Women exodus exposes deep-rooted misogyny in DLP

In a week that saw the passing of Democratic Labour Party (DLP) stalwart Dame Maizie Barker-Welch at 96, the party finds itself embroiled in controversy over its treatment of women, exposing a long-standing issue that threatens to further erode its political standing.

The resignations of the sacked Senator Tricia Watson, ex-senator and parliamentary secretary Irene Sandiford-Garner, and Stacia Browne, a member of the party’s media relations team, on Friday, have brought the DLP’s treatment of women into sharp focus.

The party’s women’s arm, the Democratic League of Women, has complained about its leadership, accusing the party that led Barbados into Independence of systematically mistreating female members and losing touch with its founding principles.

However, political scientist Peter Wickham, in a candid and scathing critique, said the problem runs much deeper than the current events, stating that over the years the party has failed to address the deep-rooted problems of misogyny and patriarchy.

“Misogyny has been a recurring issue on the DLP platform for some time, and sadly, it’s never been addressed in the manner in which it should have,” Wickham told Barbados TODAY.

“I am passionate about gender and women in politics, and I think that the issue has to be approached with seriousness, honesty, and reliance on history, which is not on their side right now.”

To emphasise the point more forcefully, Wickham made reference to the case of Dame Maizie who, despite her unconditional commitment to the party and her stature both locally and internationally, was never appointed as a minister.

He compared the DLP’s record on this issue to that of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), which appointed its first female minister in 1976, a full 33 years before the DLP appointed a woman to the Cabinet in 2008. By 1994, the BLP had three female ministers responsible for the key portfolios of health, education, and foreign affairs.

“Maizie Barker-Welch was a perfect example of how the Democratic Labour Party treats women,” the political scientist noted. “Here you have somebody who is clearly committed to the party, a person who has made a name for herself in international circles, and she has never been a minister in a DLP government. She served as a junior minister.”

Friday’s resignations were the latest developments within the DLP in which the party has been mired since Ralph Thorne left the governing BLP and crossed the floor to become the DLP political leader and its sole representative in Parliament. Thorne’s arrival has led to wranglings that divide the party. In recent weeks, president Dr Ronnie Yearwood, and general secretary Steve Blackett were both expelled from the party.

The matter came to a head at the party’s recent annual conference when Yearwood, Blackett, and other supporters, including Tyra Trotman, the chairman of the party’s youth arm, the Young Democrats, were barred from attending the conference.

Sandiford-Garner referred to the incident in her resignation letter on Friday, stating that such behaviours should not be accepted by “any true Dem.”

“The weekend of August 24 must be referenced. The persons mistreated were our brothers and sisters for decades. All that was required was competent management,” the former parliamentary secretary wrote. “Those who instructed and enforced locking DLP members out of a property they had all rights to enter will be forever remembered in the annals of shame and reflected on with disgust.”

While fingers are being pointed at Thorne for the strife in the party, Wickham told Barbados TODAY the issue precedes the new DLP leader, whom he described as a “political has-been.”

He criticised Yearwood’s handling of the situation, suggesting that the expelled leader appeared to lack the required political nous or instinct to see beyond the immediate conflict with Thorne.

“He had a situation that he could have played differently because he clearly was the future of the Democratic Labour Party, and a blind man riding backwards on a horse could see that,” Wickham said.

 “However, Ronnie did not play his cards well; he perceived himself as being in a battle with Thorne, who to my opinion is a political has-been anyhow, and the conversation would have taken place after the next election as to who is leading the Democratic Labour Party.” 

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb