UPP Chairperson Gisele Isaac defended her party’s decision to leave seats vacant during a recent Senate and House of Representatives session, citing government disrespect toward the opposition.
Isaac expressed on Observer AM that the government’s clear reluctance to engage with the UPP led to senators’ non-participation. Criticizing the limited time granted for the December 19 budget debate, she argued it was unfair and insufficient for proper preparation.
Isaac emphasized the opposition’s ongoing effort to ready presentations even on the day of the budget debate, highlighting the initial proposal for December 18 and subsequent government shifts.
Despite the opposition’s insistence on December 21, a vote scheduled the debate for December 19, prompting their absence from the discussion.
The UPP plans a public event on January 11 to present opposition perspectives on the 2024 budget.
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Well said, your Honourable Gisele Isaacs Chairperson of the UPP.
Gaston Browne’s and the ABLP’S list of disrespect is an exhaustive one.
Here just a few of many:
1), The opposition party
2), Tax payers (improper usage)
3), Workforce (delayed wages and payments)
4), Medical professionals (lack of equipment and resources)
5), Pensioners (wondering if they’ll receive their payments on their due dates)
6), Police (see Medical professionals)
7), Indigenous Antiguans (who continually call out for transparency in all political matters)
8), Barbudan’s (stripping away their land rights)
9), Antiguan entrepreneurs (wanting the same concessions as their Caucasian counterparts)
10), The Homeless (the delays and lack of affordable housing must be addressed forthwith)
I could easily add another 10 more to this list.
I agree wholeheartedly with the Chairperson, because this isn’t just about ignoring the ABLP’S budget, but more about the condescending and disrespectful way that Gaston Browne runs politics in this country, by regularly hanging the “swords of Damocles” over hardworking Antiguans.
DOES GASTON BROWNE HATE US THAT BAD!
Disrespect does not mean you do not your job. UPP should not be shaken so easily. Gaston got his dream budget debate this year when he is about to raise ABST due to the UPP absence. Nobody in Parliament spoke against the raising of the ABST. Nobody criticized any part of Gaston’s entire budget. Gaston was able to hold only one day of debate where ALP members all spoke in favour of it, no opposition members said a word and then it was passed with all “yes” votes at the end of that day. “People’s Parliament” will take place in January when the budget debate as an issue is dead and buried. Nobody will care then and nobody will tune in. UPP needs better political strategists and advisers as the advice received about this parliamentary boycott was terrible and awful.
Again, another MYOPIC supporter like @ Not So Common not understanding – or seeing – the bigger picture, and giving the ABLP a free pass once more, as Gassssston hangs the ‘sword of Damocles’ over ALL of our heads.
When will these PAROCHIAL supporters wake-up to being played as well, then maybe, just maybe, honesty in politics will prevail in Antigua & Barbuda.
and how does being absent from Parliament during the budget debate help anyone, especially the UPP? I do not support Gaston or the ALP. I am simply trying to point out to the UPP that this boycott was ill conceived. Nothing more, nothing less.
Whether or not you support Gaston Browne or the ABLP is not the point that I was making @ Not So Common.
Gaston Browne is running the country that I love, like some sort of dictatorship; and I’m absolutely flummoxed that he’s got away with this “carrot and stick” approach for so long.
Antiguans seems to enjoy this type of political and biblical self flagellation …
@ Not So Common
UPP DOES NOT NEED YOUR IDEAS NOR SUGGESTIONS. YOUR JOB ON THIS SITE IS TO TEAR DOWN UPP, PRINGLE AND GISELLE AND WE ALL SEE THAT IN YOUR THREADS. WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOU?
SO THE ABST IS ABOUT TO BE RAISED BECAUSE UPP WAS ABSENT IN PARLIAMENT??????
MINION GO HIDE YA DAM SELF. WHETHER UPP WAS THERE OR NOT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PASSED. DO YOU KNOW 8 IS MORE THAN 7 AND EVEN THEN ASOT WAS NOT EVEN IN THE COUNTRY. WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM??
U R SO DUMB. SO UPP’S ABSENCE IS THE CAUSE FOR AN INCREASE IN ABST???
BOI GO SIDDUNG!!!!
SHEER RUBBISH.
I see that you are a person who is very tolerant of the opinions of others. Maybe if you were more objective and open-minded, you would see that being absent from Parliament served no purpose at all. Don’t kill the messenger! 😁
@crapp nothing in their comment was tearing down the UPP. They are absolutely right. The UPP’s absent during the budget debate is childish and doesn’t serve the greater good in any way. We expect them to do the job we are paying them to do and provide alternatives as well as hold the government accountable when they err, not take their ball and go home as soon as the environment doesn’t suit them. Each citizen has the right to express opinions that don’t enable either party’s bad behavior. The UPP is not excluded from that.
@ Antigua First/ LOVE OF COUNTRY FIRST!!!! (pseudonyms galore)
OK MINION, CONSOLE YOU AND YOUR FELLOW MINIONS.
The oppositions actions were justified and impactful, the mere fact you are talking about it shows that. This was an effective way to stop Gaston from disrespecting them and not giving him any recognition.
Whether they had boycotted the debate or not it would have passed so dont go blaming them for an INCREASE IN ABST- this is so ASININE 😒
It is being talked about because of the absolute stupidity of it, not because of impact. The country is in dire need of a change, however charades and theatrics is not going to inspire confidence in the UPP to see that happen. The biggest issue is that they seem to be living in a vacuum. If Gaston chooses to disrespect the UPP, the halls of Parliament is not the only place to do so effectively. Bullies have to be face head on. But as usual, anyone who doesn’t agree with your stance is insulted. This is a reason why we have no sensible discourse on matters as a people. Let’s see how many times they can sit out of Parliament and let’s see if the government changes as a result. Btw I didn’t blame them for the increase and that was not the point of my comment to begin with. Their baseless absence was.
