Letter to the Editor: Questioning UPP Unity Ahead of St. Peter By-Election
Dear Editor,
As the January 14 by-election in St. Peter draws closer, I couldn’t help but notice the absence of UPP MPs Richard Lewis and Kevin Simon from the campaign platform in support of their candidate, George Wehner.
While the holiday season has recently passed, and it’s entirely possible they are still on vacation or addressing other personal matters, their absence raises questions about the unity and commitment within the UPP at such a critical moment.
The by-election is a pivotal event, not just for the people of St. Peter but for the UPP’s broader campaign to demonstrate its readiness to lead.
One would assume that every effort would be made to present a cohesive team, especially when this constituency is fiercely contested.
Their absence from the platform may unintentionally create speculation about internal dynamics or the prioritization of the campaign.
While MPs are entitled to personal time, one must ask if the gravity of this by-election has been fully acknowledged.
The people of St. Peter deserve to see a strong, united party that is ready to address their concerns and represent their interests in Parliament.
The absence of such notable figures during this campaign might give the impression that the by-election isn’t receiving the attention it warrants.
I hope that Richard Lewis and Kevin Simon will soon join their colleagues to show their support for George Wehner and the UPP’s vision for the constituency.
A unified front is vital to winning not only votes but also the trust of the electorate.
Sincerely,
Independent Voter
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Why should Richard Lewis “endorse” XENOPHOBIC Wehner????
Especially given his behavior at convention 🙄
Wehner ran aroundbhalf naked yelling “TEK DAT IN YA NEHNEN” in Richard wife and kids face.
APOSTLE SHUGY SIMON OF THE NAZARENE CHURCH is off island…..either winking up shirtless somewhere or missing the Lady Boys in Thailand
Independent voter my backside, I am almost certain you are a part of the Lickspittle Brigade
Who say they support him?
He that is without sin cast the first stone. Gaston got dressed in public road, he called Asot a persona non grata, he thrratened to thump Asot in his face. All that gliter is not gold, tell Dwayne George becareful what he take out of post office as a junior minister, he too in it for the self enrichment? PM presents himself as a dog and gangster. My my who up for the person of the year award?
the biggest sin is the GUNMAN that UPP put to run on its ticket. a young lady and her fetus were snuffed out because of that KILLER!!!
Wehner is a “Yes man” for gizzy Poo
Shoogy and Jamaican husband against them.
UPP SARL!!!!
If Richard Lewis was my husband I would divorce him instantly if he went on any platform to endorse George Wenner.
So all who calling for unity, tell them to tell Wenner to put his backside and go and apologize on his hands and knees to Richard Lewis for the improper, rude, classless way in which he disrespected that man, his wife and traumatized their two children with his dutty behavior.
Richard has NO SPINE, NO BACK BONE. NOTHING!!!! He seems to suffer from “Battered Woman Syndrome” when it comes to the UPP. He is neither loved, wanted or needed by UPP yet he sticks around for more ABUSE.
A most weak and coward “man”. I wonder what his wife honestly thinks of him as a “man”.
Is Shuggy or Lewis running? Why is their absence so concerning to you? Rather, tell us when Turner is going to address the people he wants to represent, and whether he too will be threatened with a ‘tump in the face if he pushes back on being a puppet.
Minions, how about minding ABLP business for a change?
I am an independent voter. I am convinced that George Whenner would be a better opposition MP than any of the others. He is well research and will stand up to the bullying of Gaston Brown.
Secondly he is a married man with a with a beautiful educated wife( Math teacher at Baptist academy with 100 percent passes ) and two well rounded and articulate children. His son already making waves and carving out his own political path , within the UPP.
In the Interview on ABS television he was great. This guy Berford did not just interview Mr. Whenner as an independent journalist. When I heard he was going to be on ABS TV I did not expect that he was walking straight into the lions Den. In other words Bradford had prepared a Lion’s Den. I lost every bit of respect I had left for Johan Massiah. She did not make any impact because Antiguans doesn’t like hypocrisy. I now believe she wished she had done like Anthony Smith. She was in government with UPP , a minister at that. She ran in St.Peters and it took her 21 years to say that during her tenure in government she and her colleagues had abandoned St.Peters. Note she did not resign for that. She resigned because she was not chosen to be the political leader of the same UPP party, even after what she was spewing about. Whenner was very right and hope he did get her the gripe water. She needs a whole container full.
