Lovell terms Massiah’s statements ‘encouraging’

Political leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP) Harold Lovell has described statements made recently by the leader of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Joanne Massiah as ‘encouraging’.
On Thursday, Massiah indicated her willingness to work along with any organization that will hold the government accountable.
“I found her answer encouraging in the sense that I believe what she said is indicative of a desire at some point to at least look at the possibility of all political forces working together,” he said.
Lovell, speaking on the OBSERVER AM show on Friday, said whatever decision is taken will be in the best interest of the country.
“When we look at the political mathematics and the requirement for political maturity, I think it would tell us that nothing can be ruled out. Everything has to be decided on the basis, first of all, of what is in the best interest of Antigua and Barbuda, and, as leader of the United Progressive Party, I would have to say, what is in the best overall interest of the UPP.”
Massiah, a former member of the UPP who won the All Saints East & St Luke Constituency in the 2014 election, had indicated her intent, along with Lovell, to vie for the leadership of the party after then leader and former Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer stepped down.
But, according to reports, Massiah withdrew from the leadership race following what she termed was an unfair playing field in favour of Lovell.
After a public back-and-forth between the Lovell and Massiah factions, Massiah was expelled from the UPP.
In 2015 she formed her own party, the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), which fielded 13 candidates in the 2018 general elections, but failed to win a seat.