New Opposition Leader dismisses fake news
Fake news.
That’s how the new Leader of the Opposition, Bishop Joseph Atherley, has summed up the many suggestions being swirled around regarding his decision to effectively leave the ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and sit in the House of Assembly as Leader of the Opposition as well as who he will appoint to the Senate. Since the news of Atherley’s intention to cross the floor was reported, several persons took to social media to not only criticise the action, but to suggest that others were behind the move, including former Prime Minister Owen Arthur.
But as he spoke to the members of the media after being sworn in yesterday morning at Government House, Bishop Atherley made it clear that such rumours were nothing more than nonsense, and was an insult to him and to the former Prime Minister.
“I have not spoken to Owen Arthur; I have not seen Owen Arthur. I have not heard him; I have not seen him since the elections in Barbados. That is nonsense; I do not know where it is coming from and I want to dismiss it outright,” he maintained.
He also dismissed the idea that his decision was intended to be a strategic move to keep the Democratic Labour Party out of Parliament, contending that it was not his motivation and it was the electorate who actually made that decision.
In response to some who took to Facebook yesterday and likened the Bishop’s move to the betrayal of Jesus by Judas in the Bible, Atherley said: “When they call me Judas, I think I escape lightly. You know what they called Jesus, they called him a devil; so if they are only calling me Judas because they do not understand where I am coming from at this stage, I think I am escaping lightly.”
Atherley’s comments came as he insisted he did not expect any fallout politically or spiritually as a result of his decision. In respect of the latter, he said he does not do anything major unless he believes that the Lord is in it.
“If the Lord opens doors, I will step through it. You know one person said to me, ‘Joe, I know you very well and I know that you would follow God to hell if that is where he leads you’; somebody said that to me last night. I am pretty clear as to my sense of calling and my primary calling in life is to ministry and I have served the interest of the Barbadian people in that position for three decades or so. This does not compromise my calling,” he said.
Admitting that there are some persons who believe that Christian ministers should not be involved in politics and that there are some who will question the decision of a bishop to cross the floor, Atherley contended that he is simply following his heart in terms of where he thinks the practice in democracy in this country should be going. (JRT)