Calling it a dark day for democracy, ousted president of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Dr Ronnie Yearwood lamented the fact that “legitimate members” were this morning barred from the 69th Annual Conference taking place at George Street, St Michael.
Flanked by several supporters, including former general secretary Steve Blackett, second vice president Walter Maloney and chair of the Young Democrats, Tyra Trotman, Yearwood addressed the media outside the closed gates.
“Every single member of the Democratic Labour Party is allowed entry into this conference where they can present their ideas, they can challenge the leadership of this party and engage with it.”
Referring to the motion from the floor to reinstate himself and Blackett, Yearwood said it was a “legitimate exercise” of the power of the members.
“The Annual Conference is the highest decision-making body of the Democratic Labour Party,” he said, repeating the statement for emphasis, adding that membership agreed he and Blackett were the “duly elected” president and secretary and any other decision to demote them was invalid.
Yearwood said some of the members who supported that motion today founds themselves locked out. He said the legitimate second party of the country was not functioning as it should and democracy was under threat.
He charged it was a small group, some of whom were rejected twice by the electorate and four times internally via two defeats each from former president Verla De Peiza and himself who refused to let go. He said they “have no legitimacy outside of these walls in George Street”.
“And still they do not seem to understand that the Barbadian people, the Democratic Labour Party members, do not want them. I do not know what it’s going to take to give them that message, to understand, you are not wanted in public life. And why are you trying to muscle your way back into public life, onto the people of Barbados?
”Yearwood added: “These are the same elements, these are the same people that have been destroying this party for generations since the death of Errol Barrow. They are the same characters. They’ve been around. Some of them are still here, wreaking havoc on this country; wreaking havoc on this party, and it must come to an end.” (SAT)
