Political Leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Harold Lovell has defended his party’s decision to boycott Friday’s Budget Presentation, after a political analyst called the move ‘opposition theatrics’.
Political analyst, Peter Wickham, had said that the party would do better to focus on making its case in the Budget Debate, where the opposition would have ample opportunity to raise issues of concern.
But the UPP fully intends to make its contributions at the Budget Debate, and let the people’s concerns be heard, Lovell said. He added that boycotting the presentation was necessary given recent events.
“For those who call it theatrics, if they look north they will see that on Friday there are several members of [the United States] Congress who have decided to boycott the inauguration of Donald Trump,” Lovell said. “It’s a legitimate form of protest.”
Lovell said that the opposition is disappointed with the level of accountability displayed by the current Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) administration. He added that the UPP aims to forcibly bring matters of concern to the public through the protest action.
“We are not happy with the fact that we have called for various investigations and inquiries to a number of unanswered, suspicious, transactions,” Lovell said. “And there has been no recognition of the need to address these very serious concerns that have been raised.”
The UPP has also called for an independent inquiry into the Odebrecht bribery scandal to clear the good name of Antigua & Barbuda, due to the seriousness of the allegations made, Lovell said. Prime Minister Gaston Browne had previously defended Ambassador Casroy James’ relationship with persons allegedly linked to Odebrecht.
More in today’s Daily Observer.