Yearwood urges electoral reset after third parties’ election flop

A senior law lecturer – who once helmed a major political party – has called for a radical rethink of Barbados’ electoral system after smaller political parties failed to secure a single seat in last Wednesday’s general election, netting just 1 500 to 2 000 votes nationwide.

Dr Ronnie Yearwood, speaking on the JUST POLITICS: Our Worldview podcast hosted by political analysts Terry Harris and Ayo Ololara, said the results showed that third parties remain far from becoming a viable political force.

“What the election demonstrated is that third parties are not making a breakthrough,”said Yearwood. “The smaller parties did not have significant vote numbers.”

Nationally, the combined vote total of the Friends of Democracy and the multi-party alliance, the People’s Coalition for Progress, was between 1 500 and 2 000.

“That’s nothing. There has to be a look at where they go from there.”

Dr Yearwood dismissed the notion that merging smaller parties would automatically create political weight.

“If you bring all of them together, it doesn’t mean they will have the weight of a big party. They may still not have the resources, the people or the positioning.”

He suggested that attempts to fast-track a return to Parliament without rebuilding grassroots structures could prove counterproductive.

“It’s hard work. You can’t get your way back into Parliament without the hard work. It doesn’t come by a shortcut.”

Despite the electorate’s decision not to return an opposition, Dr Yearwood maintained that Barbados’ version of the Westminster system depends on one.

“Our system works on the basis of having this official opposition in Parliament.”

He pointed to constitutional functions requiring consultation with the leader of the opposition, including appointments and committee oversight.

To avoid another 30–nil seat outcome, Dr Yearwood proposed introducing a limited number of national MPs selected through proportional representation.

“You could create a couple of national MPs based on proportional representation in addition to constituency MPs.”

Such a system, he argued, would ensure minority parties retain a parliamentary presence even if they fail to win constituency seats.