In a significant realignment of Barbados’s political landscape, veteran attorney and former Democratic Labour Party (DLP) minister Michael Lashley has announced his bid for the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) nomination in The City of Bridgetown constituency. This development follows sitting MP Corey Lane’s confirmation that he will not contest the next general election, expected to be called imminently.
Addressing supporters at the Pondside Bar on Wellington Street, Lashley acknowledged Lane’s contributions before formally declaring his intention to seek the nomination. “Corey Lane has resigned, and I must pay respect to the contribution he has made to the constituency,” Lashley stated, emphasizing that he only entered the race following Lane’s departure to respect the democratic process.
The former housing minister, who represented St Philip North for 15 years under the DLP banner, outlined an ambitious platform focused on addressing Bridgetown’s most pressing challenges. Highlighting housing as a critical issue, Lashley pointed to his previous accomplishments: “As minister of housing, I engineered the land acquisition at Whitepark Road where completed units now house families. I also initiated the acquisition process at Mason Hall Street for 84 units, which will now receive attention from the National Housing Corporation.”
Beyond housing, Lashley pledged to tackle waste management, youth unemployment, and educational deficiencies. His proposed initiatives include reintroducing a school breakfast program, creating specialized projects for elderly residents, and establishing mobile libraries alongside youth sports organizations. “Sometimes we have to put aside our differences,” Lashley emphasized. “It’s all hands on deck to work for the betterment of the country and for the betterment of The City.”
The candidacy received immediate endorsement from Henderson Williams, who previously ran as the DLP’s Bridgetown candidate in 2018 before joining the BLP. Williams praised Lashley’s commitment to forming a council to manage the city’s diverse needs, noting that “every other parish comes into The City for some kind of support, which puts tremendous stress on the environment.”
Political analyst Devaron Bruce characterized Lashley’s move as strategically significant, describing it as a reflection of the DLP’s diminished national standing. “This shows where the Democratic Labour Party stands nationally if they’re losing what would have been one of their few viable previous MPs,” Bruce observed. He noted that the BLP gains a figure with “national persona and identity in both the legal and political realm” without needing to disrupt existing constituency arrangements.
With the nomination meeting scheduled for Saturday, Bruce concluded that Lashley’s extensive experience—including three elections to the House of Assembly and established legal reputation—positions him favorably against prospective DLP candidate Dale Rowe, characterizing the transition as “clean” from a party management standpoint.