The ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP) spent almost three times more than its main rival, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), in its bid to recapture the Government – for a third straight 30-0 “redwash” – in February’s General Election.
According to the ‘Return Of Election Expenses’ released by the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC) and published in yesterday’s SUNDAY SUN, the Bees were recorded as spending $1 555 108.07 compared to the Dems’ $565 929.97.
In all, election submissions to the EBC totalled $2 190 152.33, with third parties and independents contributing only $69 114.29 to the election pot.
Last election in 2022, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, just over $2 million was spent based on submissions to the EBC. In the 2018 poll, it was a little over $2.35 million.
The biggest spender in February was Christ Church East Central Member of Parliament (MP) Ryan Straughn, who is now minister of finance. He was the only one passing the $100 000-mark, coming in at $103 317.12. His main opponent, Quincy Jones of the DLP, submitted $37 106 in expenses.
In the 2022 poll, the biggest spender was Christ Church West Central’s Adrian Forde, who incurred $89 120 in expenses to retain the seat. This time around his expenses were in at $61 824.56.
As for the DLP, its biggest spenders were then Opposition Leader and King’s Counsel Ralph Thorne in St John ($52 300) – who spent more than his conqueror Charles Griffith’s $50 835.69, according to the EBC figures; funeral director Ian Griffith whose undertaking in St Lucy cost him $48 048.50; and Ryan Walters (currently one of two Opposition senators) whose failed bid in St Michael North West was recorded as costing him $47 808.96.
In St Joseph, many-time candidate Randall Rouse of the DLP was recorded as having spent more than political first-timer Ryan Brathwaite of the BLP – $41 937.74 as compared to $32 731.33 – though ending up on the losing side.
After Straughn, the next two highest spenders were Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams in Christ Church East ($85 091.66) and Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley who spent, according to the EBC, $78 326.21 to retain the St Michael North East constituency.
Mottley recorded expenses of $71 836.40 in 2022, almost the same as the EBC stated she spent in 2018 ($71 864).
No election expenses were recorded for the DLP candidates in St Michael Central, St Thomas and St James North.
The MP who spent the least to retain her seat was St Philip North’s Dr Sonia Browne, who only posted $19 481.33 as her election expenses. Interestingly in that eastern riding, Anya Lorde of the Friends of Democracy was not only the biggest spender, with expenses totalling $32 965.50, but had the highest expenses among all the non-BLP/DLP candidates.
In the February poll, three DLP candidates – Dale Rowe in The City of Bridgetown, St James North’s Charles Worrell and St Michael North East’s Jamal Sandiford – lost their $250 election deposits, along with all of the fringe party members or Independent candidates, as they failed to capture the required one-sixth of the valid votes cast in the respective constituencies. (BW)
The post Bees spent nearly three times as much as Dems in 2026 poll appeared first on nationnews.com.