The United Progressive Party (UPP) has fractured once again, and the cause is not policy, performance, or electoral reality. It is power, entitlement, and an unwillingness by some to accept change.
Calls by Adrian Williams the new host of VOP and others for Jamal Pringle and Giselle Isaac to step aside in favor of Harold Lovell and his team are not rooted in grassroots dissatisfaction. They are driven largely by a small but vocal group—many from the overseas
diaspora and observer power circles who believe they should determine the direction of the party despite not carrying the burden of organizing, campaigning, or delivering votes on the ground. The usually come in after the fact.
This is not a new problem within the UPP. There has always been resistance to the idea of a young Black man from the countryside rising to leadership. Elitism has long shaped the thinking of some within the party. They belief that power must remain in certain hands, and if it does not, the party must be torn down and rebuilt in their image.
We saw it with Pookie Davis, and we saw it with Dr. Heath.
Jamal Pringle has earned his position. He did not inherit a safe seat or ride on anyone’s name. In All Saints East and St. Luke he faced a serious challenge when Colin James came within 10 votes of winning. Instead of retreating or blaming others, Pringle worked with the people. He helped build capacity, trust, and camaraderie at the grassroots level. That work paid off. In the 2023 election, his margin of victory increased. That is what leadership looks like.
By contrast, Harold Lovell’s record in
City East speaks for itself. He did little for Fort Road and the wider constituency and was rejected again by voters. Elections are the ultimate measure of political relevance, and the people have already made their judgment. Wanting to return to leadership through internal pressure after repeated electoral losses at the helm is not renewal—it is entitlement. Lets not forget that Harold Lovell was never a good leader to begin with. He managed the confusions of the last convention, called Hon. Baldwin Spencer the “chi chi paper” leader took the party to 2 consecutive
losses.
As a UPP supporter, it must be said plainly: Harold Lovell dont live peopl and did nothing meaningful for City East. The constituents found him out and rejected him. Jamal Pringle worked for his constituents, and that is why he won again and expanded his support. There should be no confusion about that.
The idea that Lovell should now be handed leadership is a demand for a free ride. That era must end. The party cannot continue recycling the same losing figures and expect different results. Attendance at political events, including recent
Christmas gatherings, shows clearly where public energy lies. Harold Lovell is already rejected by the people of All Saints West and it is very difficult for him to win against the young vibrant candidate there, the contrast is stark and telling. Harold Lovell is a washed-up “spent force” politician.
The UPP also cannot survive with two management teams pulling in opposite directions. That kind of internal division weakens organization, confuses supporters, and hands advantage to political opponents.
To the diaspora power base I need
to let you know again that you bet on the wrong horse at the convention and lost, its now time to make peace with Chair lady Giselle Isaac and help to fix the party.
Discipline and unity are not optional they are necessary.
The way forward is not backward. The party must commit to building with fresh, young blood while strengthening those who are already doing the work. The overseas diaspora must set aside ego and personal influence and work with the current leadership, not attempt to override it.
This is not about personalities. It is about results, relevance, and
respect for the will of the people. The UPP must move on, end internal power struggles, and focus on building a future and not reliving a past that voters have already rejected.
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All the polls done by the ALP show that the UPP cannot win the next general elections under Pringle’s leadership. They came within 6 votes under Harold’s leadership not Pringle. Even though we do not have a Presidential System like the USA, the leadership of a political party is important and can influence voting. I understand that even the result of polls conducted by the UPP before their Convention showed that Lewis was the preferred leader. I can understand the quandary that the UPP finds itself in now, but it is partly Harold’s fault for resigning after doing so well in the election and improving the fortunes of the Party by moving them from 1 MP to 6 MPs. Pringle’s leadership cannot improve on that result. From all indications the results will be worse irrespective of domestic and geopolitical issues affecting the country. It would appear that there are people in the UPP with their own self-interest that feel Pringle is the one that will take the Party to the finish line as the winner. Yes, he was in Parliament for sometime as the only MP and he also won at the Convention, though some members claim on a rigged process. Be that as it may, a general election contest is a different ball game and Pringle as the leader will not take the Party to victory. Anyway, time alone will tell but to serious political thinkers the situation is hopeless with Pringle. A unified UPP would be more successful behind either Lewis or Harold as leader. However, even if the UPP can solve all its infighting tomorrow and present a united Party under the leadership of Pringle they will not prevail at the polls. If at this stage they are so blind that they cannot realize that compelling fact, then I hope they will be ready to regroup and rebuild after the next general elections. I am just an arm chair pundit not trained in political science, but I believe that with the present circumstances that confront the UPP at this time, they have a high mountain to climb to see the promise land and I doubt they will even get to the summit.
Writer of this article you need to move backward sometimes to be able to move forward with more energy and deciveness.
Why don’t u go and solve the infighting in the ABLP between Gaston and Chet and call the long overdue convention according to your constitution and stop giving unsolicited and irrelevant and unwanted ideas.
Give them to ABLP and let’s see if they can win another election without ‘theifing’- because Antiguans and Barbudans don’t want them PERIOD.
CONFUSION?
The UPP is a private corporation and conducts its business privately..
The public thinks it is a part of the UPP corporation but it is not.
This confusion is coming from an uninformed uneducated public.
If the public does not appreciate what the UPP is selling find or create a new entity that offers similar services as the UPP.. To dictate that the UPP customize their services to suit personal perception, just do not happen in the corporate world.
It’s liken to forcing Claude Weaver’s Statue Speaks to change its name to suit personal perception. It is his vision his dream so respect it or tune out.
UPP has a backward leader…What do u expect? If Antigua people are Stu..I mean craz….I mean dunc…Foolish enough to ever allow UPP to take the controls of this ship we gonna SINK and SINK FAST…
@Melchesidec you cannot be a private corporation when it is the public you are depending on to vote for you. You chatting rubbish.
@armchairobserver Harold Lovell cannot and should not credit the near victory by the UPP to be his own. Last I checked Pringle was the Leader of the Opposition and the ONLY member of Parliament in that party. The party did not come that close because of Harold Lovell. You all live in the USA and have NO intentions of returning to Antigua to live yet you want to dictate who runs our country. You call catching hells under Trump a dat you fu study.
@Waladli the party has come a long way. Some new blood gave it life then. It was not the old guards. But what have they done with it? Give it back to the old guards to manage instead of telling the old guards it is our time now. Sit back and relax.
And until they stop recycling they will forever remain a weak opposition. No fault of Pringle. He is doing a dam good job. UPP people UNGRATEFUL!!!!!!!
I’m really fascinated by these opinion pieces by UPP’s critics, because they have increased in recent times.
Is there a General Election on the way anytime soon?
I don’t know, but what I do know, is that while these obvious ABLP supporters try to denigrate the name of Antigua’s opposition party and members, they do not hold Gaston Browne to account for a plethora of problems like our high costs of living, the national outcry for financial transparency, and the ongoing water shortages and power outages.
All the above is still happening under the negligible Gaston Browne – but, his acolytes continually stay silent. Why?
These writers are obviously living a comfortable lifestyle, and are immune from the struggles of the majority of Antiguans.
They don’t care about the economy, they care about keeping the Bird-Browne dynasty going in power forever and a day.
I believe Browne has let loose his vehemently noisy — and yes, articulate – writers on purpose to denigrate the opposition as much as possible before an election is called by Browne.
Antiguans have seen this scenario and playbook before of trying to destabilise the main opposition.
ABLP couldn’t play fair if they tried …
I have never seen nor heard of a UPP supporter who is afraid to be identified with his or her opinion.
So when the writer stated that he/she is a UPP supporter my stomach jolted like a massive earthquake.
This letter/opinion is that of a terrified ALP ow that is feeding in the money pasture and sees that coming to an end.
I do not understand why laboRATs believe that they should dictate what happens in the UPP.
Are they blind to the guerilla war taking place under the ALP.
In fact it has gone beyond guerilla war.
Gaston has openly threatened to chop off any head which rises in opposition to his leadership.
He has taken it so far as to include Chet’s family and more specifically Chet’s wife.
I, unlike the writer of this opinion piece, am a UPP supporter. I want to see the back of Gaston and his cabal and the extinction of the ALP.
