Political scientist shares some thoughts on new DLP President

Political Scientist and pollster Peter Wickham believes that the choice of Verla Depeiza as the Democratic Labour Party’s new President is a good one given the current circumstances.

He however advised that the road to repairing the party would not be easy as the political organisation had to be reshaped following its crushing 30-nil defeat at the May 24 polls.

Congratulating Depeiza on her new role, Wickham highlighted that her youth would play a beneficial role in creating a new reality for the party.

“What works best for her is her age. She is younger and I feel that someone of that vintage would do better because the battle to reshape the Democratic Labour Party is going to be a long term one,” he added.

The political organisation elected the attorney-at-law, who ran as its Christ Church West candidate in the last two elections, to be its leader when internal elections were conducted at its 63rd Annual General Conference over the weekend.

During that time, then President and former Prime Minister Freundel Stuart – a figure, which Wickham insisted Depeiza distance herself from – addressed the gathering.

“I do not think he needs to take any further role. I think Verla Depeiza would do well to distance herself as far as possible… and start to build a new path for the DLP,” he stated.

Speaking on ‘Brass Tacks’ yesterday, Wickham also expressed disappointment with Stuart’s speech, saying that the former leader had neither admitted to the failures of his administration nor sought to give guidance to the new Executive on what to avoid or what to pursue.

“He did none of that and just essentially said ‘we did nothing wrong’, and ‘it was unlikely that we would have won three terms’,” he opined.