PM Skerrit hails Mottley’s legacy at BLP conference, says she lifted Caribbean leadership to global stage

Barbados: The Barbados Labour Party’s 86th Annual Conference concluded on Sunday, October 26 with a powerful speech from Dominica’s Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, who shed light on the legacy of the Barbados Labour Party under the leadership of Prime Minister Mia Mottley, particularly its role in advancing free movement, education, resilience.

Prime Minister Skerrit began his address by recognising his “dear friend” Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Barbados and the political leader of the Barbados Labor Party.

“Today, I am privileged to stand before one of the most enduring and inspiring political institutions in the Caribbean, the Barbados Labor Party,” Prime Minister Skerrit said, noting that the movement has stood firmly on the side of the people for almost nine decades while being steadfast in principle, courageous in leadership and visionary in purpose.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit went on to highlight that it was under the platform of the Barbados Labour Party that some of the country’s most distinguished leaders emerged. He noted that Grantley Herbert Adams gave voice to the struggle for social justice, equality, and political enfranchisement.

He continued by acknowledging Jon Michael Geoffrey Manningham Adams (Tom Adams), who ushered in a new era of modernization, efficiency, nationalism, and regionalism, proving that small island states could govern with confidence, boldness, and vision.

He also paid tribute to Owen Arthur, whom he described as one of the greatest economic thinkers the Caribbean has produced. Arthur championed the cause of Caribbean integration, lending both intellectual weight and political commitment to the dream of a CARICOM Single Market and Economy.

“From climate justice to global equity, from governance to innovation, Prime Minister Motley has carried the legacy of this party with distinction, and she has reminded the world that the Caribbean may be small in size but never in influence. Her vision and courage have earned her the respect of nations far beyond our shores, and we in Dominica and indeed all of CARICOM are proud to walk beside her as partners and friends in this great Caribbean journey.”

Prime Minister Skerrit recalled a time when Dominica faced a severe financial crisis, noting that it was Prime Minister Mottley, then serving as a Cabinet Minister, who, along with the Barbados Labour Party, stepped forward to offer support at a moment when assistance was scarce.

Free Movement in CARICOM

Prime Minister Skerrit went on to speak about the full free movement among the four states Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines which has been led by these Caribbean countries and cand carried forward under the leadership of Prime Minister Mottley, whom he described as a daughter of the Barbados Labour Party, a leader of the Caribbean, and a voice of conscience for the world.

“In Dominica, we are proud to be pioneers alongside Barbados and let me say simply and sincerely to every Barbadian here you are welcome, welcome to live, to work, to build a business, to raise a family, to bring your skills and your dreams to the Commonwealth of Dominica. We are small on a map, yes, but together we are mighty one labor pool, one shared marketplace, one larger future for our people,” highlighted the Dominican Leader.

Prime Minister Skerrit emphasised that free movement between the four countries is not simply  just freedom to move, but a freedom to improve and get opportunities that forefathers only dreamed of.

“We move not to leave home but to lift home. And so let us all support the decision of the free movement of our people.” 

Furthermore, Skerrit highlighted two of the benefits of free movement, noting that it matches skills to shortages while allowing families to take up work opportunities without abandoning home. He added that it also enables small businesses to sell across the four markets and grow without having to leave the Caribbean for someone else’s continent.

PM Skerrit hails Mottley’s Legacy and Leadership

In his address, Prime Minister Skerrit commended Mia’s leadership, noting that even though the world has changed so dramatically in recent years and has become colder, it is because of Mottley’s leadership that the Caribbean has remained strong.

“The test is not whether a leader can command during good weather. The test is whether she can keep her vision when the sky is dark. A real leader holds a calculator in one hand and a compass in the other.  She tells the truth, steadies the ship and does the hard work. Barbados, trust me when I tell you that steady, measured, tested leadership has never mattered more than it does now.”

He said that the labour parties share similar values and he knows firsthand that when labour listens the people lean in, when Labour works, the people win and he has lived to see in Barbados that when Labour leads, Bajans succeed, and Bajans are indeed succeeding today across the region and across the world.

Education and Resilience 

Prime Minister Skerrit who highlighted that education is his passion as he was once a teacher went on to note that the transformation of education is a survival kit for the future of a nation and Barbados has been a country that is  reshaping spaces, systems and expectations so that children graduate not only as leavers but as leaders.

“We do not educate to fill timetables. We educate people to fill tomorrows. This too is happening in my country and Barbados. Let me tell you this is the right track and I am taking notes of your education transformation.” 

Prime Minister Skerrit urged Barbadians to support the government in all their effort towards the transformation of the education system.

He added that Dominica is looking to Barbados as a model for education reform. “I look at Barbados and see a country reshaping spaces, systems and expectations so that your children graduate not only as leavers but as leaders, I am taking notes of your education transformation here in Barbados.”

Apart from this, Dr Skerrit lauded Prime Minister Mottley’s government for their leadership despite the issues they have had to face with hurricanes.

“I see Barbados that has been doing the hard work that keeps a society decent and its people dignified. Delivery with decency, progress with purpose, that is what governing looks like when the television cameras leave. I also know from hard experience the price of a storm. Dominica has been taught by wind and water, so I applaud Barbados for building resilience like Dominica.”

“You can take these things to the bank, my dear friends, that is what it means to care for people, sensible decisions, making things that are not the most attractive, a priority.” He lauded Barbados's  finance system, which the government has put in place to protect the country’s most precious things such as water in the citizens taps, the beaches surrounding  the island, the roofs over the citizens heads and the food on their tables.

“While we speak, we pray for the people and government of Jamaica.” He proceeded to urge the government to continue building with resilience because the Caribbean island states have no choice in the matter, as storms are still going to come, even more ferociously.