By Charlesworth C. M. Tabor, B.A., M.Sc. LL.B., L.E.C.
Should a political party drink bush tea for a persons’s fever? That question is certainly not a trivial one. Implicit in that question is the fundamental issue of what should be the praxis of a political party.
Before proceeding any further my answer to that question is a resounding and unambiguous yes.
If a political party refuses to drink bush tea for the fever of the people, that political party is failing in one of its most important tasks to mobilize the masses, engernder support for its ideas and being able to galvanize that support into political action.
Clearly, sensible political leadership focuses on judgment and the empathy and ability to connect with the experience and lived realties of the common man. For the leadsership of a political party to say, therefore, that it will not drink bush tea for a person’s or group of people (such as the pensioners) fever because they do not speak out against their own or national problems, is not only unwise and counterproductive but ridiculous and nonsensical.
While the rationale for the statement for not drinking bush tea for a anyone’s ever is based on the view that a citizen should take responsibility for their personal circumstance and should speak out, particularly if they are affected by government policies, and not wait for a political party to speak for them or motivate them to take action.
Such a view by a political party is rather misguided, irrational and myopic. In small societies such as Antigua and Barbuda where the tentacles of government spread far and wide (in fact the goverment is the largest single employer), the fear of speaking out stems from possible retaliation, social pressure, victimization and job insecurity. In these circumstances, it is for a political party to speak for the vulnerable, fearful and self-imposed voiceless individuals and not berate them and scold them for their silence by indicating you will not drink bush tea for their fever (i.e., social, economic, political and other problems they are facing).
Whatever an individual’s problems are it is incumbent upon a political party, and in particular an Opposition Political Party who wants to become the government, to canvass, engage, mobilize and galvanize the amorphous masses for their own political advantage. In democratic systems of government, it is for a political party to to take action on behalf of people to address their problems by advocating for reforms etc. Even where the amorphous masses do not see problems, but a political party does, it is for the political party to speak out for the people and not vice versa. The burden is on political parties to lead and not to abdicate their role and wait on the people to speak out and act.
History is replete with examples where organizations and political parties obtain support from the people (amorphous masses) when leaders exhibit an understanding of their problems, show empathy and genuine concern and initiate actions to address them. It is understood that the scope of the actions that an Opposition Political Party can take to deal with problems are limited. However, what is important is that people expect a political party to speak on their behalf and not to scold them for inactivity and silence. Political parties should show leadership.
As a person who has read the writings of Marx and Lenin, I am particularly intrigued by the concept of the Vanguard Party. The concept of the Vanguard Party was developed by Lenin in his pamphlet WHAT IS TO BE DONE written in 1902. The Vanguard Party was essentially a centralized group of disciplined revolutionaries that provided the practical and political leadership of the Bolshevik Party in Russia that led to the successful Russian Revolution in 1917.
The point I wish to underscore is that while the Vanguard Party was comprised of a small group of the most conscious workers, its objective was to work on behalf of the entire working class by engaging them in revolutionary politics to ultimately wrestle political power from the bourgeoisie. In the context of the focus of this article, the Vanguard Party would not be dismissive of ordinary members of the working class (proletariat) because they were not speaking out against Capitalism and demonstrating against the problems that affected them. In fact, it was the raison d’etre of the Vanguard Party to engage, educate, motivate and galvanize the working class to action. In short, the Vanguard Party would never tell a worker that the Party would not drink bush tea for their fever.
It is my position that any political party in any country, worthy of its name to be called a Political Party, should always operate as a Vanguard Party and by that I mean focusing on the interests of all the people, in particular the vulnerable, poor, powerless and voiceless. The party must act and advocate for the people even when they (the people) are not even aware of their own dilemmas. While Lenin’s concept of the Vanguard Party was advocacy essentially for the working class. The concept of the Vanguard Party is applicable to any situation.
Finally, I wish to address a comment made by one Audley “Beef” Joseph on a video on Wednesday 21 January, 2026. In that video he vehemently disagreed that a political party should drink bush tea for anyone’s fever. He cited Genesis 18-20 as support for his view since he said that even Jesus Christ refused to drink bush tea for anyone’s fever. I could not find anything in Genesis 18-20 that supported his position. However, what I wish to tell him is that Jesus Christ drank bush tea for everyone’s fever when he was crucified on the cross so that mankind, according to the Bibe, could have everlasting life.
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I would say that this is deep and thoughtful polemics, the Marxist theory always expose capitalism and greed, and put the proletariats in a position of making dynamic permutations that upset the bourgeoisie class, and their exploitation of the poor working people.
I believed that the statement about not drinking bush tea for anyone fever was uttered from an emotional stance that proved visceral, as said the masses in an amorphous state can drive the Sheppard to frustration when they are so rudderless and without sociopolitical ideology. But that statement should be withdrawn through dialogue with people, expressing the frustration felt by all the defections, which is tied to leadership disillusionment, but I compliment Mr tabor for putting this thoughtful piece of article or polemics together that can generate ideas, where perhaps the party members will see above the balkanization and tribal acrymonious politics that is suffocating the UPP forward movement momentum, the people are committed to seeing the ALP and Gaston removed from power but all they are asking is for am experience Sheppard to lead them in their amorphous state, the constant brandishing of a seemingly state captured judiciary and police used to silent dissenting opinions is obvious, even the very opposition politicians speak less because of these legal threat coming from the prime minister, carl Marx always say the people will find a way, their permutations may seem impulsive, but when they gather momentum even a mountain wound be demolish to clear their path, as we have seen in the 2004 election giants fell to political arrivalist, Gaston may huff and puff and even Pringle may huff and puff that he is the leader, but the people determine, and power is like ice in the sun , it will always leave you.
