Barbados Labour Party (BLP) Political Leader Mia Mottley has announced plans for a constitutional congress in 2027 to consider reforms to the party’s leadership selection process and strengthen accountability within the organisation.
Addressing delegates at the BLP’s 87th Annual Conference at St George Secondary School, Mottley said the congress, scheduled for February 2027, would consider amendments to the party’s constitution.
She said the party’s current structure must evolve to meet modern political realities and suggested delegates should play a greater role in selecting the political leader.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley addressing supporters and party officials at the Barbados Labour Party’s 87th Annual Conference on Saturday evening. (Photo by: Ricardo Roberts)
“Right now, we choose our political leader from the parliamentary party. Is that the right way for us to go forward? Should the delegates of this party also have a role to play? I believe so. But I believe there has to be a hybrid approach, as is the case with many modern political parties,” she said.
Mottley also proposed formal accountability mechanisms within the party’s constitution to allow members to assess the performance of branches and elected representatives before facing the electorate.
“It is a mechanism that we want to put in the constitution to allow us to hold each other and each branch and each member of parliament accountable, before we even get back to the people.”
She said the proposed reforms are intended to modernise the party’s operations and strengthen engagement between the leadership and membership.
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