Tensions are escalating within the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers (ABUT) as President Casroy Charles faces backlash for declaring Treasurer Denise Gardiner’s 2022 election invalid.

In a letter dated May 19, 2025, Charles claimed Gardiner should no longer hold office, yet still asked her to sign financial documents until official signatory changes are made.

Gardiner responded on May 21, questioning the legal basis of his claims and stressing that legal opinions are not binding court rulings. She demanded clarity on whether the Executive Committee authorized Charles to seek legal advice or pursue her removal, citing her constitutional right to access union records.

She argued that the President’s role, as outlined in Section 7A of the ABUT Constitution, is limited to chairing meetings and making formal addresses, not unilateral decision-making.

Gardiner, whose term is nearing its end, believes the dispute may stem from her recent criticism of Charles’s meeting with the opposition UPP, which she said could compromise the union’s neutrality.