Dear Editor,
The ABLP has already had a pretty rough start to 2023.
Under the leadership of Gaston Browne the ABLP made a gaffe in the January 18th elections. The ABLP ended up winning but with less votes than the combined opposition. This means that the majority of Antiguans and Barbudans actually voted to put the combined opposition in power. This fact cannot be overlooked. The leaders of the ABLP should consider this fact.
Gaston Browne stood center stage in the January 2023 elections even though his popularity had fallen greatly from the 2018 elections. His unpopularity was very evident in the St Peter constituency. He spent a lot of time, money and other resources in that community. The incumbent, Asot Michael got more votes in the 2023 elections than he ever did in his entire political career. The people of St Peter reflected the national mood against Gaston Browne’s presence within their community. He was not wanted, they revolted against him and went to the polls determined to get him out. This is the first time in the history of politics in our fair Antigua and Barbuda that labour lost the St Peter seat!! Gaston has turned many “safe” labour seats into marginal seats.
The polls done by Peter Wickham were never shared with senior members of the party. Gaston kept the scientific polls to himself and refused to discuss strategies based on the scientific polling with members of his team. Where in the world does this level of hubris and nonsense happen?
Gaston’s behavior and his overall weakness has led to a rout of the ABLP’s support that dropped to a mind blowing loss of 12% of the vote in the 2023 elections. This begs the most obvious of questions?
Does the ABLP need a new Leader”?
Members of our party are now wondering whether it might be time for the ABLP to find a new leader. Many comrades are whispering this sentiment but no one raises it publicly because Gaston “will mashup eberything if them try move me”
The cabinet members, including the party executive, must ask: is Gaston the right person to run the country, or is it time for Gaston to stand down to avoid a catastrophe at the next poll, or even worse; Mashup the ABLP!! Does Gaston’s temperament allow for great leadership and good governance? Does the ABLP need a less self-centered and more charismatic leader? Someone with a clearer vision for the party and the government;
If the executive and grassroots members of the ABLP are not satisfied with the status quo, then they are gonna have to be willing to break some eggs and rebuild; or face the dreaded consequences of going into opposition.
After a fluke win in the January 2023 elections; is the ABLP willing to take courage and change leadership at the next convention or risk the people of Antigua and Barbuda sending the entire party into opposition. The party will choose or the people will choose!!
It must be noted that Gaston has been critical in the ABLP’s ascent to victory in the 2014 and 2018 elections — which is why he is still in charge. His antics were well received by the people. However, the people have now matured past those antics, seen his weaknesses and no longer have confidence in him.
Yet as Antigua and Barbuda enters into a new era — where Gaston’s dominance over the party and government is being challenged by the newly energized UPP and the likes of Asot Michael — many are wondering whether the ABLP needs a more dynamic action man, action plan, new vision and better direction.
The ABLP should not drag its feet. The upcoming party convention should be allowed to answer these important questions. The botched 2023 elections and lack of action by Gaston that caused this failure are symptoms of a bigger disease — a party entrapped in its past, dishonesty in informing the executives of the party on the results of the polls leading up to the 2023 election, and missed opportunities.
The ABLP must post the poll done before the 2023 elections or do a new poll that asks whether the party needs a new Leader.
Support for the ABLP has fallen by double digit figures. If this continues the ABLP shall certainly fail.
This is a call-to-action to those who love the labour party to do the right things for the party of VCBIRD!
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Mek he stay deh!
Gaston is slowly destroying the global credibility of the ABLP (and sadly, the country as well).
If there was a choice of either his party losing reputation or OUR country, I know which option I would choose – mek him stay deh!
Upp foolishness
Hey @ Jay, isn’t reverse psychology just great! 😁
NOTHING MORE TO SAY! Mike drop!
