Not for sale!

Democracy in Barbados is not for sale.

This comment was made by Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Member of Parliament for Christ Church West Central, the Hon. Stephen Lashley, during the constituency’s Valentine’s Day luncheon on Sunday. Addressing the supporters at the Hastings-based Almond Bay Caterers, Lashley highlighted earlier that there were times when money was being used to buy people’s democracy. Lashley advised supporters to never allow people to use money to do this.

“Our democracy was fought by tooth and nail by our ancestors, grandparents, our parents and they have helped to build up Barbados to the place it is today. I only represent a continuation of a legacy which was started by Errol Walton Barrow and people before him, in which he said, ‘That the money was not on our side. We came to represent people and the interests of people,’” said Lashley.

For the past ten years, the politician noted that his focus was to represent people in the Christ Church West Central constituency. Lashley reminded the audience that as the DLP party is about to enter into another election campaign, he stated boldly that the love they have been sharing at the Valentine’s Day luncheons will become the love that the party will share with the rest of Barbados. This was the seventh year for the event and the Member of Parliament (MP) said it was an opportunity to bring the constituents together.

“...You know that one of the things that I would have focused on when I became a Member of Parliament for Christ Church West Central is to ignite that community spirit and to help foster a climate in which the residents of Christ Church West Central can feel a sense of belonging,” said Lashley.

In his early remarks, Lashley noted that he wanted to bring about a complete change to the kind of politics that he saw being practised in Barbados.

“I wanted my example to be a different focus, that you could be a successful Member of Parliament without reducing political representation to what I called ‘partisan tribalism’,” said Lashley.

He added that they have been able to build a kind of representation in Christ Church West Central constituency which has not fallen prey to political tribalism. However, the Democratic Labour Party MP warned the audience that they were in danger of falling back to the dark days of political tribalism.