VZCZCXYZ0036
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWN #1539/01 3512034
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 172034Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5928
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL

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