By Robert A. Emmanuel
Following the successful nomination of more than 50 candidates for the upcoming general elections, Observer media spoke to duly nominated independent candidate, Gail Pero-Weston, about her reasons for joining the political fray.
Pero-Weston, a practising attorney for more than a decade, is set to run in the St John’s Rural South constituency, against the United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate Gladys Potter, Antigua Barbuda Labour Party candidate (ABLP) Daryll Matthew, and Democratic National Alliance (DNA) candidate Tecla Thomas.
Pero-Weston told Observer that her campaign is mainly focused on creating a better political landscape in Antigua and Barbuda rather than representing a single constituency.
Asked why she decided to get involved in the political arena as an independent, she responded that she was “tired” of the negative and political attacks perpetrated by the various parties, especially the two main political parties.
She argued that both parties were guilty of partisan attacks against the other.
“The nation is ripe for a different political discourse, guided by the adage ‘the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing’,” she stated.
As a former teacher, Pero-Weston said improving “financial literacy, the study of African heritage through history and English literature, improving the physical education programme, development of a sign language course and diversifying the foreign languages courses” among students should be a priority.
In her current occupation as an attorney, Pero-Weston explained that there are many areas in the justice system that need reform.
These, in her opinion, include “the continuous education and training for police officers” particularly in “customer service, improving the conditions at police stations”, and a defined structure for the promotion of officers.
She also noted that there needs to be a specialised court to handle landlord-tenant disputes and a system for prompt repayment of funds paid by accused individuals as security for bail.
Meanwhile, Pero-Weston also spoke on state media yesterday about her views on the healthcare system.
She believes the system needs an overhaul as nursing personnel “need to be comfortable in carrying out their functions”.
“We need an increase in nursing personnel, they have been crying out for allowances and salary increases, our nurses are much more on the front lines than the physicians and if they are miserable, they could unintentionally pass that on to the sick who are in a helpless state,” she said.
She added that access to healthcare services is also in need of improving. She told Observer one of her plans was for the use of the Holberton Hospital compound to serve as a lab asthma bay and for outpatient treatment.
Female politicians on all sides of the political spectrum have previously remarked on the inherent biases and distasteful comments by members of the public in relation to their looks and other attributes unrelated to their political thought.
Pero-Weston stated that she is prepared and ready for any negative comments made against her and will treat them like “water off a duck’s back”.