Red, ready and resonant

A red wave surged through Golden Square Freedom Park on Saturday night as members and supporters of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) gathered, red and ready, for the launch of their manifesto.

Long before the scheduled 7 p.m. start, the Bees had already begun to swarm the historic and sacred space where Barbados’ fight for freedom first took root under Clement Payne – signalling that this was no ordinary political meeting, but a declaration of momentum, memory, and mission.

As the buzz of anticipation grew louder, it suddenly fell into reverent silence. Heads bowed and eyes closed as the Reverend Wayne Kirton of the St John the Baptist and Good Shepherd Church led the gathering in prayer – for the country, the candidates, and for the Queen Bee herself, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley. The tone shifted from celebration to purpose. Then, it was down to business.

Opening the batting, St Thomas candidate Gregory Nicholls welcomed the crowd and urged them to turn the pages of the Red Report – more than 130 pages outlining what the BLP had delivered over the past seven years. He reminded supporters that it was this red administration that pulled Barbados back from the brink of chaos and set it firmly on a path forward.

There was, it appeared, much to brag about – and brag the Bees did, one after the other.

Christ Church South candidate Dr Shantal Munro-Knight highlighted Barbados’ hosting of what she described as the biggest CARIFESTA ever, which closely followed Crop Over, then the Food and Rum Festival, pointing to their impact on the creative economy. Yet, when she turned to future plans for a National Performing Arts School of Excellence, the crowd’s enthusiasm seemed to dip. She had to plead with them to “clap for dat”, a telling moment in a night where noise and music often overshadowed speakers.

St Philip West candidate Kay McConney urged supporters to “hug up the manifesto, love it up,” insisting it laid out exactly where the BLP intends to take Barbados. Toni Moore, candidate for St George North, directed the crowd to Page 19 of the manifesto under the heading Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, promising a better deal for workers.

Outside of the Prime Minister, however, the man of the night seemed to be Michael Lashley, now the BLP candidate for The City of Bridgetown after crossing from the Democratic Labour Party.

Lashley received deafening screams – especially when he opened with, “Good night to my family”.

He confidently declared that his candidacy meant victory for The City and ultimately the party. The reaction was striking, considering that just one election ago he was on the opposite side, loudly condemning the BLP.

Lashley delivered one of the night’s sharpest jabs, aimed at DLP candidate James Paul.

“I always thought James Paul was stupid, but after the other night when he told people to vote for the BLP, I must now say he has a lot of sense.”

The line landed perfectly. Much of the night’s humour revolved around “James Paul jokes”, with multiple speakers urging the crowd to follow Paul’s “advice” and vote BLP – a reference to Paul’s recent slip of the tongue at a DLP event where he mistakenly told supporters to vote for the BLP. Lashley’s speech was punctuated throughout, by chants of “Talk yuh talk, Michael!”

The only other person who jammed lower than that was Kerrie Symmonds, who had the best interaction with the crowd. He told them at one time, that David Estwick of the DLP, said he was coming to eat the “whole Barbados Labour Party”. But according to Symmonds, “If he did that he would create history, because he would be the first man to have more brains in his belly than in his head.” The crowd loved the low blow. Beyond the platform, the crowd itself told its own story. Tony, seated in a wheelchair with crutches resting across his lap, said nothing could have kept him away. “I drink some of the Kool-Aid,” he laughed. “So I had to come.”

Rhonda Rogers, a naturalised Barbadian wearing red, said she supported the BLP because she viewed it as the party most welcoming to non-nationals – she is a naturalised Barbadian and will be voting on February 11.

Sandra Brodghan, originally from Jamaica, said she attended the meeting because Mia Mottley was her hero – and the hero of many of her friends back in Jamaica Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw, candidate for St Michael South East, delivered a fiery defence of the party, declaring that neither cancer nor anything else would stop her from standing up for the BLP. She challenged critics who often accused the Prime Minister of being absent from the country, insisting that even when Mottley was overseas, the work for Barbadians never stopped . . . . “Even when she is absent, she is present,” she declared.

Ian Gooding-Edghill, candidate for St Michael West Central, promised improved roads and a new way to travel, while Kirk Humphrey, candidate for St Michael South, received one of the warmest welcomes of the night, warned that the opposition would try to punch holes in the manifesto.

“But what do you expect from a Thorne?” he quipped, drawing hearty laughter – a pointed reference to Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne.

Not everyone in attendance wore red. Antonio, dressed in neutral colours, said he was there simply to listen.

“I not for any party,” he said, adding that he hadn’t yet decided whether he would vote.

Winston echoed similar sentiments, saying he didn’t own a red shirt and didn’t belong to any party, but admitted he was liking what he was hearing from the BLP platform.

Prominent attorney and activist Tricia Watson, attending with her daughters, said she wanted to remain neutral but felt it was important for her children to experience the political atmosphere firsthand. The only thing red on her was her spectacle frames.

Still, the night belonged to Prime Minister Mottley.

Introduced shortly after 10:15 p.m., following her special song, Tek Charge by Lead Pipe and the full slate of candidates behind her, Mottley took the stage as the final speaker – and held it for nearly two hours. With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, she methodically laid out what a BLP victory would mean for Barbadians.

Her proposals included a cost of living cash credit, an increase in the reverse tax credit for earners between $25 000 and $35 000, the Barbados Republic Child Wealth Fund providing a one-time $5 000 birthright investment for every child born on or after November 30, 2021, and raising the tax-free pension allowance from $50 000 to $75 000.

The detail mattered. The visuals mattered. And by the end of her address, the Bees appeared satisfied – leaving the meeting with their manifestos and having received the honey they had come for.

Even the several vendors around the perimeter of the Park seemed satisfied with business for the night. A few said the night was “good” for them.

The critiques

Still, the night was not without its flaws.

Each candidate had their own musical introduction, and at times the entertainment threatened to overshadow the speakers. It was a noisy affair, with heavy emphasis on music and spectacle. While performances by Casha Dottin and Alix Cage were a welcomed and classy touch, the balance between education and entertainment often tilted towards the latter.

But people clearly loved the music, the speeches and the promises.

All that remains now is the ultimate test: whether that enthusiasm translates into votes.

Roxanne Gibbs is a former Executive Editor of the Nation Publishing Co. Ltd.

Awards for the meeting based on a maximum of four stars for any category:

EDUCATIONAL CONTENT: *** APPEAL: **** ABSENCE OF ABUSE: *** REALISTIC PROPOSALS: ***

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