Totally agree with Charlesworth, coming from one Ottos man to another, regardless to where you live now
Mr. Charlesworth C. M. Tabor, B.A., M.Sc. LL.B., L.E.C. (CRAZY), my friend.
Right off the bat, I did not cite no ‘Genesis 18-20’. That would be three (3) Chapters my friend.
Of course you would not find what I said because in my opinion, you cannot think straight when you think of the source of the phrase “me nar drink no bush tea for nobody fever” (l.o.l) and I think I know the pressure you come under when you hear about the Bible and God Almighty.
I will let you go back to listen and watch again and see where you erred.
Also, I never said, as you ascribed to me (tarl ascribe Beef? Dat a one big word – l.o.l): “He cited Genesis 18-20 as support for his view since HE SAID THAT EVEN JESUS CHRIST REFUSED TO DRINK BUSH TEA FOR ANYONE’S FEVER”.
I never said any such thing my friend.
Here is the readout of EXACTLY what I said:
“In my opinion, even God Almighty AT TIMES IN THE PAST stopped drinking bush tea for people fever.
See the Backdrop that I have up there? Go and read in the Book of God, the Word of God, the cleansing of the Temple and you’ll understand.
There came a time THEN where the Almighty too, or Jesus Christ, stopped drinking bush tea for people fever”.
I hope you don’t make these simple mistakes with your clients because if you do THEY ARE IN A WHOLE LOT OF PROBLEM.
Finally Charlesworth C. M. Tabor, B.A., M.Sc. LL.B., L.E.C. (CRAZY), my friend. I am not going to sue you as your ‘former friend’ threatened to do (l.o.l).
I suspect that she does not think about you as much as you think about her.
Stop allowing her to live in your head for free.
As usual with Tabor its hard most times to understand the point he makes. All I know is any political party worth its salt should have the interest of the people at heart. I can’t see how this can happen without that party ensuring its connected to the people. How else will it know what they need? We then read in the largest constituency it carried in the last election, only 16 members of its branch were able to vote (less than 50 persons showed up) due to them not being up to date in terms of membership. Clearly UPP is not connected to the people it should serve. As far as the mention of Jesus’s willingness to carry burdens for persons, The writer must remember that the message Jesus at its core was not about pretend righteousness/ manipulation. The scribes and pharisees focus on the minutiae reminds me so much of UPP and its supporters (eg University of the West Indies, Nurses from Ghana…). The people have to be at the core of the decisions taken, not your self interest.
@Audley Dave Joseph (a.k.a. Beef) ask your friend Gisele Isaac what she was going to sue me for. It would have been the biggest mistake of her life. When you get an answer from her you can report it to the public. I am not one of the little boys.
Dont know anything bout this bush tea argument but I know Bronco gate happened under the younger Tabor watch as advisor, counselor and spokes persons for PWD and the substantive Minister and not one peep from a young man that normally can chat plenty!!! I have a problem with prophets who don’t have mirrors!!
All you all barking up the wrong tree.
It’s either you don’t know what’s going on, or you refuse to acknowledge what’s going on.
None of this will move the needle. The goal is to win and this will not get you there.
The CHAOS DEMON will strike back at you Charlie. Careful it don’t try everything to frustrate and undermine you like it did Chevaughn Benjamin.
You just might be the next star of Marked For Death with Steven Siegal
Mr. Tabor, my FRIEND Gisele Isaac?
As a ‘registered lawyer’ (half lawyer or not), you really should know the value of using your words carefully.
I did not mention a name of the female who is living for free in your head.
Are you saying that the name YOU mentioned is the female living in your head for free?
You can ‘report it to the public’.
Recruited by #Santa, to be a #devils_advocate.
@Charlesworth Tabor, et al; one thing is certain, any individual who dares to try and balance the system(s) which governs the Nation of Antigua, Barbuda & REDONDA will either be ASSASSINATED politically, as was the case with Tim Hector, and ASSASSINATED physically, as was the case with Asot Michael.
No amount of fancy queen language, for or against what you’re alluding to, will change this [fact].
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg 🦶🏿 Garrat_Bastard
Vere Edwards
Allow me to give my opinion here..
Beef, you seem to be very full of yourself
And think you know everything!
In other words you acting kinda nuff to me!
People like you cannot live no place else..
Ps humble yourself 🤔
You come off very cocky .
@Sandra clarke. You are entitled to your opinion.
My opinion could very well by that you are an a**hole and an i**ot.
We are all entitled to our opinions.
Have a good day.
Wow beef!
Such venom!
Such language oh Dear!
Did I step on your toes or corn too heavy?
That was a test..
You passed, you are nuff, and you act like a know it all.
Go ahead, Cuss me
I prefer governor slim than you..
When knight play your recordings I will turn you off until I think you’re finished..
Go ahead ..
Cuss me😅😅
@Sandra clarke. It would take more than your opinions for me to cuss.
If Collie is your preference, that is your choice. You are entitled to that.
I DO NOT DO MY RECORDINGS FOR KNIGHT OR ANYBODY ELSE TO PLAY so I hope you can figure out the rest.
You have a good day because thus far I am having a wonderful day.
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