GEORGE ARTHUR and Owen Payne have been politically reunited to a point where we are not sure which name they carry. We know for sure in that combination there is no love for Mia. No matter how we spin it the results will be the same. If we go Owen Arthur and George Payne it gets worst.
We can say that the most defining aspect of the last couple months of Mia Mottley’s stewardship was that she has learnt her lesson. You can be guaranteed that there will be no photo ops with the likes of Payne, Mottley and Arthur. Mottley will seek out the soft political issues and rally her most faithful soldiers . . .oops, soldier Cynthia Forde.
On the last weekend of October, Mia will find herself staring down the face of a political barrel as she attempts to wrestle control of the party from George Arthur and Owen Payne. These two men from the north understand what politics is all about and intend to deliver lesson 101 in politics of survival.
The litmus test regarding leadership will be explored at the upcoming annual conference of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) as member after member will voice their disapproval at Mia’s performance by voting with the coalition movement against Mia spearheaded by George Arthur and Owen Payne.
Mia’s attempt to become chairman of the party is in response to her poor showing in the NATION/CADRES Poll coupled with the facts.
By a carefully crafted plan, Owen was able to divide and conquer the elements within his party to facilitate his eventual break and return to leadership of the party. He made Mia his deputy and exposed her to all the elements within and outside. He let her stew at times within raging public debates and came after the damage was done and appealed for calm.
During the entire period in office he did everything to make sure his current boss left a stain on the political landscape. For Mia the most difficult obstacle yet to conquer is to know when you don’t know that you don’t know. She now has the dubious record of failing in Education, a disaster in Culture, never understood Economic Affairs and now as Opposition Leader mastered the art of getting good at doing things badly.
In Opposition, Owen has continued his assault on the boss lady and contributed to her demise by distancing himself from the platform strategy of staying on message. She claimed that he is free to roam as an Opposition Member of Parliament but all he did was to behave like a spoilt child during the entire period.
Can you imagine Owen speaking to an issue of Prime Ministerial power and its abuses? Wait, is this the same Owen that blasted ordinary Barbadians from the floor of Parliament? This is the same guy who fired Elizabeth Thompson in Bay Street?
Oh please, Owen keep your war with Mia within the walls of your Roebuck Street compound.
The Democratic Labour Party, unlike the negative focus of the Opposition, has its sights set on securing a better quality of life for all Barbadians.
We are not varying off our course in delivering on the goods and services as outlined in our manifesto. We urge the George Arthurs, Owen Paynes and Mias, to put people first and not themselves.
