DLP rebuild begins as Walters turns focus to Senate

As new leadership takes over the Democratic Labour Party, Senator Ryan Walters, who held an integral leadership role after its last 30-0 defeat in the February General Elections, has announced plans to focus solely on his role as a senator.

Senator Walters told reporters at the party headquarters on George Street on Sunday that with a single-party House of Assembly, there is no constitutional opposition voice in the Senate and he is committed to being that voice.

He said: “My new mandate has been to be one of the senators, one of the opposition senators in the Senate, given the fact that there have been no successful parties outside of the Barbados Labour Party to win a seat in the House of Assembly. And that is where my focus will be for for the time being. And so at this time, I really want to just focus on sitting down and doing an exceptional job in the Senate.”

Senator Walters also pointed to the constitutional amendment following the February 11 general election, which, he said, ensures there is no opposition voice in the House and prevents someone from crossing the floor to form an opposition.

“Combined with the fact that the constitution has been amended to ensure that there’s no opposition voice downstairs and that no one crosses the floor to form an opposition and to give another alternative to the people of Barbados against this government. And that is where my focus is right now.”

Senator Walters also congratulated the candidates in the February election and encouraged other candidates to get involved in rebuilding the party.

He singled out Ian Griffith, Simon Clarke and Corey Greenidge, whom he described as newer candidates who performed exceptionally well and whom he said the public was embracing.

He also encouraged other candidates, including St James South candidate Pedro Greaves to become involved in the party’s rebuilding efforts.

“We build a strong party. And if we have a strong party, we then it will become a political force to be reckoned with,” he said.

Senator Walters, who has held several leadership positions in the DLP since joining its executive in 2019, reaffirmed his commitment to the party and called for unity.

“I continue to be committed to the Democratic Party as I have been, and I look forward for us pulling together. I want to tell Barbados. It’s early days yet. It’s just been six months after the general election. And just to be patient if they’re not seeing all of the changes that they want to see, I’m sure that they’re in the years to come, there’ll be more changes and more evolutions as we rebuild the party.”

Newly elected General Secretary Corey Greenidge said his immediate focus would be on rebuilding the party from the grassroots level and reconnecting with Barbadians.

Greenidge, who described his election to the post as a “very humbling experience”, said there was significant work ahead, both within the party and in its efforts to serve the Barbadian people.

“We’re ready. We’re willing to roll our sleeves up and get to work branch by branch to show Barbados that the Democratic Labour Party is one united and one prepared to serve the needs of the Barbadian people.”

Greenidge said membership drives would be a major part of his work, acknowledging that DLP membership had declined over the years.

“We know it’s not a secret that a lot of our membership has fallen off over the years. So we’re gonna be concentrating heavily on being in the community, meeting the people, encouraging persons who want to be part of the Democratic Labour Party.”

He also urged Barbadians not to be afraid to express disagreement with the Mia Mottley administration.

“We are now in an environment where Barbadians are afraid to speak out. We are afraid to declare that, you know, we are not happy with what’s happening on one side. And one of the things that we want to reassure Barbadians is that this is an opportunity and this is the time to take a position.”

Greenidge said the party’s politicians must remain focused on serving the public rather than themselves.

“Because at the end of the day, we as politicians are here to serve the people. We’re not here to serve our own interests.”

He said his first order of business would be to get into communities, listen to residents and rebuild the party’s branches.

Greenidge also extended an invitation to former members to “consolidate and get behind serving the Barbadian people. Put aside our differences and be prepared to serve the Barbadian people”.

(LG)