Dear Editor
In the wake of the dramatic resignation of Mr. Anthony Smith, the youngest member of Antigua and Barbuda’s parliament, from the opposition Unity Progressive Party (UPP), one cannot help but question whether this was truly a surprising development.
The move by Mr. Smith, an ambitious young politician, to challenge the UPP chairperson in the party’s recent internal elections appears to have been the catalyst for his move. Whispers around the country suggest that he was viewed as a “marked man” within the party, with speculation swirling about how long he would last as the chairperson of the party was “gunning for him”.
Sadly, this is not the first time the UPP has been faced this internal turmoil.
The recent resignation of Cleo Athill from the party in the past few months has been linked to the chairperson’s apparent unwillingness to tolerate dissent, preferring a “my way or the highway” approach to leadership. This “one-man-ism” seems to be the order of the day for those aspiring to be political dictators and it is a class of politics that the younger and more experienced politicians alike are rejecting hands down.
Jamal Pringle’s apparent approach of “if not them (the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party), then me” highlights the fuel that is feeding the UPP’s core, but it also serves as a glaring testament to the party’s myopic vision on leadership. Coupled with the “do it my way or else” attitude of the party’s chairperson, Ms. Giselle Isaac and Mr. Pringle’s apparent belief that he is destined to become prime minister “by default,” it is no wonder that the limited talent within the UPP is bolting for the exits, leaving behind a wasteland of incompetence.
This toxic combination of egotistical ambition and authoritarian tendencies is the recipe the for the pending UPP’s implosion. As the party’s core supporters cling to the false hope of a victory, the reality is that the UPP does not have credible leader and is it driving away the very individuals who could breathe new life into their ranks.
As we wait with bated breath for the other shoe to drop, the burning question is who will be the next to exit the UPP.
