Antigua and Barbuda MP Faces Backlash for Skipping Parliamentary Debate to Attend Trinidad Carnival

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Antigua MP Faces Backlash for Skipping Parliamentary Debate to Attend Trinidad Carnival

Opposition MP Kelvin “Shugy” Simon is facing criticism after skipping a crucial parliamentary debate in Antigua and Barbuda to attend Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago. Simon, the representative for St. Mary’s South, requested to be excused from the House of Representatives on Monday, which coincided with Carnival Monday in Trinidad.

His absence came as Parliament debated a key bill to increase motor vehicle licensing fees—widely considered one of the most significant pieces of legislation of the session. He also missed discussions on Carnival Tuesday, which included debates on modernizing the magistracy, protecting national parks, and strengthening consumer protection laws.

Simon, known for his enthusiasm for entertainment, appeared to double down on his decision by posting on social media that he would bring members of the government side with him next time.

His absence has sparked renewed calls for his resignation and for the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) to take disciplinary action. Critics have accused him of failing to contribute meaningfully to debates since winning the hotly contested St. Mary’s South seat in a by-election.

This controversy follows another in early February, when Simon was accused of using campaign funds to purchase a boat—an allegation he has denied.

Today, Ash Wednesday, it remains to be seen whether Simon will address the backlash over his Carnival trip.

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47 COMMENTS

    • This APOSTLE is not serious about God or People. Everything for him is fete, carnival, winking up and jamming. The people of SMS did not sign up for this!!!

      Absent from OFFICIAL DUTIES because of partying??? Wah can go so?

      TRINIDAD CARNIVAL tek precedence over St. Marys South People.

  9. Dwayne “Grin Lakkah Roast Dawg’ George could you address the abuse of law enforcement on the elder at the barber shop?
    Did Robin Yearwood attend Parliament in person?

    • Things Shugy nah give 2 shit about, include but not limited to the following:

      “He also missed discussions on Carnival Tuesday, which included debates on modernizing the MAGISTRACY, PROTECTING NATIONAL PARKS, and strengthening CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS.”

  14. Let’s look at the current problems plaguing Antigua & Barbuda at present by this ABLP government shall we:

    1), The ever rising costs of living

    2), A constant ongoing lack of water

    3), The lack of affordable and decent housing

    4), Our road infrastructure is one of the worst in the Caribbean

    5), No monetary transparency in governance

    6), St John’s is still a constant eyesore and embarrassment to us all

    7), To many lobbyists have more influence than the voting public. Fact!

    8), Biased and pro media propaganda is favouring the ABLP to the detriment to true democracy here

    9), NAMCO, YIDA and CIP must be thoroughly investigated forthwith – the sweeping under the ABLP carpet has gone for far too long

    10), Crimes and other serious misdemeanours must be tackled firmly with a tougher and forthright Police Commissioner

    Yet, with all the above problems, the focus by the ABLP and their supporters is on a UPP official enjoying he self. Absolute madness.

    There will come a time (and it’s not far off hopefully) when Antiguans will not be distracted by the GERONTOCRACY of these out of touch old men running the country so badly …

  15. This WINKKUP PASTOR couldn’t care less about the People. It’s all about self pleasure for him. He is not interested in REPRESENTING PEOPLE. It is all about self, prancing, dancing and jamming to his heart’s delight.

  17. UPP’S General Council needs to take action against his scaer!!! The HON. LARS JAMALE PRINGLE would never conduct himself in such a manner to bring himself, his party or parliamentarians into disrepute.

    The HON. LARS JAMALE PRINGLE ought to be extremely careful with whom he approves to run on his ticket.

    A code of conduct and code of ethics is a must going forward!!!!

    No amount of articles and sham PR work from Derede can clean up Shugy and his messy ways.

