The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has taken fresh guard with the election of Dr Ronnie Yearwood as president.
To the party faithful and keen political observers this may be the first real signal that the party that Errol Walton Barrow built could begin its uphill trek to becoming a major political force once again.
All right-thinking lovers of democracy want to see a viable opposition party; now the DLP must step up to the plate.
With the rejection of a prominent member of the old guard, Dr David Estwick, for the top job, the Dems have again turned to a political novitiate – a University of West Indies law lecturer who has never tasted electoral victory – to rebuild, rebrand and revitalize the party of Independence.
The loud chorus of disapproval has not abated over the DLP administrations of 2008 to 2018, the internal conflict over its leadership and the battle between party stalwarts and political newcomers for the soul of the DLP.
The electorate’s response to the party’s failings said it best: record-breaking, stinging, comprehensive, successive defeats in the May 2018 and the January 2021 general elections.
Undoubtedly, Dr Yearwood, who suffered defeat in his first foray at the polls in St James South as he faced BLP incumbent Sandra Husbands, has a mammoth task on his hand and his leadership will be under the microscope.
Shortly after being declared DLP president, capturing 273 votes to Dr Estwick’s 205, Dr Yearwood declared intentions to bring a new type of politics as he invited the wider public to join the DLP.
He said: “I am encouraged by the membership here, I am encouraged by the words of kindness that I’ve gotten from all Barbadians and hopefully we can all practice a kinder, gentler politics – a new politics. A politics which includes people, includes everyone. You hear their voices, and it doesn’t matter where you’re from, it doesn’t matter who you are, what your last name is. This party has a place for you. This party has a seat for you. You have room at the table in the Democratic Labour Party.
We are one family and I encourage you to join and share with us as we move forward to build this country.”
The rhetoric to motivate the party base and high-minded ideas are laudable but fine words butter no parsnips; genuine efforts at the grassroots level are what any political party requires to drive itself to electoral success.
The DLP knows only too well that it must pursue “dialogueoriented politics” by listening to and talking with ordinary citizens.
But more than anything, the party needs to look inward, reorganise and position itself to be the watchdog of the people’s interests, thus keeping the BLP administration on its toes.
Still, an opposition party that keeps a lot of noise but does little beyond criticising the government at every turn will not win over the undecided electorate. It must demonstrate why it should be considered the government-in-waiting.
At this weekend’s extraordinary conference, the party received sound advice from UWI emeritus principal Professor The Most Honourable Eudine Barriteau and Canada-based Barbadian economist Carlos Forte.
Forte rightly urged that the DLP’s rebuilding process is not only the job of Dr Yearwood but that of a united party.
“Do not undermine your new president with political machinations and do not allow narrow personal ambitions to damage your party or derail the national agenda to make Barbados an excellent place to live, work, play and raise a family,” he said. “Push him to be better, hold him accountable within the bosom of the party, do not criticize him publicly.”
Professor Barriteau cautioned that the DLP cannot define its political relevance as simply wanting its turn to again take over the reins of government.
“That is not enough and has never been enough,” Professor Barriteau said.
She added that the party’s vision must be people-centred and geared towards improving societal well-being for the people who constitute the foundation of the country.
It is left to the party hierarchy to heed the wisdom of its guest speakers and the voice of the people who demand not just another brand of political alphabet soup, not more pap dressed up as rhetoric but a real and meaningful choice for democracy and development to advance yet further in Barbados.
