Dear Editor,
Let’s call this exactly what it is: a blatant dereliction of duty dressed up as “research.”
Kelvin “Shuggy” Simon now wants the people of Antigua and Barbuda to believe that he’s hopping on a plane to Trinidad Carnival for some grand economic study, studying crowd size, revenue, and how Trinidad attracts 100,000 people. That explanation is not just weak, it’s downright insulting.
Antigua is crying out for leadership. Roads, communities, youth development, crime prevention, economic relief, there is more than enough work right here at home. Yet instead of rolling up his sleeves and facing the responsibilities he was elected to handle, he chooses to run off to Trinidad Carnival under the flimsiest excuse imaginable.
Let’s be clear: you do not need to attend Trinidad Carnival in person to study its economics. We live in an age of instant access: data, reports, case studies, tourism statistics, interviews, livestreams, expert panels, all available online. Governments, economists, and planners around the world conduct serious research without wine, music trucks, and masquerade bands.
If the goal were truly academic or policy-driven, it could be done right here in Antigua, without abandoning post.
So let’s drop the pretence.
This isn’t about economic analysis.
This isn’t about national development. This is about skipping responsibility, ducking accountability, and finding a convenient excuse to go jump up, wave, and party while Antigua waits.
And the irony? If he really wanted to understand how Carnival can drive economic growth, he could start by fixing Antigua’s own systems, supporting local creatives, improving infrastructure, empowering vendors, strengthening tourism planning, and showing up consistently for the people he represents.
Leadership is not tourism-by-excuse. Representation is not selective attendance. Public office is not a travel perk.
Antigua and Barbuda deserve present, focused, and serious leadership not Carnival tourism masquerading as policy work.
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The writer of this article is just trying to restart a fire that was distinguished for some time now. As a voter in St. Mary’s South I disagreed with the decision Shugy made last year because Parliament was in session. What is wrong if he wants to be there for whatever reason now. As far as I know Parliament is not in session. Can’t we take a brake from stupidity sometime? Why didn’t this ABLP joker have the courage to put his/her name
You sound so stupid and illiterate!!
Why does anything mild the UPP members do have ABLP supporters and members spitting feathers. Yet, a more serious matter like the vehicle acquisitions procurement scandal doesn’t concern or bother them in the slightest?
Maybe selective memory I would suggest?
In recent times we’ve heard the ABLP trying their hardest to denigrate UPP members like, Malaka Parker; Kelton Dalso; Richard Lewis; Jamal Pringle; Harold Lovell, and now Kelvin Shugy Simon.
And all the accusations have been rather frivolous to say the least, about these UPP returnees, and especially to a hardworking politician like Shugy looking into entertainment practices overseas.
Once again the ABLP sycophants are making themselves look unpatriotic and utterly ridiculous.
Our economy is in a right mess and tanking, some salaries are still outstanding, price gouging is out of control, and the country is on the verge of being overrun by plagues of RATS – including the political ones from the ABLP I might add!
Isn’t this current torment Biblical?
& if it was Faston Vrowne yall would say “he’s human n he can have his fun” just go to hell sir/madam
Am I missing something here: “Roads, communities, youth development, crime prevention, economic relief, there is more than enough work right here at home.”
MOST OF THESE THINGS HERE ARE FOR THE SITTING GOVERNMENT TO TACKLE. THESE ARE ABLP”S PROBLEMS TO SOLVE.
Instead they enrich themselves and their cronies. Ask ABLP what they have done to deal with these issues and stop deflecting.
Much ado about nothing. This writer misses the sarcasm Shugy intended with his “study” comment. The writer either intentionally missed the sarcasm or is just too slow to pick up on it. In any event, there is nothing wrong with going to T&T carnival, if that is your thing. The writer points to work to be done but Shugy is not in majority government with access to government ministry assets. Enjoy Carnival, Shugy.
Shuggy is a straight up DUNCE!! And his supporters are just as bad, nothing he does is ever wrong in their eyes but old people say 99 days for the thief and 1 day for the police
Shuggy is a straight up DUNCE!! And his supporters are just as bad, nothing he does is ever wrong in their eyes but old people say 99 days for the thief and 1 day for the police
Shuggy is a straight up DUNCE!! And his supporters are just as bad, nothing he does is ever wrong in their eyes but old people say 99 days for the thief and 1 day for the police . Just wait
The fact that this writer is putting many of these things as Shuggy’s responsibility is a tacit acceptance that ABLP is a failure.