I will send you some Angostura bitters to help you get over your bitterness for D Giselle Isaac and the UPP.
Your hatred for them is astounding! WOW
Where was all this when the ABLP constantly boycotted/walked out of parliament and the senate?
Speaking of disrespect. Based on things like these we do not have to ask how disrespectful UPP would be if they were in power.
@ Cory, please explain what you mean, instead of throwing out useless and pointless soundbites.
Take a leaf out of Brixtonian’s “book” , I explain everything in a cogent, intelligent and logical manner … that’s how educated people roll 😉
@ BRIXTONIAN, D GISEL ISAAC talking rubbish. UPP bunch of NO GOOD MP’S are looking for public SYMPATHIES for Their stupidity. They are afraid to debate the bills becaUse of lack of CAPACITY
Shame on you Guys
BRIXTONIAN should find a job and stop spewing GARBAGE.
@ GILES
Please stick to one pseudonym.
ABLP are a BUNCH of YES GOOD MP’s. They never boycotted parliament in their life time even when Lester Bird and his allies wanted to OUST VC Bird from office when even their own MP’s boycotted parliament during a 5 minute BUDGET debate!!!!!
‘WERE THEY ‘YES GOOD MP’s’?
U HYPOCRITICAL MINIONS-
Come on GILES, you can respond better than that!
How about answering ANY of the 10 disrespectful points that I have highlighted, that Gassssston doesn’t give a damn ’bout we.
OVER TO YOU GILES, IN 3, 2, 1 … BOOFUM BANG!!!
Oh BTW, did my phraseology of the “Sword of Damocles” discombobulate or throw you GILES? 😁
All the Senators both sides had the same amount of time to prepare. It’s clear the upp had no real critique for the budget as it is.
Did the labour senators critique the budget or just rubber stamp it? They know better than critique it as they would be shown the door by the dictator.
@Iman…#logic says different, as in, “both sides had the same amount of time to prepare.”
Total nonsense; and, here’s why.
While the budget was being prepared, by the ABLP, they would’ve had [sic] total access to whatever information, from all government departments, to prepare for the debate, since, the ABLP is in control.
Now, on the other foot, the UPP even though should not be totally clueless, they’re professionals too; but, they would not have total access to all of the data, etc, to counter or agree with the ABLP’s arguments.
So, let’s be logical, get pass all of this #Sand_Box, #Dolly_House, idiocy and pay #forward solid footings which are still very needed, to build the Nation, of Antigua, Barbuda and REDONDA.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De ‘ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
…same blurnclath rassclath, idiatnis day in, sunrise to moon a set.
Only the Labourites and Gastonites are calling UPP “stupid ” for taking a stand. We can disregard them. For the most parts they are incapable of concrete reasoning.
Have we forgotten Gaston Browne’s attempt to steal the Alpha Nero? Cutie and all the others were only pawns. The DAWG was the pupetpet master behind the piracy. Many of you ALP clowns were up in arms about the boycott? Today UPP parliamentarians are looking like geniuses and your idiot DAWG like the greedy, incompetent clown that he is.
Again, this was a blatant disregard for law and order perpetrated by Gaston Browne. Make no mistake about it, he was behind this move. The other clowns in his cabinet are just reprehensible cowards.
Hey Labourites and Gastonites? Word is, the same IMF whom ALP has vilified and you foolishly swallow, is where Gaston Browne got many of his budget ideas.
I tell you, the man is such a dunce and so untrustworthy, don’t be surprised if he goes, cap in hand, begging the IMF for money. The DAWG returning to his vomit.
UPP and its affiliates, as usual show why they are a waste. Debating the budget does the party in power a favor? Criticism of it does GB a favor? The opposition acts as if they planned to laud the budget hence claimed disrespect caused them to not go forward. Most of the figures are known in advance. They then got additional info via the budget speech. Was telling watching the idiot opposition (Pringle) leader run from the ABS main reports and leave Richard Lewis to confirm their thinking that the budget presented nothing new. You argue there is nothing new with one side of your mouth yet with another claim you need more time to prepare. As usual the opposition is found with no oil
@ tenman
”No oil”…..lol, your favourite phrase during the St Mary’s South by-election when you spoke of Shuggy being the foolish virgin with no oil. Always chatting crap.
Who ended up WITH NO OIL? NOT YOUR ‘god’ the PM (who had to run helter skelter from the beating he was getting during the count?) and the other hypocrite virgin, JUDAS ISCARIOT.
You and ABLP can keep all the oil🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@ tenman, at least you tried to explain your side of the situation, unlike your fellow acolyte, who ‘can’t explain a damn thing’ @ Cory …
@tenman, the biggest idiot in our country is Gaston Browne. Oh he throws a few “big word,” in to sound educated, but the man is a malaprop.
Pringle is no dictator. When they move, it’s a united,?calculated move.
You Laborites and Gastonites need to get this through your red cool aid drinking stupor; preparation was required to effectively debate this 8 inch thick budget; Gaston Browne wanted to reduce the time to 1 day to prevent this. It all coincides with the badmindedness of the man. UPP exposed his lies and incompetence earlier this year, just like Covid-19 exposed him in 2020. He did not want a repeat performance.
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