DLP fighting back

The ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is declaring a war of truths on the Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP).

And DLP’s General Secretary, George Pilgrim, said the weapon of choice will be the FACTS to show the work his party has done for the country.

Pilgrim was speaking to the media yesterday at the constituency office of Parliamentary Representative for St Michael Central, Steven Blackett, where another dimension of the FACTS campaign was launched.

“We intend to spread the truth throughout this entire country. It is unfortunate that the brand Barbados has come under attack online. A campaign has been launched by the Opposition which seeks to destabilise this country on the notion that they must call elections now. The claim that Barbados is broken is not true and that is why we are here today,” he said.

Following a brief press conference, Blackett, also the Minister of Social Care; Pilgrim and other DLP supporters took to the streets, interacting with members in that constituency.
One fact highlighted about Blackett’s work in the St Michael Central constituency is that each year, children who sit the 11-plus examination are taken on a bus tour to Harrison’s Cave, The Barbados Wild Life Reserve, Welchman Hall Gully, or the Animal Flower Cave. According to a fact sheet, the enjoyable day for the children includes rides, games, and ends with a relaxing swim in the pool of the Casa Grande Hotel, St Philip.

“We are going into the constituency to distribute the FACTS around what this Government has been doing over the last nine years. We have a stellar record and we are pleased to exhibit it to the constituents in St Michael Central this morning,” Blackett added.

The DLP is expected to deliver more FACTS about its work in that Constituency during a conference scheduled to be held on Sunday, April 9 at the George Lamming Primary School.

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, Senator Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo and Minister Ronald Jones are also expected to speak at the upcoming event.

‘Sign of desperation’
Meanwhile, General Secretary of the BLP, Senator Dr. Jerome Walcott, is of the opinion that in response to pressure of the BLP’s ‘On the Road Campaign’, the DLP has started the FACTS initiative, which came “dead on arrival.”

He said that the DLP took the extraordinary step of launching a canvass yesterday, mid-day, and in an unheard of step, had it streamed live on CBC.

This, he said, is a clear sign of desperation.

“The BLP, in not too distant time, will have its say on CBC, an entity that reported a debt of $115 million…

“Can you imagine that the country needs stabilising and instead of being in office Steve Blackett and the DLP are out canvassing? In the middle of the day?! On a Wednesday?!

“This is farcical. We are ‘on the road’ on Saturdays when people are likely to be home, although it is not surprising the DLP would think people are home in the middle of the day, considering the amount of unemployment they have produced,” Senator Walcott said.

He added that people cannot eat, pay utilities or rent and need support from the Welfare Department, but the Minister is out in the middle of the day looking after his personal business.

Senator Walcott also noted that the DLP had ignored constituencies for years, but were suddenly reacting to the various and diverse instances of neglect being pointed out by BLP candidates.

He said the DLP could not pave roads in the Pine, but two days after MP Santia Bradshaw condemned them after her ‘On the Road’ canvass, “the DLP were early the Monday morning digging up roads and paving all over the place”.

He said there have been similar responses to Wilfred Abrahams calling for a playing field in Coverley, with the DLP clearing land on Monday this week.

Further, he noted, calls for clean-up programmes and debushing in the City of Bridgetown, St. Michael East and Christ Church West Central, where BLP candidate Adrian Forde has been undertaking the debushing of several areas, is now seeing the DLP “butting about” looking to impress constituents.

‘A little too late’
The BLP General Secretary said he was glad that some citizens were getting some relief now that the BLP had stirred the DLP to do what it should have been doing long ago.
But he dismissed the DLP’s reactions as “comical, and too little too late.”

“People are seeing through these frantic antics by the DLP, which are at great variance to statements by the Blackett and Lowe about constituents seeking help and exercising their rights lawfully.

“I believe Barbadians are just waiting until the appointed time to speak to the DLP in no uncertain terms. They have made up their minds already. Meanwhile, we will keep up our ‘On the Road’ and other programmes, which are being extremely well-received wherever we go,” Dr. Walcott said.