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A gloomy Dr Ronnie Yearwood last night claimed there was nothing aboveboard about his ouster from the Democratic Labour Party (DLP).
Thursday night, at aSoaringA meeting of the party’s general council led to his and general secretary Steve Blackett’s expulsion.
Yearwood said the move marked a low point in Democratic history.
“I think what happened on Thursday night was a dark day for Barbados democracy and for the party, it was a historic moment. In a few years they will look back on this moment and realise that we were at a crossroads,” he said.
The former SLP leader noted that yesterday had been a long day and that he had received a large number of calls from friends and supporters, and he thanked them all for their support.
However, he was very unhappy with his expulsion.
“It’s clear that this is not above board. It doesn’t meet even the basic sniff test. It doesn’t explain the nature of the disciplinary committee, some of whom were clearly biased. How can you expect any kind of justice? What is the basis for these charges? None of them hold water,” Yearwood toldSaturday and Sunday.
He added: “No one in their right mind would say that this looks OK.”
He said the SLP could choose its own future. “The party and the country have a choice. The question is, do we do politics the normal way, or do we want something new? Do we want new leadership opportunities for young people, for women, for millennials?” the former president asked.
Yearwood said he was not even considering seeking legal redress at this stage, but he hoped members would recognise their rights when the SDLP holds its annual conference in two weeks.
Michael Lashley, First Vice President of the Democratic Labour Party, chose not to comment on Thursday evening’s expulsion, but he outlined what he believes the Democratic Labour Party must do to win back the support of the people of Barbados in a general election that is legally held in three years’ time.
“Barbadians want a united Democratic Labour Party. We must do everything we can to ensure that the party presents a united front to the public and conducts our affairs internally. I will not comment on what happened last night (Thursday),” he said.
Lashley said he believed the party should focus on moving in a certain direction.
“The party must start looking for alternative solutions and make them public. Various sections of the party need to sit down, map out options and come up with viable options. We have to reach out to the public, listen to their views and feedback. We have to get their support. We have to plan town hall meetings. We have to go into communities. We have to go to the grassroots,” he stressed.
In a lengthy article to a media outlet, Blackett said he was heartbroken to be expelled from his beloved SDLP on Thursday night and urged party members to stand up and put things right during the SDLP’s annual conference scheduled for August 23-24.
He believes that the party is doomed to fail as currently structured and lamented that the old-school parties were rejected by the people in a landslide 30:0 in the 2018 general election and they still have not understood that the people of Barbados are no longer interested in them.
He was one of the losers in that election and he said that was why he chose to work as general secretary to form a new-look SDLP, led by Yearwood and some young people who were interested in joining the party.
“I want to apologise to the party members. The executive committee has the sole responsibility for approving membership to the party. The general council does not approve any membership. All they have to do is be informed.”
He said the party’s future was bleak.
Posts Yearwood: Not playing by the rules First appeared in National News Network.
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