Malaka Parker Rejoins the United Progressive Party, Calls for Renewal and Accountability.
Former senator and community activist Malaka Parker has announced her decision to rejoin the United Progressive Party (UPP) after a two-year absence from active politics, citing the need to help rebuild a fractured opposition and to confront what she describes as “a decaying political culture and failed governance under the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP)”.
“Our country deserves better – better leadership, better governance, and a renewed sense of national purpose,” Parker said. “The ABLP’s decade in power has been marked by corruption, arrogance, and the erosion of accountability. What was promised as an economic powerhouse has become an economy plagued by inequality, rising costs, and deepening public frustration. Add to this a society governed by intimidation and subjugation and a ballooning public sector, emphasizing the failure to diversify and expand the economy. This is not an Antigua and Barbuda we should accept”.
Parker, left the UPP after a bitter internal leadership race in 2016 and co-founded the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) before stepping away from politics. My return to the UPP is driven by conviction, not convenience”, she declared.
“The UPP remains the most credible vehicle for national renewal,” she stated. “I am returning to join the real effort torebuild, refocus, and re-energize the movement: to stregthen public confidence and reaffirm that honest, inclusive, people-centred leadership is still possible.”
Parker pledged to continue advocating for transparency, equality, and civic empowerment, asserting that she was happy to stand with actorsmin the UPP who have demonstrated their resillience, their integrity and their capacity to govern Antigua and Barbuda in line with the aspirations of the people.
“Antigua and Barbuda stands at a defining moment. It is time to rein in the unruly and the unconsciounable and loudly reject the vulgar disrespect towards you the people. Join me!”
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Well done to you Malaka Parker for returning to the political arena with the UPP.
I believe this return could be as big (if not bigger) then the resumption into All Saints West of the Most Honourable Harold Lovell – who was ousted by just 6 “questionable” votes at the last General Election.
Malaka Parker recognises that Antigua could be on the way to a one-party state, and wants to redress this imbalance. Good for her!
Mind you Ms Parker, get ready for a plethora of misogynistic comments from the ABLP, their supporters and also the uneducated neanderthals – it’s part of their ugly DNA.
The one thing that’ll go in your favour is that Gaston Browne will underestimate you because of your gender, it’s also in his DNA … 😉
Welcome come back Lady Parker, I can remember your first speech in the Senate that gave me goose bumps with your commanding presence and well articulated powerful used of the English language. Hurricane Melissa pales in comparison. Looking forward to a resurgence, tidal blue wave of enormous surge in rural west.
I wish you well, Lady Parker. I only trust that your reuniting will be met with respect from the decision makers of this languishing institution. Blessings, my friend.
Oh yes, the misogynistic, egotistical GB and his supporters will certainly have a lot to say about this one.😂
One thing I know is that he will not fail us on, is that he will always show his backside in public,the same way he did with our national hero (Viv) for voicing his opinion.
Yep folks, you are who you are. 😂
As a young lady, I have followed your involvement in politics and I’m very glad that you have returned to the ring. Antigua needs a strong voice like yours and there is still so much that you have to offer to our land. You will definitely have my vote!!! Refocused…rebuilding…we are with you.
Congratulations to the DNA. They have returned wiser than the first time. They have had all their candidates and top officials infiltrate the UPP and this time it looks like they intend to take over. They will achieve all they want because the current UPP is not a real political party. It cannot look for candidates, grow its base and seek out young people with leadership in mind. It is holding tightly to a base that is either aging or moving away.
The DNA left the UPP in a very acrimonious manner. In fact they bear great responsibility for the ALP winning the 2023 election. The former recipient of the badplay from the DNA just told the nation that he welcomes the DNA back into the party. Maybe he is thinking of a church revival situation where you be the Christian one and bring back the prodigal son. This guy has not one clue and should stay where he is doing what he is doing. The DNA member he is welcoming back with open arms along with her buddies caused the Baldwin Spencer government a serious setback in the Senate when they voted down their own bill.
One caused the party to lose the election when the same DNA put a candidate to run against this same one for spite. Then they boasted about it.
Now just barely 2 years later the UPP has resurrected the Big Tent for the DNA.
Mr Spencer, Mr Lovell, you all are living in a bubble. The same people who DNA cuss off and left are the same ones welcoming them back with open arms The chairman does not care about things political. She just wants to write stories and organize balls and food fairs. It would be interesting to know how she feels about this return of the prodigals.
There is one thing for sure. UPP has not and will never learn the art of political election warfare in Antigua. The party has never beaten Gaston Browne and it is beginning to look like it never will. It came very close last election and now it looks like this is the closest it is ever going to come. That momentum did not encourage persons to swell the forces, instead there was a series of departures.
So again, congratulations, DNA. This is a master stroke. Now with a little patience you will be running things in the UPP in a short time.
