Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne has expressed frustration over the disruption of the Democratic Labour Party’s (DLP) annual conference by what he described as a “renegade group.”
He also lamented the lack of protection from the Barbados Police Service during the incident, which he deemed a serious breach of peace and an assault on the party’s right to convene.
“I regret to report that we did not have a smooth event. I regret to report that this group, and I call it a renegade group, came in and disrupted the conference.”
He recounted how the group, which he accused of false reporting to the media, interrupted the proceedings with singing and chanting, even going as far as to mock the sanctity of the event by singing hymns.
“I hope the hymn book is destroyed later today because that hymn book, I don’t know what should become of it,” Thorne said during a media conference Saturday afternoon.
The DLP political leader insisted that Andre Worrell was still the acting president and Pedro Shepherd acting General Secretary.
The situation at the party’s George Street headquarters escalated when the DLP leadership attempted to restore order, only to find their efforts undermined by what Thorne described as a failure by law enforcement to uphold their duties.
DLP Political Leader Ralph Thorne and Attorney At Law Hal Gollop with police officers at today’s conference.
“I regret to say to you that we believe that this conference lost the protection of the Barbados Police Service,” Thorne asserted.
“A complaint was made to the police that the conference was being disrupted, that there was a breach of the peace. And the police intervened by speaking to us, because by this time you had adjourned,” Thorne explained.
He criticised the officers for their lack of decisive action, noting that despite being promised that the disruptive individuals would be removed, the situation deteriorated further.
“What we saw here today was a grievous assault on our rights to convene an annual conference,” he said, lamenting that the disruption threatened the party’s efforts to present a united front to the people of Barbados.
Thorne’s indignation was palpable as he highlighted the importance of the conference. “The people of this country believe that this party made a very progressive step towards turning the corner and towards showing that we have found a solution to reach the people of Barbados as a united organisation,” he said, suggesting that the disruptive group sought to derail this progress.
He reiterated the DLP’s commitment to unity and progress, vowing that the party would not be deterred by the actions of the “renegade” elements.
Thorne further revealed that the DLP leadership rejected a proposal made by a senior police officer on the compound for a meeting between the party and the disruptive group, insisting that no negotiation was necessary in the face of such blatant disorder.
“If you are holding an annual conference and it is disrupted and disturbed and a breach of the peace is committed, there’s no negotiation, there’s no meeting, and there’s no meeting of minds on that. They must be excluded,” Thorne declared. He emphasised that the DLP’s primary concern was to conduct its business in peace, stressing that the party’s work is on behalf of “the suffering people of this country.”
Reflecting on the broader implications of the day’s events, Thorne voiced a sense of betrayal by the Barbados Police Service, suggesting that the police had failed in their duty to protect the DLP’s right to assemble peacefully. “We feel betrayed. We are not conspirators. We are not disheartened. We intend that this annual conference will continue,” Thorne affirmed, stressing that the party would proceed with its work regardless of police protection.
Thorne urged the DLP faithful and the wider public to attend the conference in even greater numbers on Sunday. “We know that we have the support of the people of Barbados. And we know that the voice of the people of Barbados is the voice of God,” he stated. (RG)
