The year has opened under an air of uncertainty – a state of affairs which cannot be good for the country, especially as we have to brace ourselves for the long hard road to recovery of the economy.
At the end of last year, the Government’s announcement of lay-offs in the public service and the generally unwelcome news about the state of the economy generated some uncertainty and that would have been aggravated by the various statements about how the lay-offs were being managed.
That state of uncertainty was not helped by what Prime Minister Freundel Stuart described as the bad handling of the problem. Now the deadline date for the commencement of the programme has been shifted from the 15th of this month to the 30th.
Now while this reprieve of two weeks will be welcome for the many workers on the front line of the termination policy, the uncertainty continues since we do not know at this stage how the list will be determined.
The problem is that uncertainty does not induce investor confidence and the issue which may eventually paralyze the economy is the inability of Government to continue spending more than it is able to raise by way of revenue. It is the fiscal deficit which the Government has rightly said needs to be reduced, which is hamstringing the efforts of Government to get the economy moving. But delay invites danger and clear-thinking people generally are anxious to see this matter resolved, given that the election is out of the way.
In our political system, the safety valve, available to the people when an elected administration is falling out of favour, is the existence of an opposition party in Parliament, ostensibly ready to step into the shoes of governance if the electorate so says.
It must therefore be a matter of public concern that at this critical stage in our current affairs, there is a perception of serious and continuing fracture within the highest aspects of the Barbados Labour Party.
We are not concerned to take sides on any of the actors on the political scene; but there is a heavy responsibility which attends the formation of a political party especially when that party though in Opposition is represented in the Parliament.
It is therefore a matter of some urgency, and we think consistent with the responsibility of a political party in Opposition in these circumstances, that the BLP should deal with whatever problems it may have in the ranks.
The people have a right to expect that its elected government should do what it thinks is right in the national interest. Equally, in turbulent times which breed uncertainty within a country; the people have a right to expect that the elected Opposition presents itself always as ready and united to take up the responsibilities of office if called upon.
Given the recurring problems within its ranks, the BLP must settle itself and its internal problems as a matter of national urgency. It is nothing less than an imperative national duty, and while we welcome the Leader of the Opposition’s assurance that the party is united, the public can do without these explosions within the party’s ranks.
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