Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate Felicia Dujon has made a passionate appeal to voters in St James North, positioning herself as a voice of integrity and action ahead of the May 21 by-election.
In a live-streamed DLP TV session on Tuesday night, themed Strengthening Our Democracy – Your Vote Matters, Dujon promised a new brand of people-centred representation.
“I think the main difference is that God has now given them an opportunity to vote for a woman—a woman that actually cares about them and cares about their needs and understands why it is important to make that decision,” she said.
Dujon painted a picture of poor living conditions across the constituency, citing multiple visits to households where elderly residents still rely on outdoor washrooms.
“They’re 78, 74… and can you imagine they using outdoor washrooms? It’s just that kind of inhumane approach to governance that the constituents do not need,” she said.
She also highlighted long-standing issues in housing, infrastructure, and transportation.
“We have too many families that are still struggling with housing… very young children and family members—these are very serious concerns,” Dujon stated. “We don’t want patched-up roads. The constituents deserve better—they deserve the best.”
Turning her attention to youth development, Dujon took aim at the government’s touted youth economy initiatives, calling them performative and inadequate.
“They want to talk about youth employment and the youth economy… but simple things like getting them a space that is comfortable, where they can come and learn and grow… that, we can’t even provide for them. It tells you that you’re not interested in our future.”
The DLP candidate also condemned the state of the Weston Community Centre, describing it as a symbol of years of neglect.
“What this represents is this government. The conditions of this centre represent how they think about the constituents of St James North,” she charged.
Dujon said the deteriorating building—with “broken doors” and abandoned programmes—was proof of a government that had grown complacent, treating the seat as safe and ignoring the needs of the people.
“Service and serving people is more than that—it’s about not just being guaranteed a vote, but you have to serve the people with some sense of duty, respect, and responsibility,” she added.
With less than a week to go before the polls open, Dujon is pressing ahead with her grassroots outreach campaign.
“With my boots, I will continue to do what I have to do for the people and the benefit of the people of the constituency,” she declared.
Voters in St James North will have a choice of four candidates when they vote next Wednesday: Dujon; Chad Blackman of the ruling Barbados Labour Party; Steffanie Williams, a newcomer to frontline politics contesting under the Community Empowerment Party banner; and Alex Mitchell of the Bajan Free Party.
(SZB)
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