So to say that the opposition member was given the opportunity or platform on ABS is ridiculous. Both opposition supporters and candidates pay their share of taxes, which is used to run that station. So Mr.Whenner was able to walk into that Den , prepared to crush him and came out like a true soldier. He was a true gladiator! I don’t hate foreigners, however I think Bedford needs to stay out of Antigua politics. What he did last night, an Antiguan could not do that in Jamaica.
Antiguans need to stand up and fight for our country, like Captain George Whenner did on ABS.
@Zackie
Your entire response is foolish. The PM is not running either. Rawdon and Asot had established a personal respectful relationship. Don’t come with sticks to a gun fight, even though the Gun man is running…
I am once more impressed with the George Whenner Campaign. I thought it was a forgone conclusion that Turner and the ABLP would win this election hands down. Still think ABLP will win- but they are scared. They are giving away toys , bicycles, stoves, fridge, computers , you name it. Turner was fixing roads in the constituency during the 2023 election campaigning. Some of the roads were read to be paved. They lost to Assot and the very next day after the election they started removing their equipment. They never returned until this week and are working on the same roads right now.
I hear some people are taking about Peter Reds ( especially APLP supporters) Peter Reds is immature and not fit to run for anything. Don’t want to bad mouth the young man , he knows what I am talking about.
The other thing I dislike is the way Turner is talking about Assot. He is taking like Assot. Is some God , the same Asot. They say and know was so corrupt, he is saying that is the role model he is following.
Turner is a young Educated guy and should run in his own strength and that of his party. He doesn’t need to use the Asot platform to win this election. If it was me running I would not have, as a black, native son of St. Peter’s. Turner you have enough abilities to stop this Assot tailcoat business. He is dead and gone and cannot do anything.
It does NOT matter what you think!!!!!! RAWDON TURNER WILL WIN!!!!!
If these guys are MIA, then let them stay there permanently! That ‘Undecided Voter’ and others like him/her, the Zackie/Jackie, and the Frankly speaking, just stay in your lane. Stay with your party of choice and continue to uphold backwardness. You and your flock deserve one another!
St. Peter is going strong red on Tuesday and the UPP must accept lots of the blame for that. Campaigns are won on clear visions, not these sad lies we see from many of the blue coolaid drinkers.
For example, the residents of St. Peter know what work started before the by election so claiming nothing happened only makes the UPP look bad.
Wehner’s conduct during that interview would have the UPP base enthused yet no independent voter or ALP leaning person would have been inspired. It was essentially an act of political masturbation. A feel good “I am George Wehner” session with no meaningful impact on the outcome of the race, which should be all that matters. He would have been better served by allowing questions to be asked and then answering. George wasted his own speaking time with his unhinged conduct.
Even the UPP’s so called love for Asot is just not resonating. Everyone is aware of their previous positions and vilifying statements, before this current self-serving desperation that has UPP claiming they love Asot more than Labourites ever did. Its all very delusional, as usual.
For someone who likes to pen articles and post, MP
Lewis have been rather silent regarding the candidacy of George Whenner. If they weren’t on the same team one would believe he (MP Lewis)may not even care to see George Whenner win this seat for the party.
From external popular opinion, it seems that most people wanted MP Lewis to lead the party but the internal people wanted different. It now seems that the MP has decided to watch from the sidelines as MP Pringle’s leadership all but obliterate the UPP to send a message of, “see what you get when you don’t select me to lead”.
MP Simon on the other hand seems so caught up with pissing all over his competitors programs and activities and less inclined to ride the dying blue wave that they should be using to take them to government.
All-in-all, both MPs have drawn their lines in the sand. They will have to answer for their lack of support when the party loses additional momentum due to its lack of cohesion which will further degrade as a result of the bi-election outcome.
Perhaps it’s time for the party leadership to decide if all their MPs are really in support of the party or merely falling under the whip because it’s the safest way to retain their seats in parliament. Additionally, MP Pringle’s may have to demonstrate his leadership strength and hold his MPs accountable but taking isolated positions that are far from the interests of the party.
Whatever the future decisions may be, I can guarantee that the optics of these MPs being absent is anything but great for the future prospects of the UPP.