UPP’s Pearl Quinn-Williams Joins Leadership Race

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Pearl Quinn-Williams, the UPP caretaker for St John’s Rural North, and Richard Lewis, the UPP Member of Parliament for St John’s Rural West, have both confirmed their candidacies for the party’s top position.

Quinn-Williams is the sole female candidate, and while she has not provided details, her announcement has generated significant interest.

Lewis, in his second attempt at the leadership position, brings extensive parliamentary experience.

Interim Political Leader Jamale Pringle, with substantial support within the party, is also running.

The UPP has been without an elected leader since Harold Lovell’s resignation in 2023. Lovell’s narrow defeat led to his retirement.

The UPP’s convention, expected in late April, will determine the new leader.

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38 COMMENTS

  1. If Pearl can’t secure a seat, how is it she can run for leadership? It makes no sense! Stand down Pearl and focus on winning your seat first and stop grabbing for power. Just because u made a grand speech over the cjj doesn’t mean u are ready for leadership in this country!

    • If a thiefing dictator can do it, then anyone else can because it can’t get any worse. Even a dog in a blue shirt can.

    • @ Smh

      I didn’t hear anyone asking for your opinion, so go and hide in a crab hole. That CCJ loss really hurt you (Gaston badly 🤣🤣🤣🤣)

      • @ ……. clearly u lack attention so let me give you some. You are also out of touch bc you cant even interpret the message. U are so dunce and narrow minded! News flash, i am NOT affiliated with any party, I am a independent thinker – try looking that up in the dictionary. The fact remains Pearl has NOT secured a seat and she will never win against Max! Upp needs to find someone else to challege Max. The irony about your response susgest u should live in the crab hole hahaha

    • @ Smh….. I think we should give Pearl some kudos for being so ambitious to enter the contest to be the leader…… However, should she win the leadership then may good Lord have mercy on UPP and & this beautiful nation of ours….. It will be the blind leading the blind…

    • @Smh:Why the hell do you care if she runs? She is a National of Antigua and Barbuda.She has all of the rights to run for any damn Office she wants to. She has more backbones than many of you so called men in Antigua.Like those who switched from the UPP and are now kissing Gaston’s rear.I do hope she wins that Leadership race.Remember,trust is a must.I do not know her personally,never met her.I do not vote in Antigua.However,I would financially support her campaign.

      • @ black-man u seems to be very slow… last time I checked we are entitled to our own opinion. If u don’t like it, shut up and move on.

  2. Pearl Quinn. Good choice. I wanted to get your number so I could have encouraged you to go for the leadership of the party. However, the party must be careful that a separation is not created within. So once the leader is elected/selected all should give their support and keep the party going.

    • I like Pearl. I think she is dynamic and has the right attitude and the right fighting spirit and a force to be recon with. The only problem that I have is that don’t you first have to be an elected member of parliament before you can contest the leadership of a party?

      • @ black-man u seems to be very slow… last time I checked we are entitled to our own opinion. If u don’t like it, shut up and move on.

  3. Dear Mrs Williams
    One prepared speech on an issue that sided with the views of the majority of the people does not a politician make.

    This seems to be your call card to vie for the highest post in the land. You did not win your bid to become an elected representative. You were not even considered for a place in the Senate.
    Here is a suggestion. Go and win your seat first. You will be more credible. In fact, go and organize your constituency branch first, like opening the branch office that has been closed for the longest while.
    Practice the political thing a bit longer. The fact that you are a woman and not many of them are around is not a good excuse to bring you in.
    Give your support to one of the guys who are vying for leadership, even maybe the one you have been badtalking and saying he does not qualify, or the one you have been saying is not a team player.
    Learn something about leading. Having Knight do your cheerleading at night is not enough. You have to earn it, and right now, your credits don’t look so good.

    • @ One CCJ speech does not a leader make

      OK BITTER GASTON. There are a few things that you cannot let go and are making you soooo BITTER-
      -The banging from Shuggy in St Marys South that made u cry and spend $5,000,000.00
      -The banging from Pearl in the CCJ that has caused you to hate her. I would caution you that bitterness leads to illness, adding to your already prior prognosis of psychosis (similar to imhoff)

  4. Richard Lewis is the natural choice… now Pearl wants to be leading from the outside….and is hinging on Harold Lovell support….and we know he still has tremendous influence on the party….I wonder would the former political leader and Former Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer openly endorse and support Richard Lewis for leader…
    Let the delegates and members of the party decide….the next political leader of the UPP…
    Question: if Pringle is defeated by Richard Lewis…would he relinquish the Title of Leader of the Opposition in Parliament? Would he now require to sit lower down the order behind Trevor Walker? Or Trevor have to ease down? Only time will tell.
    It’s a pity that the formidable Trevor Walker cannot be in the fight for leadership….sadly he is not a member of the UPP and would never be seen or considered a member of the UPP. I just can’t imagine in what good sense why he hold on to a party that can only win the a seat but not an election…guess he love being the Step-Child of the UPP…
    It’s a pity he would have been a great leader and imagine a Prime minister.

