A former United Progressive Party (UPP) hopeful yesterday announced his intention to contest the next general elections as an Independent candidate.
Gregory “Driftwood” Athill first hinted at his intention last October after he resigned from the UPP, citing a number of grievances with the country’s main opposition party.
During an interview with Observer at the time, he described himself as an “independent voice” in St Paul, and added he had done everything possible to uplift the constituency.
Yesterday, Athill maintained that he still holds strong to those views and he intends to stay the course. When asked about his chances of winning the seat — given the low success rate of third parties and independent candidates in Antigua and Barbuda — he responded, “You have to make a start somewhere; you have to put yourself out there and you have to start something for something to change. If we sit down and say Independent candidates will never make it, it means that nobody will try,” the prospective candidate said.
He insisted that he will be putting himself out there as an inspiration for others who may be wishing to contest a general election without the backing of a political organisation.
Meanwhile, the political hopeful also revealed that he is in the process of furthering his education to better boost his capabilities.
He disclosed that due to an opportunity made possible through a partnership with the Jamaican Consulate in Antigua and Barbuda, he is currently pursuing online courses with a Canada-based university.
His cousin, Dr Cleon Athill, is the UPP’s candidate for St Paul, while EP Chet Greene of the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party is the incumbent.
The next general election is constitutionally due in 2023. — SOURCE: The Daily Observer
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Driftwood, this is a joke, right? Get serious.
Joke what?
Driftwood is DAMN RIGHT!!!
HAROLD LOVELL MUST GO!
Who the hell is Harold Lovell to have disrespected the UPP Constitution and fought against Driftwood’s primary?
This is the righteous democratic party we keep hearing is “better than Labour”?
If the Harold-UPP hates rules outside government, what fool would trust them in government?
Harold Lovell couldn’t even win his own Convention without getting “creative”. And that’s a fact!
The shocking video evidence speaks for itself:
https://vimeo.com/500123197
This is not a man who can be trusted!!!
Driftwood has served his community and has every right to put himself forward. At least “Creative Convention Harold” can’t stop his independent candidacy.
As the name implies: DRIFT-WOOD,I would refer to him as DRIFTED-WOOD.That person,drited from the Labor Party to another Political Party,then to the UPP.Now he is drifting again as an Independent Candidate for the next elections.Who the heck would vote for Drifted-Wood. He would not get his deposit back.
Driftwood you’re damn right!
HAROLD LOVELL MUST GO!
Who the hell is Harold Lovell to have disrespected the UPP Constitution and fought against your primary?
If the Harold-UPP hates rules outside government, what fool would trust them in government?
Harold Lovell couldn’t even win his own Convention without getting “creative”. And that’s a fact!
The shocking video evidence speaks for itself:
https://vimeo.com/500123197
This is not a man who can be trusted!!!
Driftwood has served his community and has every right to put himself forward. At least “Creative Convention Harold” can’t stop his independent candidacy.
At the end of the day a finite number of persons are at a convention. How was possible if possible for the numbers of persons that would have voted EXPECTEDLY be more than who was there? Are you saying the UPP is that corrupt?
Absolutely!
Instead of 1 man 1 vote, with every individual putting their OWN ballot in a box, votes were handed IN BULK to single collectors from several branches, for onward delivery.
Between collection and delivery, in a crowded room, legitimate votes were replaced with these extra HAROLD ballots seen in the video, with efforts made to keep the final numbers within a plausible range. A similar approach was used against candidates vying for other positions.
It was pure luck that someone managed to actually catch this multiple-voting on tape. However the matter was not pursued for the sake of “Party Unity” which is non-existent today.
If one should ask “what about safeguards against printing extra ballots etc.?” Forget it! Harold people dominated all committees overseeing the Convention machinery, and excluded the few token representatives from the other side, not informing them of meetings and other slimy tactics.
There was NEVER any chance for a fair process.
Is this how Harold Lovell will govern Antigua and Barbuda?
You know what they say… about past behaviour being an indicator…
DRIFTWOOD is correct. UPP with HAROLD and GISELE ISAAC have destroyed the UPP.Driftwood you have my vote. I will call you within a few days to assist in your campaign. We do not want CLEON ATHILL .Cleon is too POMPOUS. She is a FAKE.
St.Pauls DO NOT want Her. UPP DONE !!!!
Everyone is leaving the UPP. UPP should do an INTROSPECTION. Something is definitely wrong. Harold Political days are FINISHED. He is a LIAR.Harold has NO shame.
Harold is a brazen and shameless liar and a master of manipulation WITHIN UPP.
The UPP Convention vote manipulation was truly cunning:
https://vimeo.com/500123197
Instead of 1 man 1 vote, with every individual putting their OWN ballot in a box, votes were handed IN BULK to single collectors from several branches, for onward delivery.
Between collection and delivery, in a crowded room, legitimate votes were replaced with these extra HAROLD ballots seen in the video, with efforts made to keep the final numbers within a plausible range. A similar approach was used against candidates vying for other positions.
It was pure luck that someone managed to actually catch this multiple-voting on tape. However the matter was not pursued for the sake of “Party Unity” which is non-existent today.
If one should ask “what about safeguards against printing extra ballots etc.?” Forget it! Harold people dominated all committees overseeing the Convention machinery, and excluded the few token representatives from the other side, not informing them of meetings and other slimy tactics.
There was NEVER any chance for a fair process.