@ 268 love
U NA SHAME- did you report on the PM and his wife in Dominica recently for their Carnival/Creole festival jumping up?
Is Shuggy the POPE?
tje WINKKUP PASTOR is a straight up.conman. Pringle needs to.reel in.his MPs forthwith.
callous, drowsy, reckless behavior has no place in the “alternative government”.
JOAN was right about Shugy. She was spot on.
THE MAN HAS A LIFE OUTSIDE OF POLITICS.IF HE SO CHOOSES TO GO TO TRINIDAD AND ENJOYED HIMSELF.IS THAT ANY OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS? WHEN GASTON BROWNE AND MARIA BROWNE WERE GYRATING DURING CARNIVAL,WAS THAT LOOKING GOOD,WAS THAT OKAY.MANY OF YOU SPINELESS AND GUTLESS PEOPLE HAD NOTHING TO SAY.FOR GASTON BROWNE COULD DO NOTHING WRONG IN YOUR EYES.HE IS WITHOUT SIN.KEEP ON LIVING YOUR LIFE,SHUGGY.LIFE IS FOR ENJOYING.WHEN GASTON BROWNE,MARIA BROWNE AND HIS CABINET OF MERRY MEN DO TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD.THEY USE THE PEOPLES MONEY FOR SUCH TRAVELS.SHUGGY IS SPENDING HIS OWN MONEY.BY WAY,CALL THE DAMN ELECTION AND SHUGGY WOULD WIN THAT SEAT AGAIN.THE VOTERS IN THAT CONSTITUENCY COULD NOT AND CANNOT BE BOUGHT,BY THE LABOR PARTY OF GASTON BROWNE.
As an elected Parliamentarian,he should be more concerned about helping out in his constituency, rather than giving excuses to travel for entertainment or pleasure..
I bet when he return he will not have a valid report about what Trini Culture,and carnival is all about…
The problems the writer accurately identified are for the ALP government to solve, not one opposition MP. Mr. Simon is free to go to carnival in T&T, but using the guise of research is disingenuous.
I smell nothing but pure, unadulterated JEALOUSY. Look at Shugy. Young, full of enjoyment, and showing he has a life.
I can guarantee that when he returns he would have more to show from his trip, and I mean from what he said he would also be doing there. Tell us the last time Gaston came back from riding on a camel back and gave you guys a report.
Don’t hate on Shugy. Your jealousy bone is showing. How many of you who sit and gorge yourselves on voucher salmon, shrimp, steak and grapes can take off your tops and look that good. In fact, ALP needs to start a gym class for you because almost all of you high up red people are overweight and out of shape.
Shugy made one mistake. He should have never wasted his time to tell us anything about anything he was going to do. He did not have to.
We can be sure that he is enjoying being with his friends (he went to school there), making new ones, and like he said, he will bring back his report on carnival economy. None of you did it. You just went and waste tax payers money.
You bunch of hateful, envious, scornful, useless idiots.
If one UPP supporter dare to put anything in this blog about Shugy should show responsibility, I will join with ALP to campaign against your party.
Everybody know how UPP like to act like they holier than everybody else. Well now is not the time for it.
Shugy is not doing anything wrong. He is not a minister, he does not have a ministry to manage, etc. And even if he did. So what?
Maybe the cabinet boys need to take a break from grabbing everything passing and go and enjoy themselves. Might make them better people.
UPP, do not try your better than everybody logic about Shugy. Warning you not to do it.
Mr Shuggy go and enjoy your research, and by the way I am looking forward to you conducting a follow-up study in 2027.
When Gaston and he wife went to St.kitts and Dominica for different festivals ,it was ok. They were supporting culture.But Shugy goes to Trinidad is a problem. Is Shugy using tax payers money to travel to Trinidad? You people in Antigua just ignorant. You should be writing about the vehicle scandal and all the nepotism going on.
St. Mary’s South deserves better..not this nincompoop.
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