OPPOSITION LEADER DAVID THOMPSON says the non-national vote in the January 15 general election, combined with Prime Minister Owen Arthur’s stated desire for the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) never to hold office again, could pose a serious threat to Barbados’ democratic process.
In an exclusive interview with the SUNDAY SUN during the DLP’s Christmas concert in Heroes Square, The City, on Friday night, he responded to Dame Billie Miller’s comment that there was not any one non-national group where the numbers were large enough to make a difference in the next general election.
“I find it alarming that the Government would make those kinds of statements, even against the backdrop of there being outstanding a case relative to the registration of non-national voters.
“Therefore, until I am satisfied that there have not been persons who are registered as voters in Barbados who are not entitled to vote, I would have to be extremely concerned about that.
“I am (also) concerned about the statement by Prime Minister Owen Arthur that the Democratic Labour Party should never hold office in this country again, because, taken together, they are a significant threat to democracy in this country.”
Thompson said Dame Billie was “out of touch” with what was happening in Barbados because there was a dominant group whose votes were very relevant to the outcome of the elections, and in marginal constituencies their involvement was something to watch very carefully.
The MP for St John also responded to Deputy Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s announcement on Thursday that the unemployment rate had slipped to 7.1 per cent of the labour force (for July to September) from 9.8 per cent in the same quarter last year.
“I believe that [Mia] Mottley needs to speak to the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Clyde Mascoll, who certainly, when he was a member of the Democratic Labour Party – and I believe professionally – has indicated that the unemployment statistics are inaccurate in the manner in which they are measured,” he said.
Thompson reasoned that the statistics did not capture large numbers of persons who were unemployed in this country but who were otherwise categorised.
“I am very reluctant, based on the advice given to me by Mascoll many years ago and given to us and the country when he was Leader of the Opposition, to accept those statistics by Mascoll’s analysis,” he said.
9 Comments
December 26, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Billie was talking pure foolishness! If you check the immigration department you will recognised that work permits are being issued to Guyanese in much larger numbers that any other CSME State.
Added to that Brewster formally of the Electoral Office issued Barbados ID Cards to many Guyanese and other nationals from othe rCSME States.
In addidtion to the above other persons in Immigration department have also been helping the BLP to make sure that a significant number of non nationals vote in this upcoming elections…do you remember this story:
‘MISSING’ WORK PERMIT STAMP
Barbados’ Immigration Department today termed as an “erroneous impression” the Midweek Nation newspaper story headlined Work Permit Stamp Still Missing.
In the department’s response, Chief Immigration Officer Gilbert Greaves said: “The Immigration Department wishes to correct the erroneous impression given in today’s issue of the NATION newspaper that one of its stamps used in the issue of work permits is missing and was probably used by some unauthorized person.
“The Department wishes to state emphatically that ALL stamps used in the course of its daily transactions are fully accounted for at the end of each working day including Tuesday, September 19, 2006.
“The Department is aware that persons are constantly attempting to replicate stamps used by the Department including those in use at the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) and to forge signatures of officers.
“It is for this reason that measures are in place to deal swiftly and effectively with any such situation.”
December 27, 2007 at 1:42 am
How can we really suggest that leadership can be an issue in this election when we have tolerated the leadership of what will go down in history as the MOST CORRUPT PRIME MINISTER TO EVER HOLD THE OFFICE OF PRIME MINISTER and the most POWER HUNGRY PERSON ever to have had the honour of leading this country.
When in his quest for a DICTATORSHIP HE CAN STATE THAT HE NEVER WANTS TO SEE THE DLP LEAD THIS COUNTRY EVER AGAIN it REEKS with ARROGANCE but I think I understand his NEED FOR POWER AND CONTROL he HAS TO AVOID THE RISK OF BEING CARRIED TO THE COURTS FOR BRIBERY, FRAUD AND CORRUPTION.
Therein lies his real reason to maintain power it is not about the peoples cause, it is about his own needs to cover his tracks and to direct justice, we aleady know of his ability to affect justice with his lack of documentation with regard to his divorce from Beverley, he and DAVID SIMMONS are two peas in a pod, both crooked as ever.
If this is what we have for leadership, forget it, we could bring GEARBOX back from his grave and he would command more respect from the people than Arthur does and better yet GEARBOX would be seen as a poor honest man much to his credit, so unlike this one called OWING ARTHUR.
