Three years in, the United Progressive Party (UPP) will have a new leader later this week.
Founder and first-time chairman, attorney Lynette Eastmond, has stepped down.
Eastmond confirmed yesterday she would not be offering herself for re-election when members vote for a new executive today.
“Don’t get it confused with other parties. They may have one leader in because the leader might be in Parliament and is the Leader of the Opposition. But the chairman of the party is another thing,” Eastmond told the media yesterday.
“But because we don’t have anyone in Parliament, we don’t have a leader; it’s different,” the former minister in a Barbados Labour Party Government said. “But amongst all the parties, you tend to change leadership over a period of time. The chairman does not remain the same person,” she added.
Eastmond revealed that Ambrose Grovesnor, Everton Holligan and Wayne Griffith would be vying to replace her. A notice on the UPP’s website last night posted by public relations officer Griffith said: “The United Progressive Party is in the process of choosing its executive committee for 2019-2020. Nominations for positions are being processed via online nominations and voting which also help to facilitate our overseas membership. The names and positions of the new UPP executive will be made public on Friday, March 29.”
Political scientist Peter Wickham said the decision would not have much of an effect on the political landscape: “I don’t know that it changes the world,” he said last night.
“Lynette Eastmond’s showing at the polls left much to be desired. She scored just slightly more votes than [Independent candidate] Natalie Harewood (a former sex worker) and that speaks volumes to the extent of what is taken seriously by the public,” he added. (BA)