    HON. LARS JAMALE PRINGLE needs to discipline and reel in this LOOSE CANNON like yesterday

  18. @brixtonian
    Antigua is not the only country dealing with such issues. You blame ABLP as if the part are the ones that put us in these situations. Please know that cost of living rises once products that we import rises as well, don’t talk about the taxes and it is only going to get worst. The crimes that are happening has nothing to do with the party or the government, The people are the ones who commit the crimes. There is help in place for anyone that needs help in the case where they feel they aren’t in the right mind. I understand most of the other problems as in availability of water and better roads, but most of all we as the people of the country need to work together to make the country better than always complaining and pointing fingers.

  19. @brixtonian
    Antigua is not the only country dealing with such issues. You blame ABLP as if the party are the ones that put us in these situations. Please know that cost of living rises once products that we import rises as well, don’t talk about the taxes and it is only going to get worst. The crimes that are happening has nothing to do with the party or the government, The people are the ones who commit the crimes. There is help in place for anyone that needs help in the case where they feel they aren’t in the right mind. I understand most of the other problems as in availability of water and better roads, but most of all we as the people of the country need to work together to make the country better than always complaining and pointing fingers.

  20. Does it matter whether he was in parliament or not cause the opposition has no real voice. Alp made sure of that by buying out the opposition one by one. He asked excuse and it was granted. So what he decided to do with his time is really our business? As long as he’s not putting our country in problems what’s the real issue here? He was a party man b4 he was elected, this we knew already. Why should he be criticized just because his partying made it to social media and other high official members in gov didn’t. Other ministers make purchases and build these extravagant homes, are we asking for the same accountability from them? The other high officials use money designated for campaign and for road works to deal with their personal issues all the time. They need to stop paying so high and mighty.

    • “Alp made sure of that by buying out the opposition one by one.”

      STOP REPEATING LIES U HEAR ON MISS KNIGHT.

      Everytime Shoogy go on that shit show he bashes his Leader and his party. He and Ricahrd don’t want to work with pringle cause dem want Pringle spot. But dem nar get um!!! What kind of leadership is Shoogy showing by skipping the people’s business to jump up in another country??? You think if that was Jamaul Pringle, he wouldn’t reip into him on Miss Knight show?

  21. Brix,

    I have always enjoyed reading your comments and this one has disappointed me. So are we to excuse his behavior and his flippant response (that he will bring them along next time)? No, we have not lost focus of the aspects that you pointed out, but are we to turn a blind eye from this behavior?

    If you ran a business and he called to be excused and you saw him at the beach or jumping up at Trinidad carnival, would you not take disciplinary action?

    Come on Brix, be honest. Again, we are not turning a blind eye to what you pointed out, BUT can you HONESTLY expect us to turn a blind eye to this? He’s just the same as all the others. Different color, but just the same.

    Very disappointed constituent.

  22. Shugy had 20 rules for 2025 list on his Facebook page.
    Rule number 7 was, “Work before fun.”
    I guess these rules don’t apply to him.

  23. Was the Hon. Robin Yearwood (Pussy Salad) in Parliament to make his contribution? Has he contributed to any Parliamentary Debate since he was elected this term? Is Shugy’s absence different to Robin Yearwood’s continuous absence from Parliament? We know that the dates were set for Parliament at that time to stir this debate but we are more concerned about the wicked 40% increase on our vehicle license fees that we will have to pay. Study that and nit Shugy’s absences. He’ll bring back some ideas that this government can use to make our Carnival way better.

    • Did u see the Hon. Robin Yearwood gyrating and getting with sweat dripping down his balls in any lude nude costume in T&T??? If so, please submit the photo to the Editor along with a letter calling out the double-standard! We wait…………………………….

  24. @Very disappointmened consitutent did u really expect any better from A THEE BRIXTONIAN that delusional clown. Well if so u might as well expqvt cock to have teeth. Persons like BRIXTONIAN well NEVER admit when they wrong and will throw any and every excuse to the wall before he admits the party and memebers of the party of his choice is WRONG. He will deflect and spin every narrative to suit his delusions. The FACT IS MP KELVIN ‘SHUGY’ SIMON chose partying and feteing over representing the people of his consitutency and the country and no amount of excuses and deflectimg can change that.

