The UPP’s Dishonesty and the Harold Lovell Factor: A Party in Denial
On July 7th, 2025, a startling article circulated claiming that former United Progressive Party (UPP) leader Harold Lovell was preparing to challenge Jamale Pringle for leadership in the next general election. The reaction from the party was immediate and filled with vehement denials—from the highest-ranking officials to grassroots supporters.
“Nothing go so,” they declared. “Lovell retired from politics and he’s not coming back.”
But if Antiguan politics has taught us anything, it’s that Harold Lovell’s “retirements” are rarely permanent—and the denials from UPP often age poorly.
For years, Lovell has publicly stated he
was stepping away from frontline politics. And yet, time and again, he has returned, leaving behind a trail of broken promises and political casualties. Who is next?
The party’s latest round of denial feels like déjà vu to many observers who’ve watched this cycle repeat.
The Pattern of Political Betrayal
Let’s not forget Joanne Messiah—a respected, competent leader who Lovell once praised as “the best candidate to lead the party.” Not long after, Lovell returned, undermined her leadership, and effectively pushed her out. Her career in the UPP was destroyed under the weight of Lovell’s interference, and the party never fully recovered from the split her departure caused.
Then there was Richard Lewis. Lovell gave his full support to Lewis—until he didn’t. When Lewis gained traction and appeared
ready to lead, Lovell returned again and sidelined him. His political momentum never recovered. Lovell return as the convention chairman and and planted a permanent dagger in Richard Lewis’s career.
Lets no be naive and fall for the Barbara Coates lie and made up narratives. She too, fell victim to the pattern. Lovell told her he was “moving her aside for now,” promising to come back and support her. Dont laughed out aloud, just chuckle.That promised support will never materialized, and her political relevance will continue to fade into the background. Good luck Barbara Coates..!
Is Jamale Pringle Next?
Now, Jamale Pringle—a young, rising leader with clear grassroots appeal—is facing the same threat. Lovell has already returned from “retirement” several times,
each time targeting rising figures in the party and replacing hope with division. Supporters of Pringle believe the UPP has finally moved forward under new, youthful leadership. But with this latest rumor, many are asking: is Lovell about to repeat history? I am sorry Pringle, give it up softly and facilitate a smooth transition or Horible Harold will brake your neck and wipe that shine off your black.
While UPP loyalists continue to swear that Lovell is “out for good,” that he is not coming back “this time,” he is just running as a candidate, history provides little reassurance. Each time Harold Lovell promises to step aside, someone else’s political career seems to pay the price. But for me the party pays the biggest price because there is no time for healing.
Manufactured Confusion?
UPP supporters blame the Labour Party
for spreading fake news and stirring confusion. And while political misinformation is nothing new in Antigua and Barbuda, deflecting blame doesn’t address the deeper problem: UPP’s own credibility is crumbling from within.
The party’s lack of transparency, shifting narratives, and chronic denials only erode public trust further. Whether or not Lovell truly intends to return to leadership once more, the damage may already be done. Supporters are confused. Aspirants within the party are nervous. And the public is losing faith in a party that seems more interested in protecting a political relic than building a stable future.
Conclusion
If the UPP wants to survive and rebuild, it needs to be honest with itself and with the public. The Harold Lovell era is supposed to be over. But until the party shows real
commitment to new leadership—and stops recycling the same broken promises—the ghost of Lovell’s political ambition will continue to haunt its future.
I love my party but I can’t support this.
Thank you Antigua News Room for the space.
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If you love your party you would shut up and not write this dumb article to create confusion! How stupid can you get? If you pay attention, Lovell return has caused ALP to sramble and there is suddenly an interest in upp campaign.
but wait, where is jamale pringle anyway? Lovell comeback from the political graveyard to take back the UPP from him and Pringle just laydown and take it like a cheap hooker and tek inna his azz? UPP sarl sarl sarl with loser Lovell back as de party leader. Wooieeeee seesssion hottt
Lovell is so predictable! He did the same thing to Richard Lewis:
“Bro. Harold Lovell told me he was done with elective politics and ask me if I would lead the UPP. In a subsequent conversation, he even suggested who I could consult as my deputy. To my surprise, Bro. Harold changed his mind and decided to run, but didn’t see it fit to even inform me. Instead, I received several calls from individuals suggesting that I back down.
https://antiguanewsroom.com/richard-lewis-denies-wanting-to-mash-up-the-upp/
The people have spoken and their voices were heard loud and clear. The ONE AND ONLY DULY ELECTED LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IS THE HON. LARS JAMALE PRINGLE.
They clearly chose who THEY wanted.
PRINGLE it was
PRINGLE it is
PRINGLE it shall be
The Lovell effect is in full swing.
