Barbados Labour Party's St Michael East Candidate - "The Streets Are In Darkness, RISE UP!"
Channel: bajanreporter
Date: 2011-06-06

In a watershed moment for the Opposition BLP since the replacing of Opposition Leader Mia Mottley QC, with former Prime Minister Owen Arthur on 18 Oct. 2010 - the Party's two main drawing cards publicly put aside their differences to tackle General Elections constitutionally due by January 2013. 

Trevor Prescod in his presentation was electrifyingly militant, exhorting the crowd to march against the current declining standards of living in Barbados, he made so far as to make a stark comparison of Bajan living conditions in 1937 which were just before the Riots which eventually led to the creation of the Barbados Labour Party itself.

Ms Mottley's own delivery was as always saucy, powerful and entertaining - she cited how the Water Authority is once again in the midst of a case where misappropriated funds are under investigation and she is building evidence to show where the flaws originate; the St Michael North East MP also explained how the Director of QEH's Medical Services is a Non-National and again the Freundel Stuart regime is seeking to change the Laws of Barbados to accommodate the hiring of one person instead of doing the right thing and allowing a Bajan with 12 years of Residency and at least 6 years of Consultancy hold the post as per local legislation.

Arthur's speech at times hearkened back to the old days when he tilted against Lloyd Erskine Sandiford  in 1994, while using Barack Obama's metaphors in an extended manner - "Yes We Can, Yes We Will & Yes We SHALL!"

In a softer moment one almost got the impression he would leave the fight in Mottley's hands when he referred to Martin Luther King's "Mountain-Top" speech, which the Civil Rights Activist gave just days before he was assassinated in 1968.

The former PM acknowledged he cannot be at the helm of the BLP forever and wants to see Barbados back in good hands once more, and he urged the crowd to vote for all of the current Candidacy - and send home a message to Freundel Stuart who has been silent too long. An opinion many Bajans on either side of the political fence are mentioning more and more...

Arthur Holder in his presentation observed how there is still no Chief Justice for Barbados and yet Supreme Court is due to open in just over two week's time at this point of writing!

The troops were well mobilised and the grounds of the George Lamming Primary were abuzz well after the meeting which finished shortly before 9:00 pm Sunday night.