No nation can ultimately prosper when good people stand aside and let the wicked prosper, none! And I know some might say we are all sinners(fact) but we are all not wicked. Wickedness is when you willfully take someone’s life(Cane), degrade someone and make them to suffer under your control and power(slavery), rape and pilledge the poor and innocent, those are some of the acts of wickedness which many of us are not in position to do. So no, even though Gatson Browne are not charged with any of these atrocities, his administration is not too far from such, and as of such, the island of Antigua is suffering with crime and are under a tremendous amount of weight to execute a better plan to move forward. So yes, the entire ALP administration is culpable here, because even though there are some good people amongst, they have sat back and watch this fiasco develop, and by virtue of their silence, allow it to happen. So they all must go and bring in people who will speak up and execute justice fairly.
Please don’t fool yourself. The result of the election was a reflection of the water situation that the Labour party had no control over and not bcuz Labour party was failing from performance. Gaston Browne is the right person to lead but he needs to carry out an introspection of himself. He needs to be cognizant that it is not every music he hears he should dance to & be selective with certain statements he uses. But remember he is human & every action brings about an equal reaction.
Shooting rubber bullets and tear gas at women and children will not make you popular.
The ABLP acolytes seems to have overlooked or forgotten about Teargas Sunday on the 8th of August @My 2 sense – but we won’t let them or Gaston forget.
Chupse!!
Run dem out.
@Bloke you will say anything to defend this idiot, and do so while Antigua and Barbuda sinks into poverty, crime and debt. I have it from an inside source that Gaston Brown delayed the election because his approval ratings had plummeted badly. I agree with @Brix. Let his narcissistic, incompetent, crazy a$$ stay there and let this ALP horror ship sink into the dustbin of history ,never to be revived anymore. This is no UPP thing. This is an Antiguan and Barbudan thing. Its about country and not party. This man is Antigua’s biggest problem. Period.
@Watching: We are living in a democratic country so I assume you have the right to describe anyone as you like. Now since you refer to our prime minister as an idiot I can only take a similar stand and refer to the hierarchy of UPP including Harold Lovell as our modern day Nicompoops & Jackasses. Between 2004 & 2014 they run this country of reef. How we can have them manage this country again? A burnt child always dread the fire!!!!
@ Bluddy Joke
Gaston cannot even afford to pay the street cleaners nor creditors who supply services to the government……I guess that means he ran the country ‘ON REEF’…….STUPID IDIOT!!!
“… let this ALP horror ship sink into the dustbin of history …”
I couldn’t have said it better boss, the only thing that could save their future is if they dump Gaston Browne, but you and I know that they can’t do it, even though it makes sense – I hope he stays!
UPP has no leader at the moment. Worry about that!!!!
#TERM_LIMITS MATTERS
#TERM_LIMITS MATTERS
#TERM_LIMITS MATTERS
There’s already a #Vote_Of_No_Confidence against PM Gaston Browne by his colleagues in the ABLP(Chet & Co, LLC), and the INDIGENOUS ANTIGUANS. BARBUDANS & REDONDANS!
A narcissist will at some point self-destruct taking all and sundry with him/her. There are many reasons for this some of the most obvious being greed and lacking in qualifications and/or ability to see anything through to the end. They are usually pathological liars who believe their own truths. They have a capability to be violent and do not tend to have any empathy for anyone including family. Infidelity is par for the course. It is always look at me and craving publicity regardless of good or bad.
IMO I very much doubt the water issue is responsible for the election results. Try greed, corruption, Antigua airways resulting in a huge debacle which is most likely going to cost (financial and internationally) the Antigua people dearly, YIDA failure and loading down Antigua with Chinese and debt and very questionable “embassy” on the country’s land. Sleazy so-called investors like Kingdom Sanctuary etc. Not least to mention the present banking situation which appears, from present lack of reputable competition, to have resulted in bad customer service.
A narcissist is not usually the best person to lead because they can seldom think beyond themselves.
It would appear that the people expressed their displeasure in a majority “protest” vote and it might really behoove the ABLP members of Parliament to take stock of themselves and their/our future if they continue to bury their heads in the sand and make excuses……..We pay them to clean up the mess, so clean it…NOW!
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