Former MP says he’s the man for St Philip North

Former Member of Parliament for St Philip North Michael Lashley is asking constituents to give him the chance to become their Parliamentary representative once again, as he criticised the incumbent for being missing in action.

Speaking at a Democratic Labour Party (DLP) meeting at Lynches, St Philip on Tuesday night, he accused Dr Sonia Browne who won the seat on a Barbados Labour Party (BLP) ticket in the 2013 general election of not being present for her constituents.

“But how you feel that you as a MP don’t speak to nobody, nobody ain’t seeing you, but you want to come up in here now dressed in red, up and down, ‘vote for me’. But if I was in her position, I would have done just like what John King did. I would have thrown in the towel and give way to I don’t know who, somebody would turn up,” he said.

The Queen’s Counsel said he provided quality representation while he served as MP between 2003 and 2018 and urged constituents to vote for democracy and save the country, but also to bring back the community spirit, love and togetherness that was once evident in the area.

He asked voters to give the DLP the reins of government again so it could implement policies that touch all Barbadians.

“I believe, too, that the young people of St Philip North need special attention. And I believe that I am the man, given my relationship with most of the young people in St Philip North; that I will be able not only to deal with them but I will be able to sit down with them so that we can chart a course with them so that their future can be bright, rather than having someone who would drive up and down with their windows rolled up,” Lashley said.

The former Transport Minister suggested that during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Browne, a medical doctor, could have introduced programmes to educate constituents about the virus.

“But you know what that says to me? That the Barbados Labour Party has no regard for this MP. No regard, because for the first time, St Philip North did not have a member sitting in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister. Not even when the Minister of Health goes out to do something overseas, an acting appointment. That is the type and the level of regard that the Prime Minister has for the sitting MP,” Lashley contended.

The attorney-at-law added that he would like to see agricultural land throughout St Philip being used to provide housing solutions for people who cannot afford to become property owners.

He accused the ruling BLP of abandoning the rent-to-own programme which the elderly and low-income owners once benefitted from.

“I want to know about the houses up there in River View. When we left the Ministry of Housing, about 50 per cent of those houses were allocated to people up here and the constituency of St Philip North, because we had many requests for constituents of St Philip North to get housing.

“Last election, I was cursed up and down saying that the houses up there sitting down and that they weren’t allocated. I am not against anybody getting a house. In fact, I am all for Barbadians getting a house. But do not deprive persons who qualify in this area for those houses and then allocate them to people that came after them,” Lashley said. anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb