Antigua and Barbuda continues to prepare to enter into another electoral cycle.
Much is at stake. With a multitude of global pressures and external geo-political tensions unfolding simultaneously, the effects and ramifications on islands such as ours will be significant.
This necessitates strong leadership, and a solid understanding of both national and international issues. A comparison of both of the major political parties in antigua and Barbuda presents a stark and obvious difference.
The antigua and Barbuda labor party enters into their upcoming convention with their leader, Prime Minister the Honorable Gaston Browne being unnoposed and bouyed by major improvements and advancements within tourism, with a number of major hotels being opened and set to be open within the coming months.
We have seen antigua and Barbuda enter into the conference hosting industry, which will have economic benefits for the country amd strengthen our reputation internationally.
We have seen increased access to education through UWI five islands and the amalgamation of various tertiary institutions locally to form ABCAS.
We have seen civil servants enjoy consistent increases in salary, to keep pace with cost of living, and we have seen a transformation in terms of the number of houses being built and subsidised for the people of antigua and Barbuda, especially low income earners, to access. These are just a few achievements.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the United Progressive Party. In their 10 years of governance from 2004- 2014, their main achievements were centered on putting social protection programs in place.
Although this is a positive thing and has its place in national development, not much else was achieved by them.
Furthermore, the financing of these social protection programs were not sustainable, as they lacked the foresight to ensure broader macroeconomic plans were focused on generating income through stratgeic investments or policy decisions, that would generate enough money to both support these programs, and also to ween people off of the support after a while, so as to not perpetuate dependence and poverty.
In terms of the state of the UPP party currently, there has been an exodus of major players within the party over the years.
The leadership is seen nationally as incompetent.
The party is seen as full of conflict and chaos, and overall, the public sentiment is that if the leadership of the party cannot manage party affairs effectively, how can they manage the country, at a time when there is global instability, with implications for our development also being a relevant consideration.
Governance is serious business. The choice for the electorate should be clear. Vote for continuity. Vote for performance. Vote for stability. Let’s make the right choice.
– Timmy Macholet