LETTER: UPP’s Political Engine Stuck In Neutral

31

Dear Editor,

In previous letters concerning the United Progressive Party (UPP), I have made certain salient points, including the party’s lack of a philosophy or policy, its lack of quality political and technical advisors and a political campaign manager; all of which are vital and necessary if the neophyte and unqualified team of candidates are to have any chance of winning seats in the coming general elections. To suggest that the UPP, as presently constituted, could win an election is simply “whistling in the dark.”. It just cannot and will not happen.

It cannot be denied that the UPP as of now, today, has failed to craft a political strategy for its campaign, neither has it put a coherent economic policy for consideration by the voters. Its policy is guided by a hatred of Prime Minister Gaston Browne and the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party and is fuelled by its humiliating defeats in the last two elections, winning three (3) seats in 2014 and one (1) seat in 2018.

As to its campaign strategy this is based on whatever aggravation appears to be upsetting the party’s base; the lowest of the “low hanging fruit,” a great deal of political noise by the candidates (who for the most part are unemployed or under employed with lots of time on their hands); exaggerated and false claims about the performance of the economy; unproven allegations of corruption, a refusal to realize and to recognize the positive successes of the incumbent ABLP. In the face of these successes, they state with a straight face “that this government has done nothing for Antigua and Barbuda and Antiguans and Barbudans”. Add to this, persistent and easily debunked lies spewed on Crusader, Observer and ZDK radios. And lastly hyping their base supporters to a frenzy with the claim that it will win the next general election and the belief that a worn out and mentally exhausted Harold Lovell will lead them to a victory at the polls. Harold Lovell, a proven failure, will wave a magic wand and solve all the complex crises affecting Antigua and Barbuda and the world. We are all living on the same planet Earth and we are all interconnected. We have very little control over many of the problems we face except to use our brain and innovation to manoeuvre through these difficult times.

Those of us, other than the UPP party faithful, do not share this rosy view held by the blues. The UPP has given us no reason to believe that they are on the way to victory. To the contrary, a poll conducted by respected pollster and political analyst, Peter Wickham has indicated that the UPP is only marginally ahead in three seats….. and bear in mind that while the UPP has been campaigning for nearly a year, the BIG RED MACHINE has not yet cranked up.

The UPP candidates, activists and supporters need to comprehend that a party can only gauge its strength and popularity in two ways.

  1. Conducting a poll by a professional pollster which will give a clear indication by the questions posed and answered, whether the polled party is in the pole position and in which constituency. This nonsense spewed by Senator Tabor and others that in-house polls have indicated UPP winning, cannot be believed; and the results of any push poll by Linley Winter is hilarious, especially since his polls in 2014 and 2018 predicted a UPP win by healthy margins. The idea that the UPP is giving weight to in-house polls and a push poll, highlights the ignorance and inexperience of the party’s hierarchy and membership.
  2. The holding of a series of public meetings throughout the 16 constituencies in Antigua. This is a time-honoured way of political parties testing their strength and flexing their political muscle. A series of meetings will also indicate whether or not the party is gaining or losing strength. Political pundits and voters will recall that during the State of Emergency, the UPP accused the government of declaring the State of Emergency in order to prevent it from holding political meetings. The State of Emergency has been lifted since December, 2021. It is now October 2022and the UPP is yet to hold even one general public meeting.

Once the State of Emergency was lifted and life returned to normal, the UPP came to the realization that much of the complaining and bitching had stopped and much of the criticism of the government had subsided and was replaced by optimism and a feeling that the government had handled the Covid pandemic exceedingly well. So rather than have general public meetings, the UPP decided instead to test the waters by having meetings to present its candidates to the public. The turnout at these mini-meetings was not encouraging. Only one was described as having a modest turnout while the rest were disappointing and sparsely attended. Add to the above the UPP’s poor showing at the Labour Day march where they joined with the ABWU.

I recall looking at Harold Lovell as he stood in front of the Union’s headquarters and his disappointment was palpable. In contrast, the ABLP’s march easily outnumbered the UPP/ABWU by 4 to 1, as estimated by independent observers.

On 10th July, 2022 the ABLP held a Special Convention for among other things, to chose its representative for the constituency of St. Peter. The Convention was held at the Party’s new headquarters at Nugent Avenue with a seating capacity of 500 persons. The room was filled to capacity with standing room only. It was easily one of the largest conventions I have ever seen in Antigua. However, more to the point was the enthusiasm and energy displayed by the delegates. The atmosphere was electrically charged with the delegates displaying their love and support of the Prime Minister in particular and the leadership in general. It was clear that that party was in full election mode and ready to hit the campaign trail. The Party exuded dynamism, strength and total commitment.

