The parable in Matt 6:1-20 is the story of an agriculturist who employed people at various times during the day and each employee was paid the same contractual price for participating in the work during the contractual period no matter what time of the day the employee started his task. The terms and conditions of the contract were agreed to before the start of the contract so that the labourer who started at 6 am received the same pay as those who started at 9 am, 3 pm, and 5 pm.
The Democratic Labour Party extended an invitation to all to come under the big tent with sleeves rolled and ready to work because there is plenty of work and very few labourers to perform the task. Ralph Thorne MP answered that clarion call to stand in the gap. His mission is to heal the wounds within the party, regain the trust of Barbadians and then move on to win the next elections whenever they are called.
Thorne started the journey wearing a fresh pair of boots but found a very rugged road to travel as he manoeuvred his way through the party’s gate. Like in the parable, the expected happened. There were complaints, maybe resentment, and very noticeable factions. Thorne is the only member of the DLP with a seat in the House of Assembly. He commands the support of most Members of Parliament who don’t support the government and has taken up the position of Leader of the Opposition in Barbados. By virtue of his status in the House of Assembly and in accordance with the DLP’s constitution, Thorne has also become the leader of the DLP.
In the parable of the labourers on the plantation, the workers were disappointed and complained directly to the owner himself. The owner was called out for injustice and his generosity was called into question. In my opinion, the party has erred by declaring that there are two leaders, a political leader and a party leader. This will obviously lead to factions and gaping wounds within the party to its own detriment.
There can be only one leader in the party, The political leader is the party leader. It was right for the president of the party to name a shadow cabinet when he did, but as soon as Ralph Thorne became a member of the party, it became his duty, as leader of the opposition, to name the shadow cabinet, and those persons holding shadow portfolios should have put those appointments at his disposal to allow for the smooth running of the party and the proper transitioning of Thorne in his new role. This would have appropriately allowed for unity and teamwork, as labourers together with the same goal and objectives. This is part of cultural protocol and should follow the same process as when the Prime Minister appoints a person to a cabinet position. All boards over which that minister will preside put their board appointment at the minister’s discretion.
It is noteworthy that it is God who establishes and God who deposes and if God is for you, no one can be against you. It is also noteworthy that God anointed David to be King of Israel while King Saul was still sitting on the throne.
Algernon Atherley
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