DLP still waving the “Arthur is corrupt” flag without doing anything about it

Barbados Free Press received this anonymously-written article from someone who claims to be a DLP member. Fair enough, we’ll publish just about anything that isn’t threatening or promoting violence or racism. Although we split up a couple of longer paragraphs for readability, we didn’t change a word.

Two points we at BFP would like to make and then we’ll publish the article as it was received…

1/ The “campaign donation” cheque that Owen Arthur put into his personal bank account and that David Thompson waved around during his “Bussa” speech was for $75,000, not $750,000 as this article claims. It’s all corruption but you might as well get the amount straight.

2/ The DLP started yelling about the BLP corruption years ago and they have had almost 3 years to do something with all the evidence they have – but that’s not going to happen. The DLP could lay numerous charges and civil lawsuits to recover the stolen funds but they have a gentleman’s agreement with the BLP that no charges will be laid – only words angrily spoken.

That’s because the DLP don’t want the same treatment from the BLP next time the government switches around.

Remember friends: There is only ONE political party in Barbados. Any talk of corruption charges, investigations or legislative changes are all politics and not real. All for show.

Here’s the article we received…

All eyes on the BLP

Hear the name: “Owen Arthur” and immediately you think of the man who received $750,000 as campaign financing but secretly deposited it into his personal bank account. That’s why for us in the DLP, Arthur is the best person to lead the BLP into the next election.

Having read the Sunday Sun, each time you see George Payne, you will immediate get the image of election rigging, electoral fraud and electoral corruption. We still cannot figure out how (as Chairman of the BLP for two years) George could not even make it onto the radar of the recent Nation Newspaper Poll, when 1% of the respondents said they want ‘Hammie Lah’ to lead Barbados.

Last Thursday, Chief Advisor to our Prime Minister – Harley Henry wrote that ‘political happenings create strange bedfellows.’ As a leading political strategists, not even Henry could understand the sudden unholy alliance between George Payne and Arthur, who were once sworn enemies. Then on Sunday, October 10th 2010, the reason became clear once the front page of the Sunday Sun was read.

Sitting Member of Parliament for St. James North, Rawle Eastman was bemused that $560.00 could have been paid for 56 delegate on behalf of his Branch, unknown to him and his Branch Executive. We agree that this is serious and smells of political bullying, corruption, fraud, organized crime and election rigging. This is easily the very worst of the BLP.

What is even more vulgar about this scenario is that late last year, this same BLP had a lot to say about our Minister of Social Care having the power in law to identify 450 persons to serve on Constituency Councils.

Many will recall that in the last election, it was the charge of corruption that destroyed the BLP. Many will also agree that the BLP seemed to have been sailing towards a 4th term until our Prime Minister broke the news that a cheque for $750,000 (given to the BLP as campaign financing) ended up in Owen Arthur’s personal bank account, unknown to anyone in the BLP. That is corruption! That Arthur would now find an ally in George Payne, is obvious.

But it is the image of corruption, real and imagined, that continues to hurt the BLP. Adding a new charge of internal election rigging simply is not helping. It does not help either when some put their personal interest before what is best for this country.

News reaching us is that George Payne is quietly canvassing for a return of Owen Arthur as head of the BLP. Now in his 60’s, George does not seem willing to take instructions from Mia Mottley – a female 20 years his junior. It is also rumored that a deal has been struck where Arthur would become Prime Minister again, making Dale Marshall (from George Payne’s law firm) his Deputy Prime Minister.

As we understand it, the deal is that Arthur would serve one year as Prime Minister and then hand over to Dale who would immediately make George, Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados.

That these men would resort to corruption or election rigging to achieve this, show the extent to which they are even now in Opposition – auctioning off this country. To be fair, it was Grantley Adams who gave Barbadians the right to vote and since then this country has been regarded internationally as a place where election are fair and free of fear.

Whether the National Executive of the BLP will now wink at this level of electoral corruption (which should be referred to the DPP) will determine whether party members opt to insult the legacy of Grantley Adams or send a strong message to the entire society that under a future BLP Government, there will be a zero tolerance policy on corruption. The people are watching. But we will not be surprised when those power-hungry and desperate men realise their time is running out and decide to make a move against those who are now standing on the side of justice and what is right.

We urge the BLP to resist any temptation to be drawn to the dark side and say no to organised crime. It also needs to be equally aware that Barbados cannot afford to have two unstable political parties at this time.

By the way, we managed to intercept an email the other day where someone wrote that in order to change Barbados you must first change the BLP. We agree! Corruption at all levels must be stamped out. Perhaps that explains the resistance to Mia Mottley becoming Chairman of the BLP. But maybe, just maybe – Mia Mottley is the change the BLP needs. For sure it is now clear that the BLP urgently needs a fresh start as much as it needs a leader who will be tough on crime and corruption.