United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate for All Saints West, Harold Lovell, publicly endorsed party leader Jamale Pringle while calling for unity and national change during a candidate ratification event on Tuesday night.
Addressing supporters, Lovell framed the upcoming election as a pivotal moment for the country, declaring that “we are at that point where change is necessary.”
He used the platform to reinforce confidence in Pringle’s leadership, telling the audience: “As I stand, I am happy to say that we stand behind the honorable Jamal Pringle,” signaling what he described as a unified front heading into the general election campaign.
Lovell emphasized that unity within the party would be critical to its chances at the polls, urging supporters to move beyond internal divisions. “Whatever is in the past, bury the past. And whatever is in the future, let it rise,” he said, adding that “unity is not just a slogan. Unity is our strength.”
The former finance minister also sought to define the UPP’s broader political identity, describing it as more than a traditional party. “The United Progressive Party is not just a political organization. It is a movement,” Lovell said. “It is a movement that puts people first… a philosophy which says that the people must be the center of development.”
He told the crowd that despite attempts to divide the party, its members remain cohesive. “The enemy has tried to divide us… but I’m here tonight to tell you… we are united. We are strong. We stand together.”
Framing the election in populist terms, Lovell argued that the contest would be driven by the will of the electorate rather than those currently in office. “The power in the people is greater than the people in power,” he declared to applause.
Lovell closed his remarks with a direct appeal to voters, urging participation in the electoral process. “We need your voice and we need your vote… and we’re going to make a change in this country,” he said. “There’s going to be no turning back… only going forward.”
The ratification event forms part of the UPP’s broader campaign efforts as parties prepare for the upcoming general election, with leadership unity and voter mobilization emerging as central themes.