Redwash

It was an historic win for the Leader of Barbados Labour Party (BLP) in yesterday’s general election. Not only did Mia Amor Mottley win her seat for the sixth time, but she also became this country first female Prime Minister in a landslide victory.

Mottley and the BLP recorded a resounding win at the polls, with what appeared to be all 30 seats secured by the BLP, although all the votes not yet been counted up to press time. The results were slow in coming as the counting of the votes did not begin, in some cases, until more than two hours after the 8 p.m.-scheduled start last night. But as the first results started to come in, it was becoming clear that the BLP was pulling ahead, and that the Freundel Stuart-led Democratic Labour Party (DLP) was on its way out.

Speaking just before 4 a.m. to a massive crowd gathered in the street outside the Party’s Roebuck Street headquarters, the Prime Minister-designate, in thanking Barbadians for doing what is best for the country, outlined to the thousands gathered some of the immediate actions she intends for her government to take in the days, weeks and months ahead. One such thing, she disclosed, is that her Cabinet will be in place by Monday.

Her comments came as she also revealed that, following discussions with the representatives of the private sector association, bankers association and the Barbados Workers’ Union, while there will be no bank holiday today, as today is “payday”, all schools will be closed. She further indicated that with the consent of the private sector, all businesses are expected to close by 1 p.m. except banks and supermarkets.

“There is a time now for healing that must take place in this nation, for if we are to move forward and face the challenges that lie ahead of us, then my friends we have to be prepared to heal and allow many hands to make light work. That is our mandate,” she said.

Mottley added, “Each of us will have a role to play. I said so every night on the platform to you and I said it was not going to be overnight… We shall do this, the rebuilding of our Barbados together as a people.”

Guided by the overwhelming mandate, she said the BLP Government is conscious that they have to immediately get to the task of rebuilding Barbados. With that in mind, she referred to the manifesto in which they outlined the things which they consider to be “mission critical” and those which are “transformational”. In that vein, Mottley told the upbeat supporters that steps will be taken to reverse the rapid decline of foreign reserves urgently and she announced that later today they will release the IMF Article IV Report, to give Barbadians the opportunity to see an independent assessment of where the country is at this time.

“We are also committed to removing the noose of taxes from around your necks, for we recognise that if this economy is to grow again then Bajans must have access to greater disposal income and we give you a commitment that within the next few months that will be business number one for us,” she stated.
Her comments came as she announced that come next week the mission critical team to deal with the South Coast Sewage Project will be assembled. Mottley spoke to this as she maintained that Barbados cannot be seen as a country which does nothing, while sewage flows on our streets and into our waters.

“This is not who we are, and we cannot pay our bills if we allow this situation to continue. And we have committed that we need to get buses back on the road, because Bajans must be able to have a reliable transport system and that will be a combination of fixing as well as buying buses as a matter of urgency, so that you can get to work and get to wherever you have to go. Finally, we have committed to dealing with the garbage trucks as a matter of urgency.”

But even in outlining her plans, she made it clear to all those in earshot that the way forward will not be easy as there is “no magical remedy or single shot solution” to fix the challenges. To that end, she said there is need to move with alacrity to address the challenges, as failure to do so will cause Barbados not to succeed. She said then, they are keeping to their goal to stop the bleeding so as to help transform Barbados.

It is anticipated that Mottley will be sworn in today by Governor General Dame Sandra Mason at Government House. (JRT)