Stuart concedes defeat

FORMER Prime Minister Freundel Stuart says he will carry the burden of the historic loss at the polls yesterday.

Stuart now carries the distinction of being the only elected Prime Minister to lose all parliamentary seats in an election and to lose his constituency St. Michael South to new-comer Kirk Humphrey.

During his concession speech at the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) headquarters yesterday around 3:15 a.m., Stuart while congratulating incoming Prime Minister Mia Mottley for her resounding victory at polls revealed that this was always going to be his final election, “And I thoroughly enjoyed what I was able to do ever since entering elector politics in 1994.”

He also said he will take the full burden of the loss. “Whenever there is success, success is shared by all those who succeed and by those with whom they are associated, but when there is failure, failure points to one man. And therefore let me unhesitatingly and unequivocally and frankly accept full responsibility for the defeat of the DLP in this election and let me assure all the party members of course, that we governed in very challenging circumstances, no previous government of Barbados has had to govern in circumstances quite like the circumstances in which we have had to govern.

“Because these circumstances have not existed at any other time in the 21st century and no other time in the better part of the 20th century outside of the Great Depression.

“We did the best we could according to our likes and our judgement over the very difficult and challenging decade during which we had to administer the affairs of Barbados. We registered some impressive advancements, but we had to take some sometimes uncomfortable decisions.”

Stuart also took the opportunity to thank his party’s candidates for their courage and making themselves available for candidacy in the DLP campaign. “We are confident that in the fullness of time, the wisdom of our actions will be vindicated and that the party will be able to at least push its chest up and reflect on its great contribution during a very difficult period,” he said. (JH)