The Labour Day activity and the Convention put the UPP in a quandary. They feared and/or refused to hold a campaign rally, for after all, their political picketing had failed miserably; the abuse and denigration of Gaston Browne, the unsubstantiated and false accusations of corruption; the lies and the hatred directed at ABLP supporters, were clearly not yielding positive results and its main support emanated from its un-informed supporters on social media. Something had to be done, so, the gimmick of the “Small business pull-up” was created.

I, like many, have pondered and guessed as to the identity of the ‘political genius’ who created this really foolish and useless idea. My best guess is Franz De Freitas, who is considered a political moron and who appears to be leading the ‘pull up.’ I know I am not alone in being puzzled as to the political purpose of this exercise in futility, to have a group of 10 – 13 persons, mostly candidates, going into each other’s constituency and stopping at various shops and bars, giving mini political speeches and each spending $5 to $10. This makes absolutely no sense and does nothing for the business. From a $10 sale, the business may realise a $1 profit. It is just a ploy to keep the UPP’s fading face before voters, as the whole farcical performance is filmed and uploaded to Facebook.

In the meantime, Gaston Browne and the ABLP are methodically ‘putting their ducks in a row’, delivering on promises made, some of which had been delayed due to 2 years of Covid. Non-UPP supporters and fair-minded independents are well aware of the strides the government has made and is making in the economy, health, education, water infrastructure, housing, tourism and other areas. Jolly Beach workers are to be paid and work has started on the re-building and expansion at Halcyon.

While progress in the country continues apace, the noise one hears from the UPP is that of a sputtering political machine that is stuck in neutral and at a standstill, mired in political hopelessness.

 

NOMAD

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31 COMMENTS

    • @ Just Saying

      I TOTALLY AGREE 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

  2. 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 They launched too early. Guess it’s premature political ejaculation

    Serpent confirmed this: “He explained that, upon becoming the Candidate for St. George, he was told that he should ready himself for general elections, which the Party believed would have been called by the end of last year.”

    🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

    • @ Smh

      I TOTALLY AGREE

      🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

  3. He’s back with his utter nonsensical dribbling again.

    Look, NOMAD, Fitzroy or even Gaston Browne, we all know the political tide is turning in favour of the UPP at long last.

    You are just so unhappy and DISCOMBOBULATED that the ABLP didn’t call the general election earlier in the year when the political climate was slightly favourable.

    You’ve relised that the citizens of Antigua & Barbuda have at last awaken to the global view that we are no longer taking any more self-enrichment nonsense from our current government.

    Yes, the proof of the pudding will be tested at the ballot box, 🗳 but I say bring it on … NOMAD, Fitzroy or Gaston Browne!!!

  4. Meanwhile CA-CAPA-TI-TAH at “diaspora meeting” sleeping 😴 💤

    🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 MASKses was like wanna dem embalmed mummy

    How u gah jap sleep at your own event??? Hardly anyone was there anyway 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

    • I can’t believe he added an ‘s’ to equipment last night. He is truly not the sharpest tool in the shed. He doesn’t seem to be learning at all. Poor thing!

    • @ SHERFIELD BOWEN SHOT TESSA……..

      I TOTALLY AGREE

      🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

  5. Pringle, King Lyadd Lovell Limpy Joe, de GUNMAN and 2 others well kak up at front table rambling into the space above the heads of the PISS POOR ATTENDANCE 😆

    Mercyyyyy Dead Darg look lakka wan charcoal jumby wid e head tilt back farse asleep 😴 😴 😴

  6. The author took great pains to write a letter that will have no impact. People vote for change, not for pain. When you look at the Labour Party all you see is desperation. Every area of government has taken industrial action for outstanding monies and better working conditions. There is a last minute attempt to fix everything under the sun from roads to cleaning drains, and the water situation. What about all the outstanding debt to contractors, nurses and others? They think people will just ignore all that?

    It is an insult to Antiguans and Barbudans’ intelligence. These archaic tactics won’t work anymore, especially among the youth. They are well read, do their research and they believe in change.

    Gaston can come with all the 11th hour gimmicks. But but he cannot control the truth which every citizen can see and feel; that our nation is in crisis and in need of a government that works for them, not against them. It remains painfully clear that this Browne-led regime is incapable of managing our nation’s affairs, time for Gaston to go.

  7. Writer its like you stole my notes. The UPP has no direction so they end up grasping at everything. Their actions remind of someone that is drowning. You will note the desperate mood of their supporters. Impossible to have logical discission with most of them, since it quickly degenerates in them verbally attacking persons(seen even via the ANR posts). Gone are the days of attacking the message and not the messenger. Hopefully at the end of the next election, their followers will realize its time to bury the dead party and start focusing on building something new and strong. We need a vibrant opposition to aid us in our development (help ensure the government does not get lazy)

    • Don’t upset yourself about the current political debates between both sides @ tenman (how all of a sudden you gone so sensitive).

