Politics
Ralph Thorne Defects from Barbados Labour Party Government to Become Leader of Opposition: Former Opponent Shares Insights
Ralph Thorne's decision to defect from the Barbados Labour Party to become Leader of the Opposition raises questions and may require sacrifices. The motive behind his move is being scrutinized, mirroring Bishop Joseph Atherley's experience in 2018.
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Originally published by nationnews.com (opens in new tab)
Ralph Thorne should brace for sacrifices and his motive being questioned as he defects from the Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) Government to become the Leader of the Opposition, says the man who did it before him in 2018.
Bishop Joseph Atherley said he did not want to get into the issue of what motivated Thorne, the Member of Parliament for Christ Church South, to cross the floor, but noted that once it was sincere, he should be sleeping well at night.
Low profile
For the second day, Thorne kept a low profile and did not respond to calls or messages and was not found at his home, constituency office or in the constituency.
“I think the public senses the need, the lack, right now. I don’t want to get into the issue of what might be going on within the party that might have driven or motivated Thorne – that is not important for me right now,” Atherley said yesterday.
“Once he is serious about what he is doing, I think that it bodes well for the possibilities of the functions attached to the Opposition which have not been fulfilled because there has not been a leader.
“I think that any genuine move within the context of the current structure of Parliament to cross the floor and help to constitute an Opposition force on the other side by somebody, who is respected, could only be in the interest of Barbados, in the interest of democracy and interest of parliamentary life.”
Atherley was speaking hours after news broke that King’s Counsel Thorne had advised the President of Barbados of his intention not to sit with the Government.
Thorne’s move comes two years after the BLP won all 30 seats in Parliament and had conducted the country’s affairs without an official Opposition.
A week after Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley led the BLP to the landslide 2018 victory, Atherley, who won the St Michael West seat with them, in an unprecedented move, switched to become the Opposition Leader and endured an onslaught from members of the public who questioned his reasons.
