The Democratic Labour party’s 69th Annual Conference is set for the weekend of August 23, 2025, and at the conference, a new president will be elected to manage the affairs of the party during the period leading to the next general election in Barbados.
Traditionally, during an election year, this task is entrusted to the political leader, with any other person nominated for this office standing down to strongly exhibit the unity of the party. This period should be no different for the DLP, and the party should unanimously elect its political leader and leader of the opposition, Ralph Thorne, to the office of president.
Ralph Thorne is a man of true courage. He had the intestinal fortitude to speak out against the policies of his own party, which in his opinion, were hurting especially the vulnerable class in our country while benefiting another class of people. He recognised that although it is right to speak out against wrongdoing, the interest of the country would be better served if he did so from within the sanctity of the DLP.
The DLP must understand that true courage is not always demonstrated from within its own quarters. Truth sometimes emerges from the most unexpected individuals, and silencing injustice is not just the job of a hero but the responsibility of someone who still has a conscience. Silence in the face of injustice is betrayal, and every gaping wound from the past can only be healed by the courage that is taken today. It is not the job of the DLP to change the world but to change the world of someone.
There was a breach in the DLP. Ralph Thorne filled that breach despite vicious opposition by self-centred persons who appeared or pretended not to understand law or politics. He determined that he was there for the long haul, and is like a one-man fighting machine showing courage, character, and humidly, and despite being heckled, mocked and evil spoken of him, he confronts the issues of the day with fearlessness.
The party has recently shared a copy of its commission on crime report to the people of Barbados, graciously titled Blueprint to Rescue a Nation, which most certainly will be a manifesto pledge for the upcoming general election. The DLP also recently announced its intention to introduce a breakfast programme into both primary and secondary schools while continuing the school meals programme in primary schools. The breakfast programme is for teachers and students alike.
The time has come, and now is when the country should significantly invest in Church Ministry, and I hope that the DLP will give it very deep focus this time around. The country will be morally and emotionally better off for this type of investment,
The DLP should approach this conference with one thing in common: unity among its members. The party should be collaborative and united. They must be tied together like a bundle of sticks that cannot be easily broken. The collective strength of the party will help to overcome challenges, while division will lead to weakness and failure.
Algernon Atherley
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