‘D’ real deal

THE DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY (DLP) last night dismissed its opponent’s manifesto as a copy of their policies while trumpeting its own document as dealing with the real concerns of Barbadians.
The document outlines the party vision with particular emphasis on renewable energy, the aged and the disabled and other bread and butter issues that touched on farming and health care.“No society can lay claim to be socially balanced if the youth, the aged and the disabled are not included . . . . We also want a Barbados that is economically balanced,” said Prime MinisterFreundel Stuart, who took the stage about 12:10 a.m. heralded by the MGM Theme and a lone bugler in the crowd.
He had been preceded by Ronald Jones, Dr David Estwick and Chris Sinckler, the faces of the DLP campaign, who tore into the BLP’s document and, according to Stuart, exposed the nakedness of the BLP’shoax.
“I don’t have to come to the mike to apologize saying we don’t have Erskine Sandiford . . . Evelyn Greaves . . . or any of the others who have been ministers in a previous DLP administration,” Stuartsaid, taking a shot at Arthur’s pleading that he was carrying several new members in his team. He pointed to members of his team as capable, judging from their analysis last night on the platform.
As the party battles to win back the Government on February 21, Stuart told voters they were leaving the launch armed with the knowledge and understanding that there was a “light under theirfeet” for their voting decision.
“Free bus rides not a hoax, summer camps not a hoax – there is evidence that you can see . . . . Tonight you heard our vision for Barbados. We present this manifesto tonight as a declaration ofintent,” Stuart said.
At the core of the manifesto was the restructuring of the economy, Stuart said, stressing that the DLP was moving away from a lopsided dependence on fossil fuel to more energy efficiency and the use ofrenewable sources of energy. Agreements had already been signed with the Inter-American Development Bank regarding photovoltaic panels, Stuart said.
“This is no pie in the sky talk; we are on the way already,” Stuart said in his 45-minute address, promising to tell more in the coming days.
Manifestos are commitments of both parties, he said, and for that reason some of the promises remained unfulfilled.Ronald Jones briefly examined the BLP’s document and particularly on the issues of education, the bedrock of any DLP policy, energy and health care, accused the BLP of stealing the DLP’s ideas, some of which had been publicly discussed. (AC)