To: The Leadership of the United Progressive Party (UPP)

Dear UPP Leadership,

I am writing this letter as a concerned supporter who has long wished for better governance and true representation in our country. I have supported the UPP in the past, most recently in the 2023 elections, despite significant reservations about some of the candidates on your slate. However, recent events have left me deeply disappointed and questioning my future support for the party.

The situation involving Algernon “Serpent” Watts and the eviction from his constituency branch for non-payment of rent is not just an embarrassment but also a reflection of deeper issues within the party. Even more troubling is the response — or lack thereof — from party supporters and officials. Rather than acknowledging the wrongdoing and taking a stand for transparency and accountability, many continue to make excuses and defend behavior that is unbecoming of a public representative. I can excuse an individual with financial challenges and eviction; however, the possibility of illegally subletting, faithfully collecting money under false pretenses, not paying rent, and affecting the development of children in after-school classes is unacceptable.

What message does this send to the electorate, especially to those of us who value integrity over blind loyalty? Is this what you want me to support? We have heard the calypso, “support your damn party,” but support must be earned through principle, not demanded in the face of wrongdoing.

I was one of many who withheld my vote in the 2018 election because the candidate selection was uninspiring, to say the least. In 2023, I gave my full support, though I did so reluctantly, disturbed by the inclusion of figures like Mr. Watts and Mr. Bowen. Unfortunately, my instincts were not wrong. A snake may shed its skin, but a leopard does not change its spots.

The party’s biggest challenge remains its candidate selection and leadership choices. Until I see significant improvement in the calibre of representation the UPP offers, I will not be voting. While I cannot bring myself to vote for the ALP, I will stay home rather than support a party that appears confused, inconsistent, and out of touch with the values it once stood for.

I am aware that some within the party and on social media may choose to attack me for these views. But criticism and abuse are not how you win hearts and minds — they are how you lose them.

I urge the party to take this moment seriously. Restore credibility. Demand higher standards from your representatives. Show the electorate that integrity matters to the UPP.

Sincerely,

A UPP supporter