Latinnews Archive

Caribbean & Central America - 30 March 1989

NDP's Haynes new opposition leader; SANDIFORD REFUTES CHARGES THAT INVESTMENTS 'ON-HOLD'

Richard Haynes, leader of the National Democratic Party (NDP), recently formed by the former finance minister and three other Democratic Labour Party (DLP) backbenchers (RC-89-02), has been confirmed as leader of the opposition in the 27-member house of assembly. He displaces Henry Forde, leader of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), the country's traditional opposition party.


In announcing the change, Governor General Sir Hugh Springer noted that Haynes currently 'commands the support of most of those members of the house of assembly who do not support the government.'

But the move has been met with hostility by the BLP, with Forde claiming that, although his party holds just three seats in the assembly against the NDP's four, it represents 42% of the electorate. Support for Forde has come from DLP backbencher Erskine Simmons, who has criticised 'a system which allows the political party which has the major support (of the electorate) to be disenfranchised.'

Haynes has lost no time in spearheading an opposition attack on the government's economic policies, charging that approximately B $ 500m (US $ 1 -- = B $ 2) in investment has been 'put on hold' because businessmen have lost confidence in the economy as a result of tax measures introduced in the 1988 budget (RC-88-03).

When the government unveiled the 1988 budget, which included increases in individual and corporate taxes, Haynes described it as a 'betrayal' of the DLP's election manifesto.

Prime Minister Erskine Sandiford has refuted Haynes's claim, saying that investment rose by B $ 46.7m in 1988 to B $ 513.4m, the highest level since 1981, when they totalled B $ 523m.


Return to top