DLP to convene special conference in April to elect new president

The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) will explore the possibility of seeking representation in the Senate despite failing to gain a seat in the Upper House of Parliament at Wednesday’s general election.

Interim DLP president, Steve Blackett made the revelation moments after confirming the resignation of Verla De Peiza, who told party leaders that she “could not unite the party” and “did not ignite the country.”

After the 2018 poll, Prime Minister Mia Mottley floated the idea of making provisions for the party amassing the second highest vote tally to appoint two opposition senators. However, the discussions subsided when Bishop Joseph Atherley crossed the floor and became Leader of the Opposition.

“That is one of the matters we just discussed,” said Blackett of Friday’s General Council meeting.

“It is not a decision that we can speak to immediately. We will have to confer with our executive bodies and our general council, but if it comes, we will consider it and let Barbados know what decisions we arrive at,” he added.

Blackett, whose substantive post is first vice president, indicated that the special meeting, held on the birthday of party founder and the father of independence, Errol Barrow, was convened to carry out a postmortem on the DLP’s unsuccessful general election campaign.

It was then that De Peiza informed them of her decision to step down, which was accepted by the executive council.

Blackett recited a letter to the council from De Peiza, in which the outgoing president said she was proud of her accomplishments. They included restoring the party’s headquarters, confirming the party’s philosophy, presenting a panel of credible candidates and a comprehensive manifesto.

“But against that background, however, she said she could not unite the party and she did not ignite the country. It was against that background that she determined to step back as president with immediate effect,” Blackett disclosed.

“I want to applaud Verla De Peiza for her stewardship over the last three to four years. The president stepped up to the plate and filled the void where she oversaw the transformation of this organisation, she re-energised and reignited the base of the party and for a number of years, she made us feel good about ourselves as members of this wonderful party and I want to publicly on behalf of not only myself, but the entire executive council and the members of the general council,” added the interim president.

He promised that a special conference would be convened in mid April for an internal election for the post of president.

Meanwhile, Irene Sandiford Garner, another senior member of the party said it was customary in Westminster politics that when a political leader leads an organisation into a defeat of Wednesday’s magnitude, a resignation is customary.

“Sometimes leaders have to recharge, regroup and come again and comrade De Peiza has left her political options open, but she did what was correct within the system in which we function,” she said (KS)