Ousted DLP leader vows to continue fight for ‘new politics’ despite shock expulsion

n a move that has sent shockwaves through Barbados’ political landscape, the opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has expelled its president, Dr Ronnie Yearwood, and general secretary, Steve Blackett.

The decision, announced early Friday morning, followed a meeting of the DLP’s General Council, which voted to remove both leaders based on recommendations from the party’s Disciplinary Committee. The two had been suspended prior to their expulsion.

In an official statement, the DLP said: “The Council considered the report and voted to expel both Messrs Ronnie Yearwood and Steve Blackett from the party with immediate effect.”

The expulsions mark a significant escalation in the internal conflict that has plagued the DLP in recent months. The party has struggled to regain its footing since its devastating defeats in the 2018 and 2022 general elections, where it lost all 30 seats in the House of Assembly to the Mia Mottley-led Barbados Labour Party (BLP).

Speaking to Barbados TODAY, Dr Yearwood expressed surprise at the decision.

“I, like many Barbadians, woke up to the news of this supposed or purported expulsion,” he said. “I had not received any calls or messages from those claiming to be the hierarchy of the Democratic Labour Party. That should also be an indication of the basic common decency that has gone out the door.”

Dr Yearwood, who succeeded attorney-at-law Verla De Peiza as DLP president in 2022, had been seen by many as a beacon of hope for the beleaguered party. His leadership was widely viewed as a fresh start, with hopes that he would inject new energy and ideas into the organisation. He promoted the concept of “new politics” throughout his presidency.

However, his tenure has been marked by internal divisions and power struggles which escalated since Christ Church South MP Ralph Thorne crossed the floor to rejoin the DLP this year.

“My whole mantra has been about new politics,” he explained. “Unfortunately, there’s been a disturbing trend among some who reject that idea of change, that idea of newness, to do things differently. They have a disregard for rules and promote a lack of accountability and transparency.”

The expulsions have been widely criticised by party members and political observers, who see it as an attempt by the party’s old guard to retain control. Yearwood described it as “a really dark day for the party and for the country as well”, adding: “It’s a dark day for democracy because you need two functioning parties in a country, and there is no one at this present moment who, with a straight face, can claim the Democratic Labour Party is functioning the way that a political party should function.”

The DLP’s decision has raised serious questions
about the party’s future and its ability to mount a credible challenge in the next general election. It has also sparked concerns about the broader implications for Barbados’ political system, which has traditionally been dominated by the governing Barbados Labour Party and the DLP that was formed in 1955.

Yearwood remains defiant in the face of his expulsion, though he has not outlined specific plans to challenge the decision.

“I will continue to serve in all the capacities that I have served in throughout my life, from Youth Council to Youth Parliament, to environmental youth groups. It’s all about service,” he said. “I am here to do what the people want me to do, and that’s why it keeps coming back to the membership.

He emphasised that the current crisis is not about individuals but about the future of the DLP and Barbados as a whole.

“This is a historical moment for Barbados and the Democratic Labour Party,” Dr Yearwood said. “The decisions made today will shape the future of our politics—whether we pursue a politics of hope, opportunities, democracy, and transparency, or something else entirely.”

Dr Yearwood ruled out forming a new political entity or reviving an old one, such as the Democratic League, the political organisation formed by Dr Charles Duncan O’Neal 100 years ago.

“At the end of the day, the Democratic Labour Party is a collection of Barbadians,” he said. “If the party cannot change itself and fulfil its purpose and principles, how can it fulfil the purpose and principles of the country?”

He expressed a commitment to ensuring that the DLP undergoes necessary changes to restore its credibility and relevance.

“We need to practice a new politics—one that offers opportunities and allows young Barbadians to live out their dreams and be the best they can be,” he said. “Politics cannot be about self; it must be about the collective good.”

Despite the personal toll of recent events, Dr Yearwood expressed optimism about the future, crediting his support network for helping him navigate this challenging period. “My phone has been blowing up all morning, and most of the messages are not about the DLP—they’re about whether I’m okay,” he revealed. “That tells me I have a community that cares about me as a person, and that’s what keeps me going.”

In a message to party members and Barbadians, Yearwood concluded: “I never practice a politics of despair. Even in the darkest moments, there’s always a glimmer of light. Things will get better, but only if people stand up, make their voices heard, and fight for what is right.”

The lawyer and academic was elected to the party’s presidency on May 1, 2022, following the resignation of Verla De Peiza after the party’s poor performance in the 2022 general election. His leadership was reaffirmed in August 2023 when he was re-elected for another two-year term, winning by a significant margin over his closest competitor.

Yearwood’s political career was marked by a mission to revitalise the DLP after being shut out of the House of Assembly in 2018 and again in 2022 until Ralph Thorne’s defection from the Barbados Labour Party brought the Dems back into Parliament.

Blackett, served as the Minister of Community Development and Culture in the David Thompson administration after winning the St Michael West constituency in 2008. He was appointed Minister of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment, and Community Development in the Freundel Stuart administration from 2010 to 2018. In 2022, he took over the position of interim DLP president and steered the party until Dr Yearwood’s election following De Peiza’s resignation after the January general election.

He was elected DLP general secretary six months later at the annual general conference. Blackett gained 203 votes to Dr Dawn-Marie Armstrong’s 53 and Dr Denis Lowe’s 22. (RG)