On the evening of Monday 25 February, Kerrie Symmonds blackberry messenger allegedly read “for sake of unity and love of country”. This was on the same day that Mia Mottley was elected yet again as Opposition Leader in an eight (8) to five (5) vote. When Chris Sinckler said during the campaign that Owen Arthur neither wanted Mia Mottley or Dale Marshall as Deputy Prime Minster had the Barbados Labour Party won the recently concluded general elections many thought he was just being mischievous. On Saturday February 23, 2013 Owen Arthur went to BLP headquarters and informed the other thirteen (13) elected members that he would resign on Monday. He then nominated Kerrie Symmonds for the position of Opposition Leader ahead of Mia Mottley. In what was said to be a cantankerous meeting with MP for St. Thomas Cynthia Forde vowing to sit as an independent , the meeting ended in Mottley’s favour but not decided at six (6)votes to Mottley, five (5) votes to Symmonds and three (3) votes to Marshall. Clearly some horse trading had to begin by the time the next scheduled vote for Monday 25 February. There were eight (8) votes against Mottley and she could not assume the reigns of leadership she so badly wanted. Continue reading →