OPINION: The UPP’s Unraveling: Vindication at Last

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The latest public implosion within the United Progressive Party (UPP)—with MPs Algernon Watts, Kelvin Simon, and Richard Lewis airing grievances about exclusion and toxicity—feels like déjà vu. But this isn’t just about internal strife.

It’s about a recurring pattern we’ve witnessed before, one the public has too often dismissed or forgotten. And it forces us to ask: Why do we only validate certain voices when it’s politically convenient?

Over recent years, revelations about the UPP’s internal dysfunction have exposed a culture of opaque decision-making and retaliation against dissent.

Former members such as Joanne Massiah and Chaneil Imhoff—as well as voices like Lamin Newton—have bravely spoken out about the disrespect and mistreatment they endured while serving under the party’s banner. Their experiences are not isolated incidents; they form part of a broader pattern of political alienation that has plagued those who dare to challenge the status quo.

Joanne Massiah was one of only three UPP candidates to win her seat in the historic 2014 elections. That achievement alone underscored her competence and the trust the electorate placed in her. Yet, her subsequent expulsion in February 2017—after she challenged the party’s opaque backroom decisions—makes her treatment even more egregious.

Rather than engaging in a robust debate over policy and leadership, party loyalists quickly labeled her as “difficult” and accused her of “dividing the movement.” Massiah’s only “crime” was refusing to accept a process that masked undemocratic practices as internal procedure. When a leader who has earned her seat through hard-fought electoral victory is systematically erased, it is not only a personal injustice—it is a stain on the entire political system.

Chaneil Imhoff’s resignation further illustrates this troubling pattern. In her public statement, she detailed how, despite years of loyal service, she was undermined for speaking out about irregularities during the St. Peter primary. Critics dismissed her concerns as mere overreaction, yet history tells a different story.

Notably, the very individual, Tevaughn “Peter Redz” Harriette for whom they destroyed her reputation, also lter faced the sae disrespect —only to be removed to make way for George Whener, a party pitbull and unquestioning yes-man—illustrates the UPP’s predilection for replacing dissent with blind loyalty. This replacement was not a mere personnel change; it was emblematic of a system that prioritizes conformity over constructive criticism.

Anthony Smith’s journey is equally revealing. His defection from the UPP was met with venom from former allies—he was branded a liar and accused of betraying the party. Over time, however, even those who once denounced him have had to concede that his criticisms were valid.

Smith’s vindication, coming only after his career was jeopardized, serves as a stark reminder that true accountability should not be delayed. If the same toxic practices that forced Massiah, Imhoff, and others to leave continue to be tolerated, then the nation as a whole pays the price in lost talent, diminished trust, and weakened governance.

The recent outcry from MPs Watts, Simon, and Lewis resurrects the very issues that once compelled Massiah, Imhoff, Newton and others to take a stand. Their criticisms—centered on exclusion, opaque decision-making, and retaliation—are dismissed as mere “internal disagreements” when voiced by certain members.

The difference is largely one of perception: Massiah was labeled disruptive while these more recent voices are deemed “frustrated allies.” This double standard undermines the possibility of honest political debate.

We have a habit in Antigua and Barbuda of offering retroactive justice—only later admitting, “Oh, they were right all along.” But by that time, reputations are tarnished, careers are derailed, and public faith in our political system is irreparably weakened.

Vindication should not be an afterthought; it must start today by acknowledging those who dared to speak truth to power from the outset. It is time for the UPP—and all political institutions—to recognize that silencing dissent is not a path to unity but a recipe for internal decay.

An immediate apology and a commitment to genuine transparency are essential steps toward healing our political system. Only by holding our leaders accountable can we hope to build a system that truly serves the aspirations of Antigua and Barbuda.

Concerned Antiguan

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