The White Flag is the New Campaign Accessory. FNM & COI GIVE UP

From the looks of things, the FNM and COI has thrown in the towel.

If you listen closely to the political landscape lately, you won’t hear the roar of engines or the fire of rhetoric. Instead, you’ll hear the gentle, rhythmic hum of opposition parties idling in neutral, waiting for the sweet relief of the 600 p.m. poll closure to put them out of their misery. It’s not so much a “race” to the finish line as it is a collective, synchronized stroll toward the exit signs.

The Great Abandonment

The Coalition of Independents (COI), once the loud, brash disruptors of the status quo, is currently undergoing a fascinating transformation into a disappearing act. Rectified candidates, who once stood tall with revolutionary zeal, are suddenly finding that the “deck of the sinking ship” offers a marvellous view—right before they dive headfirst into the Atlantic.

This race is for those with “mettle,” but it seems the opposition has realized that mettle doesn’t pay the bills when you’re staring down a freight train. Those jumping ship aren’t cowards; they are the smartest people in the room. Why stay on a vessel when the captain is busy checking if the life jackets are fashion-forward while the hull is in three different pieces?

The Mount Moriah Meltdown

Then we have the Free National Movement (FNM), a party currently occupying an unenviable position somewhere between “disarray” and “total meltdown.” The recent smuggling arrest involving a vessel owned by Mount Moriah candidate Marvin Dames wasn’t just a political hiccup; it was an atomic bomb dropped in the middle of a campaign trail already littered with landmines.

The defence? “I wasn’t there.” It’s a classic. However, when you publicly admit the confiscated boat is yours, and the individual in handcuffs is your partner, even Stevie Wonder could see the writing on the wall—and he’d probably offer to help pack the bags. The speculation alone is enough to drown a campaign, yet the FNM persists with the enthusiasm of a man trying to whistle while underwater.

The “Well-Oiled Machine“ vs The Amateurs

While the opposition fumbles with basic logistics and legal woes, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is operating with a terrifying, clinical resolve. They aren’t playing games; they are playing Chess while the opposition is playing Go Fish with a deck of missing cards.

The influx of young, inexperienced “hopefuls“ from the fringe parties is particularly adorable. These candidates, bless their hearts, are entering the ring against a political machine polished to a mirror finish. Putting an amateur in the ring with the PLP right now isn’t a contest; it’s an act of political cruelty.

The Danger of the “Barbados Effect”

The only real threat to a total PLP sweep is, ironically, the PLP’s own success. Complacency is the only enemy left when your opponents have effectively stopped trying. Look at the quality of the opposition’s candidates—or lack thereof—and their lacklustre campaigning. They are just going through the motions to satisfy the democratic requirement of having names on a ballot.

Nothing captured this “death rattle“ better than the sight of Hubert Ingraham in a park in Bain & Grants Town. Supporting Jay Philippe should have been a moment of fire; instead, Ingraham’s facial expression suggested a man who would rather be anywhere else—perhaps undergoing a root canal without anaesthesia. His lack of enthusiasm was the ultimate spoiler: he knew it was over.

The Final Push

At this stage, we are looking at a “Barbados in the Making”—a total wipeout where the opposition becomes a historical footnote rather than a functional check on power. No sensible person continues to fight a war they’ve already lost, and the opposition has finally shown some sense by quietly turning off the lights.

The PLP must not let up. If the opposition wants to idle until the clock runs out, the PLP should provide the shove that sends them over the edge. In politics, a white flag accepted should be framed as a souvenir of the time an entire political class decided to stay in bed.

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