UPP queries Moore’s allegiance

A statement issued on Thursday by the United Progressive Party (UPP) challenged that while union leaders are no strangers to partisan politics, they do so in pursuit of the interests of workers and not at their expense.

The statement was made in response to the announcement by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley that the National Executive Council of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) nominated General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union, Toni Moore, to be the candidate for St. George North following the decision of parliamentary representative Gline Clarke, who will be resigning on September 30.

The statement challenged, “Leading up to the 2018 General Election, we saw big business and unions march arm-in-arm to ensure the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) won every seat in Parliament. Toni Moore’s championing of the BOSS programme was another indication that she had shifted allegiance from the workers to the BLP and big business.”

The failure of the Integrity in Public Life Bill in the Senate was also called into question. “Governments do not allow important Bills to be thrown out by the Senate.”

It was stated that it will be difficult for Senator Moore to convince the people of St. George North that she is a woman of independent thought and action. “Did she sacrifice the workers of Barbados for a shot at the St. George North seat? The goodly people of St. George North would be well within their rights to soundly reject Toni Moore at the poll.”

The UPP has put forward Ambrose Grosvenor as their candidate for the St. George North seat. A date for the by-election has not yet been announced.