Six weeks after the former leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP) Harold Lovell tendered his resignation, speculation has been rife regarding when the party will host its convention to officially elect his replacement.
Yesterday, the party’s interim leader Jamale Pringle told Observer that the convention will likely take place in June.
“The general council will determine when will be the convention but I can tell you this much, we are looking for a convention in June and when the time comes, we will see what it is,” Pringle said.
To date, no confirmation has been made concerning who else plans to throw his or her hat into the ring for the leadership alongside Pringle.
But although many predict that the race to the leadership will be a controversial one, Pringle assured that the UPP will remain united in its cause.
“What I will tell you is that you will continue to see a strong United Progressive Party and that is our intention going forward.
“A convention is not supposed to be divisive and we will ensure that we do whatever it takes as an organisation to have a smooth convention and whomever becomes the leader will have the full support of the entire organisation,” Pringle added.
Shortly after the recent general election, Lovell – who served as the party’s leader from 2015 following the retirement of former prime minister Baldwin Spencer – announced his resignation in a statement to the media, which he advised took effect from January 20.
Pringle, the deputy leader at the time, was returned as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the All Saints East and St Luke constituency following the January 18 polls.
Lovell missed out by six votes in his bid to retake the St John’s City East seat that had sent him to the House of Representatives in 2004 and 2009.
In 2004, as the MP for St John’s City East, he was appointed Minister of Tourism, Aviation, Culture and the Environment.
In 2009, Lovell became Minister of Finance, the Economy and Public Administration.
The 67-year-old attorney was elected political leader of the UPP during the party’s 2015 convention after defeating Richard Lewis for the position, and has been the force behind the rebuilding of the UPP since it lost office in 2014. (OBSERVER By Newsco)
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RICHARD LEWIS! Pringle is a good guy but he is not PM material. We need someone who can speak the Queen’s English properly. If Pringle is elected as leader, that will make many voters think twice about voting for UPP simply because they cannot envision Pringle as PM.
It’s my hope that Pringle will return as the leader of the UPP. Pringle is young and vibrant, he has the ability to mobilise young voters as was demonstrated in January’s elections. Antigua needs young people with integrity, vision and tenacity to take our homeland from the edge of the abyss that ALP has plunged us into.
However, if members decide to vote for an alternative leader, it is imperative that UPP remains steadfast, avoid in fighting, but endeavour to resolve differences amicably that the public don’t lose confidence with UPP. The public has given the UPP a clear indication that young Antiguans want a change, a change from corruption and poverty that has governed our country for decades under ALP corrupt administration.
Please, UPP members of Parliament, don’t let yourselves down and the people of Antigua down by fulfilling the negative expectations of the media and the poisonous administration of ALP.
UPP must collectively stick together with the realisation that “red” is dead!!
Pringle did NOT mobilize any young voters. He ran in a opposition “safe seat” constituency!!
Pringle’s greatest threat is himself, followed by his own fellow MPs. At least 3 were noticeably absent from his swearing-in ceremony at Government House.
Don’t be naive with your silly wishful thinking. Others have been plotting against him and gunning for his head.
Common sense and subject-verb agreement are just two of his allergies.
P.S. – should an MP have a Government contract to pick up dead dogs?? 🐕 🐕
Should any MP have government contracts for anything at all? How many does the PM and his family has?
So let us insist that MPs and their immediate families be disqualified for government contracts.
No Job is Degrading! Dignity is not created or destroyed by the job you perform. Dignity comes from being the person you are.
So thanks Mr Pringle, for being a humble servant of the people in this Nation.
Should any MP be stealing from the state? There are quite a few who are doing just that but 1 is notorious for such actions. He is nothing short of being a cleptomaniac.
@Serpent et al, the UPP members who were absent from the Hon.Pringle might have good reasons for their non attendance, but ALP and it supporters are diligently endeavouring to throw mud after they got a good hiding at the ballot boxes.
I am sure you are in a perfect position to talk about naivety, let’s us look at that word and apply it to Gaston Browne, shall we Browne? Browne jumped into bed with Marvellous Mike who’s a citizen from a country with a world wide reputation for corruption and fraud.
Browne signed a contract with MM agreeing to 80:20, in other words if Antigua Airways made $100, MM would gain $80 profit and Antigua $20. I wonder, was that agreement prudent, or foolhardy?
MM promised rich tourists, instead what did we get? Planes of poor Nigerians who couldn’t afford $80 US per night at Jolly Harbour. Additionally, MM has walked away laughing at Dundee United (Yoruba for complete idiot).
Antigua is now left with 800 or more stranded fraudulent asylum seekers. Dundee United and his yes cabinet members are left scratching their scalps because they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
There is no point getting charter flights to return them to Nigeria, because there is no substantial evidence to determine who is from where in West Africa, they cannot return to Nigeria via the UK, US and Canada because those countries will not grant them intransit visa.
Antiguans who are nieve to the Point of stupidity need to remove the dark shades and see what is ahead of us…dangling on the edge of the abyss with the walking the disaster GB.
@ Antigua4ever
Listen and listen well.
That 80:20 arrangement was deliberate.
The dog was not fooled. He has it all worked out. His reward was not passenger money. Oh no. Bigger fish to fry than that.
Notice that all the talk about what was removed from the back of the plane has dried up. Notice all the talk about the storage place at the old airport has dried up.
If Gaston Browne survives all this con game he plays with Antigua people and wins every time, he has to go down in history as one of the best. No lie.
Why don’t you take up the contract to pick up the dead animals from around the country then, if someone else was willing to do it don’t u think Gaston backside would a done give that other person the contract
If you’re the leader of a party and that party happens to win the election, does that leader automatically become Prime Minister?
Who would have thought, Assot Micheal for leader of the opposition). At first they want to see Bird’s in the dustbin of history (UPP 2004 manifesto). Then one on their ticket. A killer is among their winning candidate. Now they in bed with Assot Micheal with no protection. A willingness to seel yourself to devil for power, yet fell short
Start the Caribbean Junior Reader book asap!
Yet, Pringle is the Honourable Jamale Pringle and you’re a Deranged NOBODY. Get a life, you green eyed monster!
Thanks to the pothole gang for fixing the two craters by Clarehall School. Job well done!!! On a separate note, why hasnt the health department taken action on the property on Epicurean drive ie the aprtment complex for allowing the waste bathroom water to be flooding the concrete road on Lauchland Benjamin drive to the from of Canada Place. This is such a health hazzard, downright gross and unsightly.
It is my humble opinion that there is little,if any, egotistical UPP representative. Contrary to the discordant pitch that the Labourites are voicing, I have never heard any disparaging remarks from any UPP member about Pringle being appointed interrim leader. This is about our country needing to be rescued from this corrupt,crooked ALP, Gaston Browne led government.
We must ALL remain focused. This country is on the brink of disaster with all the scandals, banking issues and now security breaches and echoes of human trackfing.
I hate negative people. Damn… Y’all criticize people to the bone come on. Give people a chance. He might not can speak like an English guy but surely has the knowledge to do the work . Someone who is brilliant and has all his or her subjects may not can do the do work and is not street smart. A person who is not brilliant and doesn’t have much subjects can do the work. Some of you need to shut the hell up cuz some of you have children that can’t even spell so y’all need to stop with the bullshit. Allow people and give people a chance. Big them up if you have too. Y’all cursing over politics. At the end they all sit together eat and drink and laugh together so please some of you take a seat and calm down. The country suffered enough but yet y’all don’t want change. Such a bunch a fools and lunatics .
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