BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – The main opposition in Barbados, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), has blamed a non-caring Prime Minister Mia Mottley for calling a snap general election amid a pandemic and urged supporters to boot the ruling Government out of office on January 19 next year.

Mottley, in a radio ad television broadcast on Monday night, announced that the island’s nomination day will be on January 3 and that the polls will be held 18 months before her first term in office is due to end.

She said it was important for a united Barbados to face the New Year and blamed what she termed the “silly season” for Barbadians being divided on the future socio-economic development of the island.

But in a statement, the DLP, which was swept out of office in 2018 by a 30-nil margin, described the move towards calling a snap election “a dark day for our country”.

“Truly we are in the silly season – but our people are not silly. In the midst of a pandemic and Omicron threatening, whilst still under a state of emergency, there is no compelling argument for an election to be called 17 months out, except to be self-serving. This is not what we expect of sound leadership,” said DLP president, Verla De Peiza.

“It is clear that the government of the day has succumbed to feelings of panic and that the nation’s first call, which is its people’s safety, has been set aside to pursue selfish ends which expose our people to great harm and possible death,” she added.

De Peiza said that the DLP is appealing to Barbadians “to seize this opportunity of relief and arm themselves with courage, determination and hope and rally to the polls…to exercise their franchise and send a clear and decisive message to the outgoing government that their wellbeing is paramount.”

“Let us be frank; Mia does not care; Mia scares. But do not let that deter you from summoning every single ounce of strength in your being, indeed your right and your reason, to do what is best for Barbados,” De Peiza continued. “Vote on the day for a change to a government that puts the best interest of its people first. The Democratic Labour Party looks forward to being your standard-bearer, come January 20, 2022.”

The DLP said that over the coming days it will lay out its case for why their “rejuvenated, young and committed team is best placed to take this country forward” and why Barbadians “must never have a one-party state;” and why the country “must always keep the voices, concerns and aspirations of our people at the centre of our social conscience.”