      I welcome healthy debating. Just wonderful!

      With the general election imminent, there’s always going to be the cut and thrust of COGITATING – I thoroughly enjoy them.

      However @ tenman, as the saying goes:

      “If you can’t stand the heat …”

      • @Brix.. Brethren with respect I must tell you again (knowing you are wrong and strong) that you are full of it. Just days ago, you were on this forum complaining about the personal attacks. Yet watch you now, two tongued like Lovell, stating I am being too sensitive when I point out same. To date no one has tried using your family (eg your mom) to attack you. You well know the same cannot be said in the attacks against me. Stop being twofaced

          • UPP is in reverse gear. BRIXTONIAN who pretend to the brightest bulb ever should take Jamale Pringle Et Al under His wings. They need to speak proper English. By the way I believe BRIXTONIAN need training Himself.

  8. So you think the UPP is stuck in neutral and you still spend HOURS writing this letter?? To whom? For what purpose?
    YOU are more than whistling in the dark, Nomad. You’re shuckin’ and jivin’ in Gaston’s minstrel show, too. The audience sits amused.

  9. Battt. Bwoy Nomad Fitzroy seeking attention again.
    Please disregard

  11. Wise people specialize in integrative thinking and reconcile them for the situation at hand – Roger Martin

    Fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves… Bertrand Russell

    UPP has laid out their plans. However, ABLP wants to force their hands for more so ABLP can copy and pass off as their own. A Master Chef doesn’t have to refer to the recipe to make the cake. He knows what it takes. The Chef-Wanna-Be follows the recipe and lays out strategy & steps then adds his/her own flair thinking it would impress the Master Chef. Alas, though a cake is baked, the taste, texture and impact are not the same!!!

    Kudos to ABLP for all the meticulous planning and executing!! It’s about time they show some initiative for wasting tax payers time and money!! Keep up the good works!

  12. LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯
    LOVELL IS A SPENT FORCE 🎯

    • LET US HAVE A LINE WRITING COMPITITION
      THIS IS FOR SHERFIELD!

      POLICE VEX
      FIREFIGHTERS VEX
      NURSES VEX
      EMS VEX
      TEACHERS VEX
      SECURITY GUARDS VEX
      JOLLY BEACH WORKERS VEX
      SOLID WASTE WORKERS VEX
      FIENNES WORKERS VEX
      CLARE VUE WORKERS VEX
      LIAT WORKERS VEX
      SMALL CONTRACTORS VEX
      CASS WORKERS VEX
      PENSIONERS VEX

      REPEAT X 60,000 people which is the number of the population that is VEX right

      • @ ALSTON

        TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION……THEY ARE A DEATH ANNOUNCEMENT WAITING TO BE BURRIED, LMAO

        😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

    • @ WHERE is the GUN that SHERFIELD……….

      I TOTALLY AGREE

      🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

  13. YO , Gaston you back again as NOMAD.
    ABLP RED MACHINE CAR START, IT STALL LIKE THE OLE RED FIRETRUCK THAT YOU THROW WAY DOWN.

  14. I wonder which group will take industrial action next? Labour has so many fires to put out. Is that why their machinery has been in park. These days people do not put a lot of faith in promises. The ABLP has a track record of failure and incompletion. Even Lester warned Gaston about announcing too many projects. They moved from ground fakings to airline fakings. And roads that are dug up but never completed.
    Let’s no forget the water. September come and gone and water is still a big problem.
    Get rid ah dem!

  15. Wow before I even got to the end of this article I knew the writer would be NOMAD GASTON BROWNE. You are really trying your best with these nonsensical articles, but I am sure you have heard the saying that a “guilty mind needs no accuser” or “evil thinks what evil does”. My dear Nomad Gaston Browne it is your ABLP that is stuck in neutral. The signals that you are getting from the electorate and what your pollster Peter Wickham is telling you is driving your rass crazy. Whether election is before March 2023 or you extend it by 90 days to June 2023 the answer will be the same for your corrupt and incompetent government. The people of Antigua and Barbuda had enough of all of you. You will be sent packing on your big head along with the rest of your band of self enrichers.

  16. UPP is in reverse gear. BRIXTONIAN who pretend to the brightest bulb ever should take Jamale Pringle Et Al under His wings. They need to speak proper English. By the way I believe BRIXTONIAN need training Himself.

    • JIM B in the meantime, your Prime Minister should learn to pronounce the following words:

      Correct word: PRO TO COL
      Gaston Browne: PRA TA CAL

      Correct word: TRE SU RY
      Gaston Browne : CHE SHA RY

      Correct word: TRANS PORT
      Gaston Browne: CHANS PORT

    • Posted by JIM B: “… BRIXTONIAN who pretend to [be] the brightest bulb [💡] ever …”

      No pretence at all boss 😂😂😂

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