in our political history where there is considerable political apathy, where it is difficult for ordinary people who have something to offer would love to come forward, but because of the political landscape do not want to come forward,” she added. kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb