By Carlena Knight
United Progressive Party’s (UPP) representative for St Mary’s South Kelvin ‘Shugy’ Simon shared that despite his late entrance into the election game he is still confident that his reputation within the area will boost his chances.
In August of this year, the father of one was announced as the main opposition party’s candidate to contest the seat against incumbent Samantha Marshall.
He has replaced Corthwright Marshall who was removed from the UPP’s slate amid concerns for his health.
Simon was speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports show yesterday on the matter.
“There is never enough time as it relates to politics and getting yourself ready for an election. What I can say to you though is that I am no stranger to St Mary’s South and that plays a big advantage for me. People know me, they know what I am about, they know what I stand for.
“I am a lover of the community, defender of the south, so me getting into politics, yes it put me at a disadvantage coming into the race so late but I hit the ground running and so far, I have covered a lot of ground and the response has been good,” Simon explained.
Simon is presently a guidance counsellor at the St Mary’s Secondary School in Bolans and has been working in the field for almost 20 years with previous roles at the Villa Primary School and Ottos Comprehensive School.
He has also organised a number of food drives and is known mostly for his love of sports, having represented Antigua and Barbuda in basketball.
The Bolans native, despite being a rookie in the political field, has already begun to divulge plans he has for the area, one of which is the return of the vocational training school.
“It’s like ABICE [Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Continuing Education] and bringing ABICE in the south basically. That was there before ABICE and it was basically run down but I want to reopen it where we teach them a skill.
“Fishing is also a big part of our community as well. We will get some experts [to] come in and teach youths the trade. Carpentry, masonry, landscaping, metal work, electric work, refrigeration all of that,” he added.
The now abandoned building is on the premises of the Urlings Primary School.
When asked about his public image regarding his partying lifestyle, Simon mentioned that he doesn’t believe that it should hamper his chances at the polls as he knows ‘there is a time and place for everything’ and he has created a balance within his life.
“People know me. As I teach my students all the time, time and place is everything. As much as I love mas’, as much as I love partying, when it’s school time, when I am at work, it’s a different me, I turn a page, I am a professional then.
“You can’t take away the fun part of us as human beings because that would kill us. People know me, they know that I am a serious person when it’s time to be serious, and they know I have fun when it’s time to have fun and I have created balance throughout the years in people’s eyes,” he concluded.
