#BTEditorial – After the election, now the people’s work begins

Prime Minister Mia Mottley, president of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Verla DePeiza, and members of all other parties as well as independent candidates, must be congratulated for their participation in Wednesday’s general election amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Their participation and generally good conduct during the process ensured that our democratic principles are alive and well.

Much has been said about the timing of the general election and the disqualification of possibly thousands from exercising their franchise due to their COVID-19 infection. But that time has passed and authorities faced with that unprecedented political/health crisis situation must now look to the future and enact, enhance or tweak existing legislation where necessary to deal with such eventualities should they arise again.

The laws governing the holding of general elections should now reflect that we live in a technologically-driven age. Barring death or imprisonment, every individual eligible to vote and having the physical and mental capacity to make it to a polling station – aided or unaided – must have the opportunity to do so.

Indeed, since we live in this age, every effort should be made to see how technology can assist in making the voting process accessible to those with physical or health impediments.

The resounding 30-0 thrashing inflicted upon the DLP, which was the only other party to field a full slate of 30 candidates, would have been a source of intense delight for the victors.

Undoubtedly, two ‘red sweeps’ in less than four years would have been devastating to the DLP and, almost certainly, a career-ending occurrence for some of the ‘old-stagers’ in the DLP camp.

Prime Minister Mottley now has the enviable record of going where no other Barbadian political leader has gone, and perhaps very few democratic world leaders, and that is to annihilate all opposing political forces in back-to-back sweeps. It says volumes about her leadership of both her party and the country, and her ability to resonate with the voting public.

Though no doubt dismayed at the January 19 results, DePeiza, who has not been able to find favour with the Barbadian electorate, can take comfort in the fact that she has helped to restore the broken party after the 2018 debacle.

Despite internal challenges and external doubts about her capabilities, she held the party together, while ably marshalling her troops for the snap election.

Campaigning aside, Prime Minister Mottley will now be faced with the challenge of moving Barbados forward, Miss DePeiza is faced with the decision that her political career could be at an end after this overwhelming rejection. That is a decision that only she can make after consultation with her political colleagues.

But there are concerns for both the vanquished and the victors.

The very low voter turnout which hovered around 40 per cent, irrespective of the COVID-19 restrictions, speaks to a growing level of apathy among citizens. Feedback suggests that numerous Barbadians – healthy and eligible – simply ignored the polls.

For a privilege earned through the blood, sweat, and tears of our forefathers, that the majority of eligible Barbadian voters ignored the importance of January 19, should worry all those who contemplate offering themselves for public service.

Politicians need to examine this and seek by their initiatives, outreach and conduct, to regain or stimulate the interest of Barbadians to an extent that the affairs of their country mean more to them than listening to updates on the radio, following television reports, or tapping into social media.

So now we look forward to Monday’s announcement of the new cabinet.

Interesting too, will the composition of the Upper Chamber in terms of the non-government appointees chosen to do the people’s business.

We do not expect – as occurred with Bishop Joe Atherley after the 2018 general elections – for any of the winners to desert his or her camp for the more lucrative Leader of the Opposition role. However, we hope that transparency and accountability are not mere buzzwords with the new Cabinet. There were several missteps made by the last administration between 2018 and January 2022, but the vote of confidence given by those who exercised their franchise obviously said that the blunders didn’t matter.

We await Prime Minister Mottley’s new Cabinet and their assignments and hope that they all work in the interest of the country with its citizens and their welfare at the forefront of their endeavours. To the DLP and all other political aspirants with an eye on national service, your time to make a case for yourself in the future starts today.