Less than a month after the General Election, Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate Dr Dawn-Marie Armstrong has resigned, adding to the turmoil swirling around the organisation.
In an emotional exclusive interview with the DAILY NATION, Armstrong revealed yesterday that ongoing internal chaos, declining public trust and unresolved leadership questions forced her to step away from the party she once joined with “bright-eyed optimism”.
Armstrong confirmed that she formally submitted her resignation earlier in the day following what she described as a period of “much reflection”, saying the organisation must confront the reality of its repeated electoral defeats and growing public disillusionment.
“I truly feel, after two election losses – well, three major ones as a political party – Barbadians spoke undeniably for what they didn’t want,” she said.
Her departure comes at a delicate time for the opposition party, which has been struggling to regain political footing after consecutive General Election wipe-outs and recent leadership uncertainty following the resignation of former Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne as president of the party.
While insisting she still believes in the DLP’s potential, Armstrong said the current environment within the organisation made it impossible for her to continue.
“I love the Democratic Labour Party. I hope in time it will regain its strength, but there comes a time when you have to kind of just step away from it all,” she said.
Armstrong stressed she has no intention of joining any other parties.
“I do not intend to join any other political institutions in the country. I intend to continue my community work,” she said, noting that discussions were already underway with supporters about continuing programmes in communities such as St Michael North which she contested in the February 11 poll.
Armstrong said persistent internal dysfunction within the party had been one of the most frustrating aspects of her political journey over the past several years.
“For the last four years, every single time we have a meeting internally, somebody calls the press to say this is what’s happening,” she said.
“Sometimes we learn about things internally from the press, which is actually quite disappointing.”
She suggested that self-interest among some individuals had also contributed to the party’s challenges.
“What I would say is that there is indeed self-interest,” Armstrong said, adding that some people appeared more focused on personal agendas than on rebuilding the party.
According to her, the deeper issue facing the DLP is not simply personalities or internal disagreements but the erosion of public trust.
“The issue within the party is trust. The issue with how the party projects itself to the public is trust,” she said.
She noted that many voters continued to question the party about decisions made during its last period in government, leaving newer members like herself defending issues they had no direct role in.
“To be constantly questioned about a period that I technically would know nothing about, and a period that I really can’t defend, goes against my principles,” she said.
Armstrong also pointed to declining voter participation as a sign that both major political parties must reflect on how they engage the electorate.
“With 70 per cent of the population not voting, both political parties have to introspect and see how we could keep the public engaged in the political process,” she said. Armstrong became emotional as she spoke about the difficulty of leaving a political organisation she still believes has an important role in Barbados.
“I was in tears all day,” she admitted, saying the decision had been deeply personal and difficult.
“To see the party that you love continually just be in squalor… people don’t understand how frustrating that is,” she added.
Still, she emphasised that her resignation should not necessarily be seen as a permanent departure from political life – or even from the DLP itself.
“I don’t think this is a goodbye forever. This is a goodbye for now,” Armstrong said.
She expressed hope that the DLP will eventually undergo the introspection necessary to rebuild its credibility and chart a new course.
“I still believe fundamentally that the Democratic Labour Party is the best party for Barbados. But when leadership emerges that candidates like myself would want to follow, then perhaps the conversation about returning can happen.”
For now, however, Armstrong said stepping away was the only way to remain true to her principles.
“I don’t operate in chaos. If a situation brings chaos into my life, I remove myself from it.” (CLM)
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