DLP wishes Sinckler well

Interim president of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Steve Blackett has nothing but well wishes for his comrade and former Finance Minister Christopher Sinckler as he takes up a high-ranking position at the World Bank, apparently on the recommendation of his former political opponent, Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

“All I want to do at this stage is to wish him well as a colleague, because the last time I checked, he was still a member of the Democratic Labour Party, a good comrade within the Democratic Labour Party,” Blackett told Barbados TODAY.

“Therefore I want to wish him well in his new sojourn overseas and hope that when he comes back to us we will welcome him back with open arms as a good, solid member of the Democratic Labour Party,” the interim president added.

As he embarks on the new journey in Washington, DC, the political party which he served for approximately three decades is picking up the pieces from a second consecutive defeat, having emerged from the last two General Elections without a single seat.

Blackett said that despite some “unfortunate” sentiments about the Dems in recent times, Sinckler would be welcomed with open arms if and when he returns.

He was referring to an article carried in another section of the press three days before the January 19 poll, in which Sinckler predicted that the election would be decided on the question of leadership. He said there was a “disparity” between PM Mottley’s experience and international stardom and that of then DLP president Verla De Peiza. He also pointed out that while Mottley was well regarded as a national leader, De Peiza had struggled to gain such recognition within her own ranks.

“Regarding Mr Chris Sinckler, his comments before the General Elections were unfortunate, but I don’t want to get into that,” said Blackett.

In May 2018, Sinckler lost his parliamentary seat in St Michael North West to BLP first-timer Neil Rowe when the country emphatically swept out the Freundel Stuart administration.

Less than two years later, Sinckler was invited by PM Mottley to sit on a jobs and investment council intended to chart the way forward for Barbados. Since then, Sinckler’s public comments have been few.

According to recent reports, Sinckler will represent Barbados, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Guyana, St Kitts-Nevis, Dominica, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines at the World Bank as alternate executive director.

From 2000 to 2003, Sinckler also served at the World Bank in the position of Director, Global Secretariat, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) Working Group.
(KS)