DLP Faces Internal Turmoil: A Closer Look at Recent Developments

WIPE THE SLATE and wipe it clean too.

Sadly, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is in a mess and it doesn’t appear it can navigate its way out – at least not at the moment.It seems like every time the dust settles, another issue takes over and supersedes what went before. Case in point, let’s take last week.

The developments were dizzying – so much so that sometimes it was challenging to keep up. The public heard of a reported break-in, all the details of which we just could not publish because some comments would run us in trouble legally. In any case, the alleged break-in was reported to the police and they arrived on the scene.

Accusations were flying left, right and centre. Again, those could not make the pages of this newspaper.

Then it was reported that general secretary Steve Blackett was suspended. It was then revealed that the Executive Council of the party voted to keep him in position as general secretary. Apparently, there was no validity in his suspension.

Then, as fate would have it, news swirled that president Dr Ronnie Yearwood was also suspended.

A meeting was held at the party’s headquarters last Friday night where both men received a vote of confidence by the Executive Council. Yearwood then emerged from that meeting calling for peace to prevail.

“We have a job to do on behalf of the people and I want everyone to come together in a sense of solidarity and together as the Democratic Labour Party family that we know we are, and have been and will continue to be. In difficult times families come together in peace and love. Let peace reign and let us go forward and do the best for this country,” he said.

Well, this sounds all well and good – they are definitely the right words to say – but will they have the impact and bring about the change that is needed?

I am not pessimistic, but I really don’t believe much will change going forward within this group any time soon.

It will be business as usual and the same old, same old as the days go by. Why? I feel we have been down this road before recently, more than once too, and still no change.

The reality is, the Democratic Labour Party is in trouble.

It needs a fresh start with new players. Those in charge need a clear mandate from all the people, not just a handful.

In essence, this party really needs to wipe the slate clean and come again as I said at the start of this column. It has to “wheel and come again”.