That CANNOT be realized under the leadership of Jamale Pringle.
No way!
Never!
It is the fear of Lovell’s return to the leadership that has prompted so many opinions by laboRATs with no identity but claiming to be UPP supporters.
The writer/laboRAT is so terrified that he/she attempted to use figures of the 2023 elections however could not stick to the truth.
Never did Collin Greene come within 10 votes of winning the constituency.
He did come within 10 votes of winning a box.
However that was so queen that Pringle called for a recount of that box.
The writer stated that Pringle did not inherit a safe seat.
Alas!!!!
He/she is dillusional, demented, sick, and VERY fearful.
The All Saints East and St Luke’s seat has been the UPP’s strong hold.
Like a laboRAT siad on one if the ALP affiliated radio stations, “if you put a dog in a blue shirt in All Saints East and St Luke”, it will convincingly win that seat.
Pringle didn’t win that seat.
UPP has always won that seat.
And if Pringle is as dillusional like the laboRAT winter he can test it.
If he thinks he is so loved and is such a great candidate and leader why doesn’t he leave that safe seat and go to St Peter, City West, St Paul or even Rural East.
The writer knows very well that it is not the Pringle effect that has the ALP scared.
It is the return of Harold Lovell and the call for him to assune leadership of the party.
I met Ray Charles and he told me that it was a clear ad daylight that the present leadership of the UPP is being controlled if not purchased.
Which laboRAT wants tougher opposition to Gaston’s plans and destruction of Antigua?
None.
Why wouldn’t they therefore pose as UPP supporter and write articles giving ringing endorsement to the leadership of Pringle.
That action is very transparent.
I have news for you and all other laboRATs.
Malaka Parker will be the next chairwoman of the UPP.
Harold Lovell will take the party into the next general elections and defeat Gaston CLOWN.
Chet will have no problem rebranding ths ALP from scratch.
He wants to see the back of Gaston ClOWN even if it means relinquishing power for at least five years.
It is said when yiu point one finger at a person that you should count how many are pointed at you.
The wolf writer said that the UPP needs to breathe with fresh leadership.
Might I ask the writer how long has Giselle been the chairwoman of the party?
Why isn’t he/she holding the ALP to the same standards?
The oldest UPP candidate is Alister Thomas.
The UPP has already conceded the seat in that constituency.
The ALP is still riding high on the guidance, advice, and leadership of an octogenarian.
Cutie was already wearing suspenders when Alister who is looking to get off tge bingo card was born
The ALP has only three candidates who are younger than the youngest UPP candidate.
Finally let me put it in the coconut of the writer.
Pringle has not taken us into any elections.
At the rate that things are deteriorating under his leadership, if he is to take us into an elections the UPP will be no more after that.
It is not Pringle who took us to within 6 votes of victory.
It is under his leadership that founders and financiers of the party have jumped ship.
If he had a brain and could see and think for himself ge would come to the realization that his continued leadership is detrimental to the health and life of the UPP.
Yes, he may be benefitting and prospering more in opposition.
He knows what he is benefitting.
However antigua is on its way to hell in a hand basket.
Under his leadership the UPP cannot stem that fall.
Under his leadership the fall is quicker.
It is time he does the “Barbara Coates”.
Quietly step aside and together with Harold Lovell approach the media and let the world know that the job has been toi much for him.
His hypocrisy is too much to handle.
WHILE PRINGLE WAS PICKETING OUTSIDETHE SIDS CONFERENCE HIS TENTS WERE COLLECTING MONEY FROM THE SAME CONFERENCE.
We can find every ship with him including tent-ship.
However we can’t find leadership.
Need say more!!!!!!!!
These ALP writers are just trying to create confusion in the UPP. Why not study that Chet should really be leading the ABLP as he would be making better decisions than the selfish one who is in charge. He is all of self and family and is even trying to set up his wife as next leader
I sense fear in this article. Lovell has always been a threat to the Lawless Leader, and his Bag Carriers are always at the ready to make the attacks. I wish that the UPP would come to a compromise and focus on redeeming this country by uprooting the Cartel called the ALP, and I mean with Mr. Lovell at the helm but if it can’t be that way, I will be satisfied with Pringle everyday, than the very thought of enduring the treacherous ALP and its despicable, contemptuous, land and money-grabbing leader for a second.