The REAL problem for Harold is that he cannot use these underhanded tactics to influence national politics.
I would prefer to support any party as long as harold lovell is not the leader.
Harold lovell need to step down
Let the party breathe
Lovell must go the people say so
He lie no wah
You could end up getting your wish.
Serpent, Cleon, Pearl and the other Movement elite are totally disgusted with Harold and Gisele and discussions about Harold’s early removal have already taken place.
Feeble Harold’s outsourcing of the UPP to the Movement, as Donna so brilliantly put it, is now coming to bite him in the ass.
His only saving grace is that another Convention before election could see the total destruction of the party. So a tense peace exists, for the moment, between 3 party factions – the Movement Elite, the Grassroot Reformers and Single Pringle, who people regard as genuinely too dumb to be a viable option for the future.
Oh my!!!
I think that is good that you’re running You definitely have my support
Tell Driftwood to go find a job. What does he have to offer the country. Is he a taxi driver?
You sound just like arrogant CLEON ATHILL who looks down on Taxi Drivers, Vendors, Hotel Workers and everyone else without a Dr. behind their name.
CLEON ATHILL… who has already announced that she is opposed to giving aid to her constituents in their time of need, because they must “pull themselves up by their bootstraps”
CLEON ATHILL… who lies on the radio saying she is everywhere reaching out, but if you ask people on the ground in St. Pauls if they see her, they tell you that she keeps herself locked up in her air conditioned branch office or just stays home.
If you’re not already locked in on Chet, better to support Driftwood, a grassroot individual with genuine love for all people, no matter their wealth or qualifications.
We do not need any grassroots politicians running Antigua. We need highly qualified and competent individuals. If all some aspiring politicians have to offer is genuine love for all people, they should join the department of social transformation. It is just now that Driftwood is educating himself. Some Antiguans are too backwards.
Go greg go.
They cant stop you
Keep pressing on and congrats on your continued studies.
You have a good attitude and now getting aptitude
Lovell and half of the slate has no good attitude
Believe they better than the ordinary man or woman
According to one she is not an ordinary politician
What the hell is this lmao
@Am blessed
Antiguans must be the only people in the world that want ordinary people as their politicians. A lot resent educated people. This shows the low mentality of a lot of Antiguans. Take your blessings to the bank.
CLEON ATHILL is rejected not because of education but because of HYPOCRISY.
She wraps herself in psychobabble and HR-speak, taking about running an “Ubuntu” campaign.
Ubuntu is Zulu for “I am, because you are” (In other words… we all NEED EACH OTHER)
… and yet the same “UBUNTU CLEON” looks down on her less formally educated brothers and sisters, locks herself away from the people, refuses to visit them or give them assistance because she deems helping her fellow man “dirty politics”
A real EDUCATED DUNCE!
Driftwood…I am very happy that you have such a fighting spirit with a POSITIVE outlook. Dritfwood
You are a much better Candidate than anyone on the UPP ticket. UPP has all sorts of characters on Their…FELONS etc.
Driftwood you have my support. CONGRATULATIONS.
You are much better than your POMPOUS COUSIN…CLEON ATHILL.
@ Joseph
You should get yourself educated and encourage the young people in Antigua to do so also. Too many Antiguans are in the intellectual wilderness and chat rubbish.
@ Joseph
You should get yourself educated and encourage the young people in Antigua to do so also. Too many Antiguans are in the intellectual wilderness and chat rubbish.
Driftwood needs to run taxi, thats his calling and stop putting himself in politics… he is not intelligent like that. Stay in your lane
Who on the UPP slate is “intelligent” like that?
“Maskses” Pringle?
Or is it “LIAT is not a priority” and “God sent COVID to earth to expose the ALP economy” Gladys Potter?
You sound just like arrogant CLEON ATHILL who looks down on Taxi Drivers, Vendors, Hotel Workers and everyone else without a Dr. behind their name.
CLEON ATHILL… who has already announced that she is opposed to giving aid to her constituents in their time of need, because they must “pull themselves up by their bootstraps”
CLEON ATHILL… who lies on the radio saying she is everywhere reaching out, but if you ask people on the ground in St. Pauls if they see her, they tell you that she keeps herself locked up in her air conditioned branch office or just stays home.
If you’re not already locked in on Chet, better to support Driftwood, a grassroot individual with genuine love for all people, no matter their wealth or qualifications.
@KARINE JAMES
Karine you DO NOT sound as an Intelligent Person. You are from the ELITIST group of the UPP .Driftwood is more INTELLIGENT than You. Karine you are a CLOWN. You are DAMN rude.
CLEON ATHILL is a POMPOUS Person.She should NOT be in POLITICS. As the Prime Minister said that She got Her DOCTORATE with soft Subjects. She does Not speak well. She will never win in St.Pauls. She would lose Her $500 deposit. AWFUL.
@Rolston
Anyone more pompous that your illustrious leader of the Labour Party? He thinks he is the most intelligent person in the universe. He should produce his university degree. Why doesn’t he go get a doctorate with hard subjects. Only uneducated fools criticize educated people.
@ Rolston. So what if she got it in “soft subject” are you and the PM saying we all should have a PHD in Physics, Chemistry and nuclear science? This is such a poor shot. The point is she has a PHD!!!!
@ ME SAY
You display the ARROGANCE which exists in the UPP. You cannot walk in Hon.Gaston Browne shoes.Hon Gaston Browne best Prime Minister in the WORLD.
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