I am eternally grateful that we have a leader in waiting to bring some order to this Nation, come the evening of the 15th of JANUARY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH MR DAVID THOMPSON for being a loyal servant to the people of this island for nearly 30 years of your life, that is a major sacrifice to have made for us the citizens.
December 27, 2007 at 1:59 am
I learnt only today that the one called TREVOR PRESCOD is actually quite an aggressive person, it was reported to me today that when he worked at WIRL before, he got involved in a heated debate with a female worker at the factory at WHIRL where he rushed at her with a scissors and attempted to stab her, the police, the BWU were all called in to settle the issue.
The others involved in this event were a Mr Worrell and a Ms Boucher, he is reportely a very short tempered person suffering from the short man’s sickness.
The next time you see him ask him if he was fired as result of this incident or not.
December 27, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Anyone who has made a study of peoples’ facial expressions can look into the face of Trevor Prescod and see what a nasty person he is.
December 27, 2007 at 1:47 pm
What is clear to me about Mr Prescod from watching the you tube video of Mia’s nomination is that he is an apprimator of his labiae orae to the adipose tissue overlying the gluteus maximi of others (that is to say HE IS AN ASS LICKER.)
In fact in that whole nomination I was appalled to see how Blarney Rommel No Stoppin Toppin and even David Gill were licking Mia’s glutei.
It is shocking to see that all these men who seem not to have much to offer must bow like this. It is clear that she is more brilliant than they (at least she speaks clearly and articulates her views well).
But the marked lack of substance emanating from the mouths of these men was pathetic.
December 27, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Nation Newspaper, December 27. reported
Arthur said his party had virtually completed the agenda for which it was re-elected, having recently cleared a number of important pieces of legislation.
He took a dig at the DLP, which had boycotted the last sessions of Parliament, saying: “I must also thank the Democratic Labour Party for it because by their absence from Parliament in the last few weeks, we were able to do six weeks’ work in two days.”
This was “a wonderful achievement” which underscored “what could happen … when the Labour Party is allowed to dominate Parliament”, Arthur said.
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Arthur is at it again.
He wants to dominate Parliament?
He reeks of arrogance contempt and egocentricity and delusions of grandeur.
Is he only on ethanol or is he taking another chemical substance? .
It is important to note that Owen is not repentant in his stance to undemocratically see that there is a one party state in Barbados, and that the BLP dominates parliament.
My question is does this man have a malfunctioning brain? Does he realize what he is saying or is he deliberately committing political suicide.
It is of course written some where in classical literature that WHOM THE GOD’S WILL DESTROY THEY FIRST MAKE MAD .
December 27, 2007 at 4:50 pm
We now know what the recipe for anarchy is.
IT IS THE BLP’s DESIRE TO DOMINATE THE PARLIAMENT AND TO HAVE A ONE PARTY STATE.
BUT THEY MUST BE CAREFUL
SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN PAKISTAN.
IF WE DONT STOP THE WOULD BE ANARCHISTS IN THIS CURRENT ELECTION WE MAY NEVER HAVE AN ELECTION AGAIN.
BAJANS BEWARE
WE MUST MAINTAIN OUR DEMOCRACY AT ALL COSTS.
VOTE DEE THIS TIME
EVEN IF YOU ARE A DIE HARD BEE YOU MUST PUT THE COUNTRY FIRST THIS ELECTION
DO WHAT IS RIGHT
OUR DEMOCRACY MUST BE MAINTAINED
December 29, 2007 at 11:51 pm
Mr David Thompson
What are you going to do to ensure that illegal guyanese don’t vote.
Note guyanese might be voting using dead bajans ID.
What are you going to do with these large guyanese population when you get in.
Please Mr Thompson you need to start doing a round up with the police and immigration and give them 2 weeks to leave or be deported.
Don’t worry about what Jagdeo say – worry about what your bajan people have been saying.
This is going to take courage Mr Thompson and leadership,and I hope that when we vote you and your party in that – your members stand behind you on this.
Barbados is at the crossroads – Mr Thompson – if we make the wrong move – this country will be no more.
Please help us restore our country to what it was.
January 6, 2008 at 12:03 am
There are two ways to win an election, and one of them is to rig it.
Is the DLP taking care to see that the elections are free and fair?
If BLP wins and Owen copies Fidel there will be no more general elections.