@ Clytie
It is not the ALP creating the confusion in the UPP. That was created when the CHAOS DEMON and her mongoose gang decided to steal the convention elections. This was started since the previous convention election when we saw Miss Three Questions stuffing ballots in her bag. (the Video is there to prove it).
In the last elections, they became bareface enough to come out in the open with their tiefing. Gisele had her plan. She decided to have the vote for Chairman done before the Leader. The MPs objected to no avail.
Old people say what go bad ah morning cyan go good ah night. What is happening now is the direct result of the dishonesty that was practiced by her and her people. It is the curse of dishonesty. UPP will never be right again until there is a Truth and Reconciliation of the mess Giselle Isaac made of the party since she graced it with her presence.
The ONE AND ONLY DULY ELECTED LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IS THE HON. LARS JAMALE PRINGLE
Serpent 🐍 refuse to run under Pringle’s leaderSHIT. He say no likkle black boy a rule he
This writer failed to consider numerous things. But I do understand how this writer’s mind think what she is thinking. Based on the limited information used in the analysis.
I do believe that as a person who is holding his seat for a substantial period of time (MP Jamale Pringle), this must be respected and credited but it is not the only thing that you must consider in strategizing to win an entire government and to demonstrate competence.
He, MP Pringle, may be located in a jurisdiction that completely dislike the ABLP, and would allow any UPP candidate to win, with little or no work. If this turn out to be the fact, then how long he held that seat is not evidence that supports him being the leader of the UPP or to be Prime Minister of an entire country, if his party wins the appropriate number of seats.
Looking at the UPP using the objective view, it is vitally important for the public to see the leader of UPP to be competent, accomplished, educated, innovative and able to communicate. I am not saying the current UPP leader is not but at this time, he is failing to convey that he is to the entire people of the United Islands.
The strategy I articulated is that the UPP party should demonstrate this, UPP MUST recall some of the passed leaders that actually lead in the past, to provide assurance to the public that the new leaders have that resource or library or guidance from those past leaders and it is not simply a new with no guidance or partnerships or mentor and no major personal achievements prior to politics who will run an entire country, and international relation.
If the UPP current leader does not comprehend this fact, he does not deserve or is ready for any kind of leadership position especially as the PM of a nation. I am saying this as an expert in social and behavior science.
I think ABLP shouldn’t win but I also know that what the UPP have failed to demonstrate to the public is evidence of them lacking the requirements to lead the United Islands of Antigua and Barbuda until they can provide reasonable persons with adequate assurance of their abilities. This is not being said to insult but being said to help you strategize.
I only see 1 elected UPP candidate that could demonstrate to a reasonable person their ability to run an entire country. So, the other UPP candidates must employ some kind of strategy to show they are also competent, able and willing to lead an entire government and country.
As an expert in this area, UPP leadership (except for one, can you guess who that one is?) must urgently provide this assurance that they are currently failing to provide.
At this stage, the lesser of the 2 evils would be for ABLP to stay in government, even though I wish this current ABLP do not, until some other party demonstrate their ability to lead, and to not mis-appropriate.
Remember this analysis, a party who already stole, may not steal anymore or as much as a new party who will enter and then begin their desire to self enrich. As a public, we must assume (hopefully incorrectly) that the new party will take as much as the old parties. But old parties may not need to take anymore as they havd already taken enough. Or will continue to take but not as much as a new party who have never taken and will now take big.
Again UPP leaders, the analysis is just not on who stayed long in a secure seat but there are major other factors that it is clear incompetence is not allowing you to consider.
Yours sincerely, expert strategist, social and behavioral scientist. UPP is failing most factors that shows they are the lesser evil between ABLP and them, UPP.
Expert or intelligent responses are invited to this comment.
@Antigua to the bone…..you are one of the uninformed uneducated public.
Try and tell Epicurean that you do not like the brands on their shelves, they should put brands that you are accustomed to.
Listen again the UPP is a private corporation and conducts its business privately. The public has absolutely no authority to determine UPPs business.