The laboRATs are uneasy.
They are having sleepless night.
Well, news flash:: they have a lot more sleepless nights ahead.
They can’t hear the name Harold Lovell.
It tickles their eardrums.
So their uneasiness has them writing and dictating the way they want to see the UPP.
With Lovell at the helm the ALP will not get away by six votes this time.
So they are pulling out all the stumps.
They have begun thier attacks.
Sorry for them.
Lovell’s back is strong.
He will not waver.
He has a job to do.
With Richard Lewis and the incompetent Jamale Pringle on his side the result is a foregone conclusion
The end of the labour party is nigh.
So no matter how much you laboRATs sit on the side and try to dictate the happenings in the UPP we will not be moved.
It was your wish for the ALP to contest the elections against Jamale Pringle.
The return of Lovell means that the easy walk Gaston and his minions envisaged is not so easy at all.
So laboRATs, fall in line.
Join the victory train.
Gaston has tarnished Antigua enough.
The leadership Antigua so badly needed is on its way.
Finally, do not forget how old Abraham was when he became a father.
The willo of God must be done.
Antigua has to be rescued.
Lovell is the right man for the jib!!!!!!!
The “Lovell effect” :
IMF
ROMANTIC RHYTHMS
WADADLI POWER CAN’T
ABST HOTEL RIPOFF
ABIB COLLAPSER
BANKING-SECTOR COLLAPSER
ANTI-UWI FIVE ISLANDS CAMPUS
BAICO COLLAPSER
REGISTER SCHOOL BUS IN HIS NAME
I’ve never known the return of one man causing so much strife and tribulation within the ABLP sycophants since Charles II’s restoration to the English 🏴 throne after the Republican period, or even Napoleon’s return to France 🇫🇷 after exile to regain power, or European armies underestimating the great fighting power of Caribbean’s greatest ever leader Toussaint L’Ouverture.
Though I mention all the above historical figures with my tongue firmly in my cheek, it goes without saying that the re-emergence of the Honourable Harold Lovell has caused more than a major ripple amongst the ABLP cabinet members; supporters; retirees and kowtowing OBSEQUIOUS lickspittlers.
It doesn’t get much better than this for the current growing support for the UPP and the country at large.
Many many thanks ABLP 👍🏾
Keep it going, remember publicity isn’t all bad!
I am amused and amazed at the bitterness, harsh and sometimes absurd comments that Lovell’s reentry into the political dynamics has generated. If nothing else, a strong and vibrant opposition helps to strengthen our democracy and can only benefit us all. Whatever internal dynamics about UPP personnel and leadership matters is beside the point. Lovells presence has brought about new focus and greater discussion, something that was sadly lacking from the UPP before. The status quo I guess was better and more pleasing for the ruling party as they always controlled the narrative with very little discussion afterwards. Now there’s more dialogue, deliberation, debates, focus and a sense of urgency all over. Even the blind can see that since his return, Mr Lovell has been able to influence and control the news cycle on a number of pertinent issues This is a plus and should be openly welcomed by all. There are agents out there that are deliberately trying to sow seeds of discord, turmoil and bitterness as a means of creating disunity, chaos and division and you only have to read these forums to see them.
Was this letter WRITTEN BY RICHARD LEWIS???
These imposters under their varying pseudos seem to be highly tormented after calling each other around the clock to ascertain if what they were hearing about Lovell’s return is true that now the confirmation, it looks like they are vying for the pulitzer prize for the Harold Lovell documentary. How about asking the Leader of your party to announce a date for the leadership convention?
Diatribe, diatribe, diatribe. These ABLP operatives are trying everything under the sun to create as much confusion as possible, do not fall tor there nonsense. Harold got them in a tizzy, I just waiting for another round of assault from Faithful National #1 hopes he doesn’t disappoint
I am amused and amazed at the bitterness, harsh and sometimes absurd comments that Lovell’s reentry into the political dynamics has generated. If nothing else, a strong and vibrant opposition helps to strengthen our democracy and can only benefit us all. Whatever internal dynamics about UPP personnel and leadership matters is beside the point. Lovells presence has brought about a new sharper focus and greater discussion, something that was sadly lacking from the UPP before. The status quo I guess was better and more pleasing for the ruling party as they always controlled the narrative with very little or no discussion afterwards. Now there’s more dialogue, deliberation, debates, focus and a sense of urgency all over. Even the blind can see that since his return, Mr Lovell has been able to influence and control the news cycle on a number of pertinent issues. This is a big plus and should be openly welcomed by all. There are agents out there that are deliberately trying to sow seeds of discord, turmoil and bitterness as a means of creating disunity, chaos and division and you only have to read these forums to see them.