  25. A so fu do dem shoogy. U rite fu gu way go fete in Trinidad carnival. Dem get wah dem vote fah!! Continue to wine up, cock up ya foot and push back u bam bam. When u reach back, go and collect u SALARY from taxpayers monies.

    Use dem fu get what u want and SELF ENRICH at their expense!!! Enjoy u boat. Enjoy wink up in Trinbago

  26. If we back shoogie for skipping parliament to gyrate in Trinidad carnival which I believe Gaston has been planning for him so he call parliament and embarrassed upp and destroy the morale of the supporters, I am no blue or red fanatics to no politicians, I am for country, if supporters back shoogie then ALP can back Gaston renting building from himself and son on friars hill road. The upp is on a terrible path, it starts with the chair person of the party failure to think she can run a party on her academics without political ideologies.

  27. @ Chupes, instead of being a boring GONGOOZLER and spending so much time on what I am writing; why not alternatively explain to ANR readers what was wrong with any of the TEN factual points that I highlighted about the way the nonsensical ABLP conduct Goverment and Parliamentary matters.

    Again, are you an out of sorts and ‘liverish’ GONGOOZLER spending an extraordinary amount of time studying what I say instead of the ABLP’S broken manifesto promises?

    IT SEEMS SO TO ME … 😉

  29. I guess if Shuggy take a leek on the roadside like many of you nasty set a ALBP supporters, he should be impeached for that as well? 😂

    One would think that Shuggy is the PM of Antigua by these comments.. 😂.

    @Brix. Don’t stop wetting these gullible folks with the real stories in this Island. One of them said ” oh it’s not Antigua alone have these issues” 😂. How dumb of an excuse. Let us remind them, this is Antigua, and it is this administration the one running around parading that they are the greatest economy in the Caribbean, second to Guyana.

    So, keep wetting them @Brix, because Antigua certainly doesn’t look like no powerhouse economy to me, not unless I’m blind at my ripe old age! 😂

  30. Admit it @ Chupes, you ABLP supporters are no match for my inventive, ingenious and insightful wordplay. However, in recent times the imaginative @ Shakespeare has entered the ANR arena, and I’m mightily impressed.

    I must step up my game to stay ahead. 😁

  31. Where is shugy WIFE??? Is she okay with her husband conduct??? Is she there with him enjoying the carnival too?

  32. He’s a PARTY ANIMAL 🎶 🎵

    TWERK! TWERK! TWERK!!

    WORK IT SHUGY!! BEND DUNG, KAK OVA, HICE UP U SKIRT! 🎶 🎵

  33. Who is he facing backlash from? LaboRATs? Did they send him to parliament? No. Tell them to take the beam off theor eyes before pointing fingers. What has Robin Yearwood’s contribution to the oarliament been for the past two years? How many sessions has he attended? LaboRATs want to dictate how parliamentarians who are not part of their party should be dealt with however they do not see fault with their parliamentarians. Robin Yearwood’s son has decided to sacrifice him for a job in the ministry of legal affairs however the laboRATs see nothing wrong with it. Shuggy you have our blessings to enjoy the one life God has give to you. To hell with laboRATs!!!!!

  34. I’d take Cortwright Marshall any day over that 🤡

    What a SHAME AND DISGRACE for the people in the south

  35. And when did I ever stated that I’m an ABLP supporter. That is the thing about delusional people like u Brix as soon as someone don’t agree with y’all it always they an ABLP supporter. FYI there are people who live right here in Antigua that don’t support either party because quiet frankly both of them are full of ish and cabbaa nah better than yabba but continue wallow in your delusions 🤡

  37. Antigua News Room: Do you know that he is in Trinidad? If not, you could be sued for falsifying information. So you need to do your investigation before printing a story.

  38. When these things are happening I can only say you get what you voted for St. Mary’s South. You were warned, but you still felt you needed to vote against the ABLP no matter what. So good for you. He will not do a thing for you people up there.

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