If the public wants to have a say in the UPPs business, join the corporation and keep your financial contributions up-to-date. Other than that keep out of UPP business.
Hag washed, I see a trojan horse here, where an ALP fanatics has been the arrivalist hoping to show empathy that is faked to command our intellect and therefore indoctrinate our political thoughts, Mr Pringle a well loved young man does not possess the institutional knowledge and historical data to command that attention of the people, this present Caribbean debacle interjected by the war in Venezuela and the visa cancellation by the USA and other countries found Pringle wanting, he cannot speak on international matters on the world stage diplomatically, and he Pringle has a family and they should tell him straight out that it is above his personality or function since he has just become incline on these political affairs being a new entrant to politics.
Then now the chairman as Giselle like to hear that nomenclature attached to her name instead a requesting the gender neutral pronoun chairperson, because chairman makes a caricature of her name.
She is of course an educated person mark you, but that doesn’t automatically translate into leadership in politics, and if my memory servers me right, she has training in politics academically. But internship in dispensing such knowledge is another situation, we have electrical engineers and other engineers in management of many statutory corporations in Antigua, APUA comes to mind with an electricity manager that is a complete failure at anything engineering and public works civil engineer who also is a complete failure as it pertains the road infrastructure, but they think they are entitled to be the CEO of other menial workers subordinates to them, who they can’t impart any knowledge whatsoever to improve the human resource capacity, but they punish them perpetually having to assess them for promotions which is sometimes dehumanizing.
So that said , Giselle mode of communication to the political organization filtering down to the amorphous masses is not connecting, it is alienating and elitist, it’s as though she expects that the amorphous masses be exactly academic and possessed the political ideology to just function in her wavelength or her academic degree in politics, so she speaks with a tone of voice showing she is intolerable of the masses she speaks to, and so the interpretation is that she always sound puffed up and arrogant, but trust me deep inside this woman wants what’s best for the country, but seeing herself and Pringle as entitled to the possession they hold, has caused a turn off or disillusionment of the supporters their morales etc.
Until they reshuffle there positions within the UPP organization, the UPP is stucked, and we don’t want to lose them in the organization, because they have a lot to contribute by changing their platforms in the organization.
But let me tell this ALP fanatic sent by Gaston ” hold you side” and let UPP build capacity, we the true supporters of country will secure our political organization.
Poor Richard
He will never have a viable future in politics
Ironically, there are clues as to who is the writter.
This letter speaks of the Dyaspora.
Most would not think that the Dyaspora has much if anything to do with the state of affairs of UPP leadership issues at this moment. It certainly does.
There is a conflict/fight between members of the Dyaspora. The conflict between the two groups is a Pringle vs. Richard Lewis.
Harold Lovell recentering politics has complicated the leadership fight of Lewis or Lovell on one side while the other is totally behind Pringle for their own self interest and ego.
Members of the Dyaspora fight alluded too here are individuals who lived and worked primarily from abroad, under the Baldwin Spencer Government. They dream of the day when they are able to return to the live style of having a position in Government while they maintain their status as US residents.
Its difficult to think these individuals dream of being assigned once again by a UPP government, and be able to continue living life abroad.
It is one of those fractions which has coined the phrase: “Pringle is the duly elected leader” with the intent of foreclosing any rational debate as to why Pringle does not have what it takes to be a Political Party leader.
The other side prefers Lovell, but will accept Lewis over Pringle; who is not seen a Prime Minister material.
Unlike the UPP local operatives on island, who has a 8-4 pm job, and all the other constraints of life in Antigua and Barbuda under a Gaston Browne beaucreaucy; Dyaspora political operatives live a lower middle class lifestyle in America, with their political ambitions being driven by status and not an equitable future for Antigua and Barbuda
These individuals are on an ego trip and are anticipating positions of prestige should either side succeed within UPP succeeds.
Don’t vote against ABLP . Don’t change the government. Don’t do anything against the agony you’re feeling . If you think what is there now is bad , the worst is yet to come. No Maduro , No Venezuela oil . Trump dictates who does business with China. 5 more years under Gaston will see more crime and sufferation. MAKE A CHANGE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA.
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