DLP picks Thorne and Walters for Senate

Democratic Labour Party (DLP) president Ralph Thorne and businessman Ryan Walters have been selected by the party to fill two seats in the Senate of Barbados.

The party met last night at the George Street, St Michael headquarters and Thorne, who spoke with Nation News after the meeting, said it was a democratic process in which the General Council voted on the two names.

Thorne, who crossed the floor from the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) in February 2024, was the last Leader of the Opposition, but the DLP suffered a third successive 30-0 defeat at the polls last week Wednesday.

As per the Constitution, the BLP, through President The Most Honourable Jeffrey Bostic, can extend an invitation to the DLP to select two senators.

“We’ll be looking forward to a robust debate in the Senate. As you know, I am accustomed to being a minority in the Parliament – and of course, this is subject to presidential acceptance – but the party means seriously that Senator Walters and I should resume in the House of Parliament. And we will be a minority, but we are ready for the task.”

In a sombre mode after the defeat last week, Thorne said he would contemplate his future as this presented an opportunity for him to return to private practice as a lawyer.

“A lot of people met me in the public. A lot of people said on social media not to consider leaving, and the vote here tonight tells me that the party wants me to continue in leadership,” Thorne said, adding it was humbling.

“I will say to you that there is a convention that when you lose an election, you put your leadership at the disposal of the party, and I say that it is an opportunity for me to return to private life, but clearly the party wants me to continue. And I can tell you an overwhelming number of people in the public domain want me to continue.” (SAT)

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