LETTER: Michael Freeland, Can We Trust You?

To the Editor,

I write to express concern regarding the  intention of Mr Michael Freeland to contest the upcoming General Election as a candidate for the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party in St Georges.  It has taken me a while to develop the courage to pen this letter.

Public office demands not only competence, but unimpeachable integrity and transparency. In this regard, it is difficult to ignore the unresolved questions surrounding the well-known Customs auction funds resulting in his removal from the list of potential Candidates to contest on behalf of the ABLP in St Johns Rural East, this matter ultimately led to Mr. Freeland’s resignation from the Senate on 31st December 2017. While it is acknowledged that the funds in question were eventually repaid, the circumstances giving rise to that situation were never fully clarified to the satisfaction of the public.

The central issue is not merely one of legality, but of public trust. Elections are, at their core, a test of confidence. Voters must be assured that those seeking to represent them are willing and able to provide clear, consistent, and credible explanations when concerns arise. In Mr. Freeland’s case, significant gaps remain in the public narrative, and these gaps continue to raise legitimate questions about accountability.

It is therefore reasonable to ask whether the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, as a governing institution, has sufficiently considered the reputational implications of his candidacy in a constituency surrounded by Christians of whom a majority are Seventh Day Adventist? Political parties bear a responsibility not only to their supporters, but to the broader democratic process and society, to ensure that their candidates reflect the highest standards of public life.

This is not a matter of personal attack, but of principle. If the electorate in St Georges is to maintain confidence in its institutions, there must be a consistent expectation that those who seek public office are held to rigorous standards of disclosure and accountability.

Accordingly, I respectfully submit that, Mr. Freeland owes the public a full and transparent account of the circumstances that led to the funds been stolen which caused his resignation. Only then voters in St Georges can make a properly informed decision when they go out to vote.

Thank you for giving me this space.

Yvonne James

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