Expelled Democratic Labour Party (DLP) President Dr Ronnie Yearwood has not ruled out the possibility of forming a new political party as he contemplates his future in politics.
While emphasising that his family is his current priority, Yearwood made it clear all options were on the table, including the creation of a fresh political movement to address the frustrations of younger Barbadians.
“At this particular moment, my family requires me. I have to focus on my newborn, my wife, my son. These are all adjustments going on and they require me as much as the country or communities may require me. But I say that all options are open,” he said during a wide-ranging interview with this newspaper recently.
Despite his expulsion from the DLP, Yearwood signalled his readiness to continue his public service and advocacy work, leaving the door open for leadership of a new political initiative if there was strong public demand.
“If I’m advocating for new politics, I can’t just get into a room with ten people, pick a name and say, ‘Here’s a new political party, Barbados.’ The people must demand it and they have to be part of its foundation,” he said.
Yearwood reiterated that his commitment to service transcended party lines, drawing from his lifelong involvement in public service.
“I’ve been doing public service since I was in my teenage years – whether it was Youth Parliament, the National Youth Council, community camps, or working with environmental groups. Service is in my DNA,” he said, affirming that his work would not stop simply because of his departure from the DLP.
“I’ve done it before the Democratic Labour Party and I will continue to do it afterward.”
Questioned on whether he had been approached by other political parties, Yearwood dismissed any speculation. “No, no and no,” he said firmly, ruling out a return to the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), from which he had previously distanced himself.
“I left because I wanted a party rooted in social democracy and the BLP was not the answer for me then, nor is it now.”
Yearwood expressed disappointment at the current trajectory of the DLP, suggesting the party had lost its connection to its social democratic foundations.
“The party that we see now has been hijacked and no longer ascribes to the social democratic principles it once championed. Maybe someday they will get back to that but that’s no longer my concern. I’ve been expelled and I move on.”
A central theme of Yearwood’s reflections was the importance of empowering younger generations. He argued that Barbados’ future rests on its youth and he criticised the political establishment for not providing enough opportunities for young leaders to rise.
“We have a system in Barbados where young people are being sidelined, despite their qualifications and abilities,” Yearwood noted. “They’re bright, creative and all they want is a chance. The country spends millions on education, yet when it comes time to give young people a chance to lead, they’re told to wait.”
Yearwood pointed to the generational tension within the DLP as a reflection of broader issues in the country.
“In the DLP, it was old guard versus new guard, but this same generational battle is playing out across the country. Young people are frustrated because they’re being asked to follow the same old political playbook that hasn’t worked in modern times.”
He invoked the legacy of Errol Barrow, the Father of Independence, to emphasise that youth leadership was always key to Barbados’ progress.
“Barrow and his team were young radicals when they led the charge for independence. They were innovators, trying new things and modernising the country. That’s the energy we need now.”
Though Yearwood has not committed to starting a new political party, he is clearly open to the possibility.
“If the people of Barbados demand something new – if they’re equally tired of the BLP and the DLP in their current forms – then a new party may be what the country needs. But it has to come from the ground up, not a top-down decision made by a few people in a room.
“Politics is not a career, it’s a vocation. I’m here to serve and I will continue to do that, whether within a political party or through other avenues.
“This country deserves new ideas, fresh leadership and a politics that works for the people and I will always be committed to that cause, no matter where the road takes me,” Yearwood said. (CLM)
Look out in the Sunday Sun for more from former president of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Dr Ronnie Yearwood on why he was ousted and his take on the current DLP administration.
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