Dems’ Greaves steps up ‘grassroots’ campaign in St James South

Democratic Labour Party candidate for St James South, Pedro Greaves, has intensified his door-to-door campaign across the constituency, describing the effort as part of months of sustained grassroots work ahead of next month’s general election.

Greaves said his on-the-ground work in the constituency intensified following his ratification at the party’s annual conference last year.

“I would have started hitting the ground since March of 2025,” he said. “I would have been ratified by the party in August of 2025 at our annual conference. However, before that, I would have been working with the community groups.” 

He pointed to a range of community initiatives, particularly involving young people, which he said were aimed at building social cohesion and opportunity. He highlighted his involvement in the Haynesville Community Youth Group, Melbourne Youth Cricketers junior and senior teams, St James Stilettos netball team, West Terrace Primary School cricket team and the Good Shepherd Primary School cricket team.

His team had also launched what he described as a debushing programme, employing residents to clear overgrown areas, particularly in communities with a high concentration of elderly residents.

“I’ve started a massive programme, the debushing programme, where we’re getting residents to actually keep their environs in a way that is befitting, because they have a lot of elderly people in the community,” he said, adding that the work was also aimed at improving safety.

On the response from voters, Greaves said he had been encouraged by the level of engagement during canvassing.

“I am overwhelmed by the response. I’ve gotten to over half the constituency, just under 6 000 of them, and it’s been overwhelming,” he said.

Greaves said residents raised a wide range of concerns. “They are talking about the issues within the country, issues of crime, issues of guns and violence. They’re talking about the standard of living, the cost of living, not just unemployment, but underemployment. The elderly, and in this area we are right now, West Terrace, there’s no bus service.”

As one of the younger candidates on the Democratic Labour Party slate, Greaves said he welcomed the opportunity to represent both his constituency and his party.

“I’m delighted that I am being guided by Comrade Leader Ralph Thorne. He has been a lifeline for this party. We are fully behind him, so he’s mentoring us as young people as to what we have to do in terms of true representation, not just in St James South, but for Barbados,” he said, adding, “Barbados needs that representation more now than ever.”

Speaking on the possibility of entering Parliament, Greaves identified crime and the cost of living as immediate priorities.

“We need to identify the main issues, which would have been gun violence and crime in Barbados. Some of it is about enforcement, really. The laws are there, legislation is there, but we need to do some enforcement,” he said, while calling for stronger support for the police.

He also reiterated party positions on economic and social policy. “One of the other things we have to look at is the cost of living, and this Democratic Labour Party has promised to reduce that once we get into power. Transportation is a big issue. We will not privatise public transportation in this country. Education transformation, I think we’re missing the mark, and that is something that we seriously have to look at.”

Greaves’ campaign received a public endorsement from former area MP Donville Inniss, who dismissed claims that the Democratic Labour Party was unprepared for the election.

“The Democratic Labour Party has been calling for elections. We’ve been preparing ourselves. We had all 30 candidates ready,” Inniss said.

He argued that visibility should not be measured by the volume of campaign material.

“If you need to put up posters for constituents to know who you are and to recognise you, well then you have been a successful failure as an MP,” he said, adding that the party’s approach was about direct engagement. “Our approach is to reach into the hearts and minds of each person.”

Inniss urged voters in St James South to assess both the record of the current administration and the alternatives being offered.

“We are not just criticising government. We have offered alternatives,” he said, pointing to healthcare, crime and violence as pressing national issues. He also raised concerns about voter apathy. 

“This election is too critical. When February 11 is over, Barbados, whoever forms the government, is going to have to contend with serious geopolitical issues,” he said.

Describing Greaves as a candidate with energy and commitment, Inniss said: “We have now in Pedro Greaves a young man full of energy, who understands this community, a father, a husband, a man who really is committed to the development of Barbados.” He urged constituents to “take time out to discuss the issues, understand the options, and look at what is being offered,” adding that St James South now had “an opportunity to stop that slide and that decay and start to restore it to what [Errol] Barrow and those fought for many years ago.” (SZB)

Background of constituency

Since its creation in the early 1980s, St James South has developed a reputation as one of Barbados’ more politically competitive constituencies, regularly shifting between the two major parties.

The seat was first won by the Democratic Labour Party in 1981 under K. Simmons and remained with the party through the 1980s and early 1990s, with Neville K. Simmons securing victories in 1986 and 1991. A major shift followed in 1994 when the Barbados Labour Party captured the constituency under Henrietta Elizabeth Thompson, who went on to hold the seat for three consecutive terms until 2003.

In 2008, the DLP regained St James South with Donville Inniss, who successfully defended the seat in 2013. The constituency swung back to the BLP in 2018 with the election of Sandra Husbands, who retained it in 2022. Over more than four decades, the alternating pattern of representation has firmly established St James South as a key marginal seat shaped by national mood and local performance.

The Candidates

• Pedro Greaves – sports administrator and finance manager
• Sandra Husbands – strategic communications and public education specialist, community advocate