BLP celebrating 84th anniversary

As the ruling Barbados Labour Party celebrates 84 years of existence, Leader, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley wants Barbadians to unite and stay focused as the island continues on its charted path forward.

In a message marking the occasion, Prime Minster Mottley said the BLP has a history of successfully handling a variety of crises and will continue to do so, with the help and support of Barbadians.

She highlighted the challenges of the fight against COVID-19, climate change and most recently, the effects of war, through all of which, under the guidance of the BLP, Barbados has been able to safely restore the sense of normalcy that many feared would never return.

Here is the Prime Minister’s full message:

“The contribution that the Barbados Labour Party has made to the people of Barbados, transforming their circumstances and building a strong society and economy; developing pioneering policies that have improved our people and our country, mark it as a great political institution. I am proud and humbled to be its leader as we celebrate our anniversary, marking 84 years of service to our nation.

I speak for all members when I say that through it all, we have remained as steadfast as our founding fathers were in 1938, toward the building of this little rock we call home, toward ensuring that the people of Barbados have the best possible opportunities and quality of life, and to fostering the bonds that hold the Caribbean region together.

Four years ago, when the Barbados Labour Party celebrated its 80th anniversary, I said then that the number 8 holds great significance. I spoke of the symbolism it holds in many religions, to signify a new journey. In the journey of the intervening years, the BLP Government has faced and handled crisis after crisis, on behalf of every Barbadian – securing our dollar from devaluation and stabilising our economy, dealing with social and environmental problems, protecting the country from the worst impacts of external challenges, ensuring social justice and restoring a sense of confidence and hope at the national level, as well as among members of the international community.

Today, even though we continue to fight against COVID-19, climate change and most recently, the effects of war, this country has been able to safely restore the sense of normalcy that many feared would never return.

As we continue to go forward and to grow as a nation, I want to encourage all of you to reflect on how far we have come in four short years, and where we were before this Party was given the mandate to restore Barbados. I want to thank you, the people of Barbados for your support and your role in making our successes possible. I will be the first to say that we are not yet where we want to be. But I am certain we will get there once we unite and stay focused. This is true across all boundaries, classes, ages and races in this society. As I often remind you, once we work together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.

We are in our first year as a Parliamentary Republic. Ours now is the aspiration to be world class in every way by 2027. That is 5 short years away. We, all of us, must be strategic and intentional in the pursuit of this goal. Together, we must consciously and deliberately epitomise what is required to be strict guardians of our heritage and firm craftsmen of our fate. These words from our national anthem speak to legacy, agency, to owning our future and our Barbados. It was the dream of our forefathers; it is the aspiration of our people, and it is the objective of the Barbados Labour Party that I have the honour to lead.

Let us give thanks to God for these fields, hills and people; for all that he has done to bring us safely to this point and pray that he remains with us as we define our new republic and chart its future strides.

May God bless the Barbados Labour Party and may He bless Barbados!

Thank you.”

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