    • @ Dexter Pelle

      UPP DID NOT LOSE THE ELECTION. IT WAS STOLEN BY GASTON AND THE ABLP AS HE STATED ON RUM SHOP RADIO THAT HE TRANSFERRED VOTERS FROM VARIOUS CONSTITUENCIES TO ENABLE THE PARTY TO ”WIN” THE ELECTION.
      THE ABLP IS AN ILLEGITIMATE ”GOVERNMENT”

    • @ Dexter Pelle, the answer to your first question is yes, once the leader of the party wins his seat he is automatically the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. In regards to the former PM coming out in support of MP Lewis not too sure. The former PM had the opportunity to name three members of rural west to head three important government departments…namely Customs, Police and immigration. History tells the sad tale that he did nothing in empowering people of rural west. You can recalled how the Chairman of the party was thrown out of office and he did nothing…..need i say more? I THINK NOT

  5. @Smh,
    We think we have a Parliamentary democracy. What we have is an abortion of a Parliamentary democracy.
    The UK has a Prime Minister that was not voted in by the People of the UK. When Liz Truss was booted out, insiders put Rishi Sunak into the Prime Minister seat without an election.

    The process and rules as I understand it is very simple.

    Should six UPP individuals choose to run, only one can win. Should the winner of the Party leadership don’t win their seat in Parliament; and should the Party win the majority of the constituencies, then they choose a new leader.

    The important thing is that all the losers fall in line, and support the new leader.

    True leaders who loose the party leadership falls in line and work their tails off to get the party elected. Leaders don’t run off and form a new party to undermine their previous Party because of their grievances.

    The fact is Peal Quinn is among the better balls breaker in the UPP. She stake out an issue, and she stands in the blazing sun to bring attention to an issue of national importance

    I don’t know what are her other policies and her integrity; but she seems like a worthy candidate. She has balls; that others just carry around.

    • @ casual observer, This is what I call an intellectual discussion without the noise from @ …… I see your point although in my opinion, she has not convince me to have the ability to be a leader of this country. I think Jackie Quinn would have been a better option for leader of this country if she was running. However, Richard Lewis in my view is the best candidate to take the upp leadership.

  6. @ Dexter Pelle,
    While I agree with you concerning Richard Lewis, but I beg to differ concerning Trever Walker

    Lester Bird with ZDK and and The ALBP tried to claim 4 seats that they lost back in 2009. After UPP won the case; the Barbuda seat was the single parliamentary seat that gave UPP the majority, and the ability to form a Government.

    Trevor did not willingly join the UPP As the wrangling went on as to which party was the winner, Trevor played footsie with Lester Bird. This surreptitious corporation and negotiation with hostile political interests and a prominent business family weaken Baldwin Spencer’s mandate going into his second term.

    Trevor extracted a whole lot personal out of PM Spencer and the UPP. The 2007 Barbuda land Act being one of them.

    Trevor Walker is a performance act with a lot of baggage in his closet. Take it from me.

    • Barbuda you love….Trevor walker’s win in 2009 had no impact or gave UPP any majority difference…UPP won 9 seats ( as ABLP now) ALP won 7 and BPM won 1 …a result quite similar to 18th Jan 2023…
      All I’m saying Trevor Walker and Barbuda would be better positioned if the UPP had a representative in Barbuda.

  7. Well done your Honourable Pearl Quinn-Williams. The more taking part the better for the upwardly mobile UPP – a government in waiting.

    This great contest will reveal who will be more than capable of removing the ABLP and the – out of touch – Gaston Browne from office.

    My own favourite hasn’t come yet, but it is still early days.

    The excitement for change in Antigua & Barbuda is palpable!

    I feel like going out on the streets to dance and prance.

    CHANGE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN IS ON ITS WAY, HIP, HIP

    • @Brix … Go and dance on the streets don’t forget to wear your gstring u political wantabe .. u are so confused … U sound bipolar

  8. CONGRATULATIONS PEARL I have been waiting for this announcement. You will be the first Female Prime Minister for ANTIGUA/ BARBUDA. Pringle does Not cut it. Let’s start the campaign.

  9. All the Gastonites who are making inquiries about UPP’s leadership, should be concerned about the next ALP convention that will never happen, as long as Gaston is still in elective politics. He has already decapitated Chet,Steadroy and Molwyn and that is a warning to all the other with similarintentions. Lammin might make a bold move because anyone who is capable of doing what the Darg said that Lammin was doing, naturally has courage.