I am amused that an old man would allow a Dominican beauty queen to HOODWINK HIM the way he “claimed” that she did. He has never been the same since.
As a citizen, I have to laugh at this article attacking Harold Lovell. Everything they list as “negatives” actually shows why he’s still the strongest leader around.
They say he retired and came back? That’s called commitment. When his party and country need him, Lovell answers the call.
The truth is, Harold Lovell sets the standard — the other side struggles to keep up.
They say Jamale Pringle should “watch out”? On the contrary, Lovell and Pringle working together can only make the UPP stronger. The wisdom of experience and the energy of youth is the perfect combination to help the party grow and move forward. That’s unity, not division.
And while they talk about “confusion” and “credibility,” the fact that Harold Lovell is still the center of every conversation proves one thing: he is still relevant, still powerful, and still a force to be reckoned with.
So thank you for the free publicity. You just reminded the nation why Harold Lovell continues to stand tall.
#LovellStrong #LeadershipMatters #AntiguaPolitics #StandWithLovell #ResilientLeader #ASW #LovelStrong
Good article but the jury is out on whether it is really a supporter of the UPP that wrote this article.
Because if that was so, that supporter or member would have known the true story about the Joanne Massiah episode. The other side loves to recount their version of the story, because they will do anything to make the UPP look bad.
From one member to another, there are three sides to a story. One thing we learn, is the truth is not always the one we want to hear because it often does not fit our narrative. Massiah knows why she was asked to leave the UPP. She also knows that it was not Lovell’s decision why the party did not want her to be the leader. He foolishly, as he has done on two other occasions, hastily reacted to his loss at the polls, and he is paying for his hastiness and will forever pay for it politically. To his credit, he did try to ameliorate the situation, but she and her bunch were already in victim mode and was having none of his advances.
Concerning Jahmale Pringle being a “young, rising leader with clear grassroots appeal”. We all know that he does not have what it takes to lead the UPP to victory. No matter what his supporters say about how he was duly elected, (there was cheating. I was there), and giving him “wan chance”, it does not work like that in this modern, fast-pace, challenging world. To keep insisting that he be the leader of the party is to admit that the UPP will not get to run this country in the near future.
UPP members have to be wise. If they want to supplant Gaston Browne and his comrades they would have to forego their stubborn sentiments about Pringle and think about the future of the UPP.
Gaston a systematically mash up UPP and UPP can’t see..
It is the writter who is in denial or flying under false flag
Did it ever occur to you folks Gaston and his people coined the phase: “Jamal Pringle is the Duly Elected Leader”.
The idea of Pringle being the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda is unsettling to many, including the expatriot community.
Many selfish people within the UPP political party who can manhandle Pringle finds that phase conveniently suitable for their selfish wishes about duly elected.
These are people who claim they are political scientists, would rather see ABLP remain in power knowing Pringle is the only one they can pressure to get what they want.
Pringle bogus election fraud was for the purposes of people getting personal wishes accomplished.
This ALP writer think they are smart, romanticizing Jamal Pringle to create balkanization between upp supporters, it’s like been scared of Lovell, whence did an enemy praise their opponent, the ALP so love Pringle? Well tell Gaston hand over the position of prime minister to Pringle then you idiot. trying to cause division among the change that is needed right now to get Antigua away from the the empowerment of white people, social security building condominiums for white people in jolly beach, and PLH having parliamentary assistance and the army and police guard to take lands at gun point in Barbuda.
The writer of this article is clearly a person of former enslave ancestors and has no ideology since emancipation, and still celebrate white empowerment as a way to be validated.
Lovell is going to understand Pringle the same way he undermine Coates and just Luke Coates Pringle is going to enjoy it.
Already Lovell is making the headlines and will continue to make the headlines while Pringle cannot even get a mention.
Next thing you will hear, the people calling for Lovell to be leader along with the pititioning. The Pringle will do the right thing.
This was Lovell’s plan all along leave politics, give Pringle rope to hang himself, then comes the shout we want Lovell, we want Lovell, bring back the captain. Then he respond well the people call for me so here I am.
UPP please get your act together and rid the party of the women forum.
Audley Phillip you are on point, move to the front of the class. Secondly if UPP follows its constitution and Lovell runs for the leadership during the next constitutionally due convention or party elections for the leadership and is duly / democratically elected there is nothing wrong with that . I would even go further by using an independent body to manage or handle the election- counting etc. If the electoral commission can facilitate the process ensuring accountability and transparency better yet. I would even suggest an organization like Lions if it’s ok for them as a possible alternative.
This is what democracy is about and knowing Pringle he will not oppose. I also believe that the writer of this article is an ABLP operative.
How can he be “on point” and still allow himself to get swindled and clowned by that Dominican young lady?
Where was his brain then? In the lower head??
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