Just hours after the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) announced Lamin Newton as the party’s candidate for the All-Saints Constituency in the upcoming general elections, one of Newton’s primary opponents, Regis Burton, has voiced dissatisfaction with the outcome and called for a run-off.
In a letter addressed to ABLP and sent to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Burton outlined several concerns regarding the primary process, citing what he perceived as shortcomings and irregularities.Burton’s letter highlighted issues with the initial voters’ list, which he claimed contained numerous inaccuracies, leading to certain individuals being excluded despite their involvement.
He noted that even the revised list, sent out two days before the primary, still had errors, with registered individuals left out.
The discrepancy in the total count of ballots also raised eyebrows, as ABLP agents initially indicated 456 ballots, a number later revised to 359 votes after counting.
Burton’s agent, however, disputed this count, stating that her tally was 356 votes, highlighting a discrepancy between the number of votes and the total individuals claimed to have voted.
Furthermore, Burton referenced the terms outlined in the candidates’ contracts, specifically paragraphs 5 and 6, which stipulate that if no candidate achieves a 50% threshold, the top two candidates proceed to a run-off.