Good move … I totally agree… Ablp and “Chain gang” car dealers “car steelers” with endless fuel ….. wake up antiguans .. them crooked NF”….
The strengthening of the opposition is good for our democracy. After the last general elections Hon.Gaston Browne told the nation that he was going to change his style of confrontational politics. He agreed that the nation did not support this style and he was willing to make that change. Instead he has double down on the confrontational, bullying, threatening ( to include ABLP chairman), arrogant , intimidating, victimizing and dirty style of politics.
This is completely contrary to a developing nation, with a University that should be improving the level of discussion.
If what I am hearing did take place during the UPP motorcade on Sunday, then we are on the brink of dictatorship. No way should the police allow any block party on the route of the motorcade. This convinces me that the police is not an independent arm of the legal system but is controlled by the political directorate. This is where the danger lies. There is an old saying, you know you you have but you don’t know who you are going to get.retired commissioner Attley Rodney would not have allowed that block party. He would have even preferred not to issue permission for the motorcade to prevent what could have turned out to be a civil war. If the words spoken by the leader, in the presence of his wife, children and the citizens of this country to be true then we are I. Serious trouble. Word yet was the Facebook posting of a female feet.
I am calling on Hon.Chet Greene to step up as Chairman of the ABLP party to do something about this immediately. Just asking because I don’t think it is possible, since no member of the cabinet has the testicular fortitude to stand up for decency. You are all afraid.
As an independent thinking Antiguan I join with those that are of the opinion that we need to have an independent and transparent investigation into the running of Antigua financial institutions. This will require an independent forensic investigating team of accountants.
The Vechicle scandal is the tip of the iceberg. The entire treasury operations need to be investigated. The banking accounts of every treasury employee and more so the accountant general needs to be investigated. They all need to declare their hands.
Next is public works and not just this Vechicle scandal. The same this must be done with certain key individuals that work at Ministry of works. The handling of government material, hiring of equipment. Look we have equipment owned by politicians and their families and friends raking in millions.
Then the minister of finance, the Tender board. The auditing of government agencies, the entire operation of government and this much be open and transparent.
I personally will not settle for anything less. Have no time to waste on editing- I post .
Welcome back to Antigua & to Antigua’s politics.
In addition, congratulations on your achievements of acquiring your law degree.
UPP definitely need your help… It will be great to see a person like you in parliament
Happy to her back where she belongs ❤️ 💕
A move, no doubt, hastened by the recent elevation of her Excellency Gail Christian to the coveted ranks of ambassadorship – a role which the prodigal daughter allegedly sought from the Gaston Browne led ABLP but failed to achieve. At least you might add a brush of (toenail) polish to an otherwise dull and decaying camp. Given its critical urgency you should be assigned watchdog on Youth Violence especially that involving murder and the indiscriminate use of deadly weapons to inflict hurt and harm on innocent citizens. Remember, Charity begins AT HOME!
Cheers, Malaka Parker! Welcome back, we need to be rescued, you have conquered Gethsemane for Antigua and Barbuda, and now you come with Hope blazing for our Nation. Renew our freedom, secure our freedom!!!
The decision by Ms Malaka Parker to rejoin the UPP is a mature and a remarkable one. Part of the gridlock and inaction that we are experiencing in Antigua and Barbuda is due to the fractured political landscape with far too many conflicting sides. There really need to be a coming together of minds and energies in order to bring about serious and meaning results to many of the issues that are plaguing the country. Whatever one might think about the ABLP, they are a remarkable team when it comes to cohesion and attachment. Even in disagreement, they stick together and there are no public outbursts and pronouncements.
Antigua and Barbuda is stronger and better managed when we have a government that is accountable to the people and a strong opposition that keeps them on their toes. All the Opposition forces need to come together for the greater good of the country. No doubt, together they have far more in common than that which divides them. I hope that Ms Parker’s action is the beginning of a bigger and wider pattern that we will soon see. Antigua and Barbuda needs it.
I just have one question, UPP can’t attrack fresh minds? someone who can make a positive inpact
Everyone knows that the Iron lady is the biggest problem in the UPP and don’t matter who returns things would not get better though Ms Parker is now tougher than before and has passed the litmus test to be consider a matured Politican and us more qualified than Pringle her services and commitment will never be rewarded because of their style of frustrating those that are promising and have more abilities than those of lesser capacities look at Sir Richard Lewis he is being stifled he is being put at the back of the class because he has more capacity and integrity that is seen as a challenge to the leader ship so now will Ms Parker join that line or moved to the head of the class as she should be and I doubt weather she will not get a just political introspection from our PM who is not afraid to call it out and I know he will be fair and not bias with his deductions it is quite obvious that the ABLP will always be the Government with the leadership of Gaston Browne once he is there because of his abilities to make Government work and empower his people the fight will always be a difficult one
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