Lessons From Barbados . . . With Love

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he general elections in Barbados have come and gone and the result is well known to those who are interested. The Caribbean media was quick to welcome another woman at the helm of a government in the region following the examples of Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago. It may be too soon to draw comparisons between the governance and achievements of the female heads versus their male counterparts. The margin of victory—30-nil—in Barbados left some observers speechless.

It may take a while before attempting to put a finger on what resulted in the near total annihilation of the Democratic Labour Party. Still, it may be useful to compare the behaviour of the vanquished former prime minister of Barbados with that of the defeated prime minister of Saint Lucia two years ago. He had called elections before the constitutional due date. It was not the first time he had called an early election. The Barbados leader, on the other hand, used his constitutional authority to extend elections by some 78 of the 90-day grace period allowed. That was more than the Barbados electorate was ready to tolerate. And it made the prime minister pay! In Saint Lucia, an early election bell seemed a ploy to catch the then opposition flatfooted. The plan backfired! Allen Chastanet became the first after John Compton to lead the UWP to victory at the polls.

The comparisons do not end there. The people of Saint Lucia and Barbados had clearly revolted against the heavy VAT and other tax burdens. What confounds observers is whether some prime ministers, on attaining office, forget their promises of better days made on the hustings. In both Saint Lucia and Barbados, instead of easing the squeeze, their economic policies demanded hardships unbearable to the electorate. Some observers point to the characteristics of individual leaders that suggest a lack of empathy and connectedness with the common man. This seeming lack is often worsened: when leaders would not listen to voices other than those of their respective party hacks.

Additionally, the common sense language of the grassroots, as compared to the highfalutin’ reports from foreign and local experts, is a chasm too wide to be bridged by a weak leader. Some leaders from poverty-stricken countries are too timid to disagree with IMF and World Bank experts. Politicians miss the point that harsh economic prescriptions from whatever source must first receive the blessing and approval of the social partners: business, trade unions, and NGOs, before they are applied. They tend to forget that the people, and only the people, are the real moving force in world history.

The comparisons between the election results in Barbados and in Saint Lucia invite further analysis. The pervasive stench at the popular beach and recreation area on the south coast of Barbados was a nightmare. The offensive odour and the government’s seeming inability to fix it was an insult and an embarrassment to Barbadians. The decline in the economy and the new burden of part-payment only for tertiary education further angered the citizenry. Barbadians took a close look at their country and did not like what they saw. Pride and industry, the tenets upon which independence was negotiated and achieved, seemed challenged by the same DLP that had brought Barbados its national flag and anthem. Mia and her Bees decided to end the pretence!

The end was long in sight for those who once held Errol Barrow and his DLP in awe. Even Owen Arthur, the former beloved Barbados Labour Party leader and prime minister, could not save Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart and his DLP. Owen Arthur, who once had a fan base in Saint Lucia, did himself harm by his visceral attacks on Mia Mottley, the leader of the Barbados Labour Party. Politicians are often warned not to allow personal peeves and disagreements to cloud their judgment. Sadly, Owen could not help himself. He should have been vexed with his Jamaican-born wife or with himself, and not with Mia.

The crème-de-la-crème of the results between the Barbados elections and that of Saint Lucia of June 6, 2016 was the attitude of the vanquished prime minister of Barbados compared to the defeated Saint Lucian PM. To this day, almost two years since his party’s defeat, our former prime minister has not found it fit to personally congratulate the man who sent him and his party back to the opposition benches. It would appear he and his party believe they are still running an election campaign. And it is no wonder many are asking if the war the SLP declared against the Chastanets in the months leading up to the elections continues.

On the other hand, some persons jokingly argue that the congratulatory message from the vanquished Barbados PM to the victorious Mia Mottley was his best ever. Congratulations from the vanquished help to ease the transition process.   The Caribbean people expect civilized conduct from their political leaders.  Unfortunately, no university or public marketplace offers for sale to politicians good fellowship, upright intentions or exemplary conduct. Clearly, some politicians are driven by something more profound than mere university degrees. I submit, that something is the mould in which their characters were cast. Politicians cannot hide from themselves, and neither can we the people. 

Finally, I submit that the lessons from Barbados are much more than deciduous window dressing. They demonstrate a mature character, and reveal a united spirit that puts country before self. It’s a wise lesson from Barbados.