The resignation of Housing Minister Dwight Sutherland — the third such departure from Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s Cabinet in less than a year — has prompted one political scientist to question whether more is happening behind the scenes within the ruling Barbados Labour Party.
The prime minister announced on Wednesday afternoon that Sutherland had asked to be relieved of his portfolio as Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance.
“This has been a request driven by him for personal reasons,” Mottley said in a brief statement.
“He will remain as Member of Parliament for St George South.”
The prime minister added that she had asked President Sandra Mason to appoint St Michael West MP Christopher Gibbs as Sutherland’s replacement, effective Thursday.
When contacted, the outgoing minister declined comment, saying that he was not speaking to the media at this time.
But political scientist Devaron Bruce said the latest departure adds to a growing pattern that raises questions about what may be unfolding behind the scenes within the Mottley administration.
“Sutherland is, I believe, the third minister who would have resigned within the year,” he told Barbados TODAY. “You’ve had Corey [Lane], former minister with responsibility for crime prevention; you’ve had Marsha Caddle, and then you have Sutherland. It opens the door for the public and persons within the political space to question whether or not there is a bit of rancour within the government and specifically the Barbados Labour Party.”
Bruce said he was surprised Sutherland had not been reassigned or removed earlier, referencing ongoing controversy surrounding the government’s housing programme, particularly the flagship Home Ownership Providing Energy (HOPE) project.
Launched under Sutherland’s leadership, the project was designed to deliver affordable homes to low- and middle-income earners through a rent-to-own model powered by renewable energy.
However, delays, implementation issues and pushback from opposition MPs have dogged the initiative, with concerns raised over project delivery, land access and imported housing components.
Sutherland also faced scrutiny for his bold pledge to deliver 10 000 houses in five years, a target some critics called unrealistic given resource and infrastructure constraints.
Further public criticism followed reports of a proposal to import prefabricated Chinese-built homes, which triggered backlash from segments of the local construction industry.
“I think he was under some pressure for some time,” Bruce said.
“Now, he would have to tell you the specific reasons why he resigned. I saw he said that it would have been for personal reasons, but I would assume that is really just a cover for what is really happening.”
Bruce noted that while the opposition may attempt to use the string of resignations to fuel a narrative of internal discord, it has so far not significantly affected the government’s popularity or ability to govern.
In February, Caddle resigned as Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology, stating in a public letter that “when principles do not align, a minister has a duty to resign”.
Around the same time, Lane stepped down from his ministerial duties, citing personal reasons.
Their portfolios were redistributed among current Cabinet members, including the appointment of Jonathan Reid in Caddle’s stead and the assignment of crime prevention to Minister of People Empowerment Kirk Humphrey.
Gibbs, who entered Parliament in the January 2022 general election, will be taking up his first ministerial role.
He is scheduled to be sworn in on Thursday morning.
“I’d like to thank both the Honourable Dwight Sutherland for his service to the government, while at the same time looking forward to working with The Honourable Christopher Gibbs in this new portfolio,” Prime Minister Mottley said in her statement. (SM)
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