Opposition Leadership is currently in focus in Barbados. Since 2018 there has only been one member of the opposition in the House of Assembly after each general election. Soon after the 2018 general election, Joseph Atherley, who won the constituency of St. Michael West under the Barbados Labour Party, crossed the floor to become the Opposition Leader. When speaking on the reason for his crossing the floor, he said this:
“I want to represent that physical presence on the Opposition benches to give critical support to the party in office and in government; to applaud them when they get it right – which I believe they will often -; to put pertinent and pointed questions to them when necessary to help to keep them on their toes. This is not about Joseph Atherley, this is about the people of Barbados, this is about our traditions of democracy, it is about about Parliamentary processes, which is why I am doing what I am doing,” – https://thecaribbeancamera.com/barbados-now-has-opposition-leader-as-mp-crosses-floor/
Atherley said that he crossed the floor because there was no opposition in Parliament. He also referred to “democracy” and “Parliamentary processes”. Many may not have agreed or even cared about the reasons why he crossed the floor in 2018 but that does not change the fact that the Opposition Leader is not a trivial position. The Opposition Leader is a position that is enshrined by the highest law of the land: The Constitution.
Therefore, the office of Opposition Leader is critical to the effective running of any Barbadian government. In fact, the office of Opposition Leader is there to ensure that not only one Party has a voice in Parliament. The office of Opposition Leader is there to ensure that not only one agenda, political or otherwise, is pushed in Parliament. The office of Opposition Leader is there to ensure that the government is held accountable for its decisions.
This brings me to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The Opposition Leader is the Chairman of the PAC. Why? Because it is not good governance for the ruling government to hold itself accountable in matters of financial accounting and financial management. The Opposition Leader, by virtue of his/her position, is better placed to investigate such matters and hold the government accountable. That is one of the responsibilities of the Opposition Leader. However, you will find that even with an Opposition Leader, meetings of the PAC are few and far between.
Atherley must be commended for holding PAC meetings during his tenure but an Opposition Leader that does not hold PAC meetings or even attempt to hold PAC meetings is not an Opposition Leader. He/she is not fulfilling their responsibility and if they are not fulfilling their responsibility, they are failing the people of this country.
The people of Barbados need quality leadership, not only from the ruling government, but the people of Barbados need quality leadership from its Opposition Leader.