BARBADOS OPPOSITION BOYCOTTS PARLIAMENT

UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 001539 SIPDIS SIPDIS WHA/CAR FOR DEPIRRO SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL BB XL SUBJECT: BARBADOS OPPOSITION BOYCOTTS PARLIAMENT REF: BRIDGETOWN 1483 ¶1. (U) Summary: On December 12, the Barbados opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) launched its most aggressive attack yet against the ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP). The DLP announced an indefinite boycott of both houses of Parliament, protesting both the ruling Barbados Labour Party's (BLP) refusal to debate a no-confidence motion against a junior minister for alleged corruption, as well as more recent comments made by the Speaker of the House, who promised a "standing order" to keep the opposition leader out of parliament. This exchange of barbs is the latest installment of an election that, in an issue-light environment, is likely to take on increasingly melodramatic airs. End Summary. DLP: Sticks and Stones -------------- ¶2. (U) In what resembled a disfunctional family Thanksgiving, the DLP opposition leader David Thompson walked out on Parliament when the BLP recessed the debate on one of the DLP's biggest campaign issues: government corruption. After the Speaker of the House aggressively expressed his criticism of Thompson and promised to ban him from Parliament, the DLP responded with a boycott. DLP General Secretary, Chris Sinclair, told Econoff that until they receive an apology from the Speaker, the BLP will not return to Parliament. If they decide to return, Sinclair admitted, it will be in January. Thompson told the press on December 12 that the DLP will instead "take its message to the street until the Government starts to take Parliament seriously again, or alternatively, there is a change of government." Considering the fact that government goes into a holiday recess in just one week, the DLP's boycott is not likely to have a significant impact on governance. BLP: Out of the Ashes -------------- ¶3. (U) BLP Deputy Prime Minister Mia Mottley's response to the DLP boycott was nothing short of a daytime soap drama, first accusing Thompson of "pulling down the institutions of this country," then praising her own party for "rescuing, rebuilding and refreshing Barbados" and launching it into a new era of social and economic progress, which if left in the hands of the DLP, would have catastrophic consequences. (Note: Emboff's effort to talk or meet with a BLP representative on the topic of elections was in vain, which has become commonplace with the current government. End note.) Opportunity Knocks for Third Political Party -------------- ¶4. (U) Resembling "Nader-esque" tactics, People's Empowerment Party (PEP) leader David Comissiong wrote an Op-Ed that decried, "if the Barbadian people ever had any doubts about the need for a third political party, the current boycott of Parliament should have removed any such doubts." Comissiong attacked both parties' leadership, particularly the DLP's boycott and the BLP's eagerness to quickly sign an Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union, both issues which according to Commisiong are "detracting from the critical issues that are seriously affecting the masses." So far, the PEP has provided no political party platform other than its scathing criticism of both the DLP and BLP, and the occasional jab at the U.S. Embassy. Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Over the past three weeks, the DLP's primary strategy was to create a catastrophic scenario where the BLP is robbing Barbadians of their social and economic well-being. The latest DLP attacks are putting the BLP on the defensive and forcing it to respond to accusations of leading the country from bad to worse. However, with DPM Mottley acting as the BLP's spokesperson, PM Owen Arthur has been able to keep himself above the fray and make Thompson appear as though he is instead campaigning for Mottley's job. On the whole, Barbados is enjoying economic growth and facing a prosperous future. In such an issue-free atmosphere, both campaigns have had to content themselves with making mountains out of molehills - for the government; this has meant carefully timing project openings and arbitrary cuts in consumer prices, while for the opposition it has meant trying to manufacture an illusion of impending democratic and financial breakdown. OURISMAN