  10. One reason why we are having all the governance problems now is because we love to choose our leaders with our hearts only and not our heads.

    Gaston Browne was brash and in your face, and a ‘ghetto boy’ and married to a young woman, changed his clothes in the road, and the young people said he was natural and tells it like it is.
    Look at the state of us now. It was like choosing a wife because she looks pretty.

    We have a successful team with a star player making all the runs or putting up big points in the game. Suddenly we want to make him the captain, until even he believes he should be captain.
    His performance level drops and the team also suffers. Because he could hit a ball, or score points does not make him a leader. At least, not yet.

    Pearl will be fine. Right now she needs to learn how to organize and lead her branch well.

    Keep working in her constituency and learn how to swim in the putrid pool that is Antigua politics. It is time to have a woman leader, but you don’t put one just because it is time.

    Until then, she is not ready for leadership of the party.

  11. I was hoping to see her deeper in active politics and I think it’s too pre-mature for her to run for party leadership but we will just have to see how it pans out.

    The fact that there are more people running for leader is a little worrisome to me that the party is divided but again…let’s see how it all pans out.

  12. @ ……. clearly u lack attention so let me give you some. You are also out of touch bc you cant even interpret the message. U are so dunce and narrow minded! News flash, i am NOT affiliated with any party, I am a independent thinker – try looking that up in the dictionary. The fact remains Pearl has NOT secured a seat and she will never win against Max! Upp needs to find someone else to challege Max. The irony about your response susgest u should live in the crab hole hahaha

  13. Pearl Quinn-Williams has not won her seat. She is not in the Senate. She has no experience in governance. Why does she think she can be Prime Minister. She should concentrate on getting elected and getting some experience in governance.
    Hope she will not be like a previous leadership hopeful who picked up her marbles and left the UPP to form her own party.
    At the moment Richard Lewis is the best candidate for the leadership.

  14. I like Pearl. I think she is dynamic and has the right fighting spirit, the right attitude and a person to recon with but my problem is that, don’t you first have to be an elected member of parliament in order to contest the leadership of a party?

  15. Thats our Girl….AGHS massive….Go for the prize by any means necessary because you can do it👍✊️👊🫵..You are just one step closer🤫🤫…UPP ALL THE WAY💙💙..

  16. Peal Quinn has shown she a lot of balls that the males don’t have.

    Could she be playing strategic politics that’s not part of the UPP way of doing business.

    Asot was a Kingmaker in the ABLP for a number of years, until he overplayed his hand after he made Gaston, King

    Sometimes candidates run not that they will win, but to have leverage so that they can be kingmakers.

    Many times in politics, Kingmakers are just as powerful as the King they helped to create when the dust settles.

    As Antiguans and Barbudans begin to move away from the “Go see your Minister” and Chicken and Ham political system, Asot influencing should become lessened less relevant.
    If poor people acquire money and are less dependent, they are less likely to need to see their Minister

    While Pearl Quinn doesn’t have Asot’s deep pockets, she has staked out and pound important issues when others have withdraw.

    She is unbowed and not easily intimidated. She has rabid support from females.

    Her chances are dim not because of her lack of leadership, and vision but the ethnic and cultural makeup of the Constituency in which she is running.

    Winners in the near future will be those who can convince voters especially the middle class and the poor, voting is like an investment.

    Vote for the “Go see your Minister” form of government; or vote for a future of equity and having a Government that delivers the best possible services.

    • I endorse your point on the ethnic and cultural makeup of the constituency she’s in being her hindrance. I told her this directly.

  17. I’m always enthused to see women offer themselves for leadership positions in politics. Pearl, however, will only split the votes in favor of the Hon. Jamale Pringle. She cannot win in any scenario.
    She is still of the view that her public protest is the cause for the failure of the CCJ as our final court of appeal. Just as she told me that she would surmount a victory over Hon. Charles “Max” Fernandez. The founders of our constitution made difficult to reach a 2/3 majority in making changes such as these. Sadly, In her limited mind, she is of the view that her voice is reason the bill did not pass.

    Even though I attempted to convince her otherwise, she was adamant about her potential success at the polls, as she was encouraged by her canvassing the Rural North constituency.
    People will tell you anything in your face but the reality is that people with weigh the pros and cons in that voting booth.

    It’s good to hope, but hallow hope is senseless.
    There ought to be a rule in their bylaws that states one can vy for leadership only if one is elected.
    Only formidable candidates should run.
    I make this prediction:
    If the Hon. Richard Lewis looses the leadership race, it can blamed on Pearl’s insertion into the race.

  18. She was of the view that what happened in Grenada when it did, would be the same in Antigua and Barbuda. That tells me she doesn’t fully understand the politics of our country.
    Her entry, though enterprising, it’s inexecutable

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