By Samantha Simon
[email protected]
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has expressed confidence that the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) will retain the St Phillip’s North constituency, dismissing the United Progressive Party’s (UPP) chances of victory even in the event of a by-election.
Addressing concerns about the health of the constituency’s current MP Sir Robin Yearwood, the PM sought to reassure supporters that the veteran politician is doing well despite a brief hospitalisation overseas.
“I would have spoken to Sir Robin’s daughter up to this morning and you know he’s doing fine,” Browne said.
“He was hospitalised briefly for a little lump he has on his face, and he had an abscess under it. It’s not cancerous, it’s benign.”
Browne added that Sir Robin is expected to return to Antigua within days and be back in even better health than when he left.
“From all indication he doesn’t have any debilitating disease that you know is about to take him out in months or anything like that,” the Prime Minister emphasised.
His comments come after Randy Baltimore secured the position of ABLP caretaker for Sir Robin’s constituency in a decisive primary election held last Thursday.
Baltimore secured 424 out of the 658 votes cast, winning by a wide margin over rivals Robin Yearwood Jr, Dr Oswald Thomas, and Telly Cornelius.
“You can see that in any by-election contest, Randy will poll and got significantly more support than what Sir Robin would have gotten in the 2023 elections,” Browne asserted.
“We have no doubt about that. And I think though he has now placed the UPP on the defensive, they’re now in a quandary.”
The Prime Minister’s confidence stems not only from Baltimore’s strong showing in the primary but also from the apparent belief that the UPP’s chances are tied to the fate of Sir Robin as outgoing representative.
Sir Robin, who has held his seat for half a century, will not be running in the next general election.
In last year’s election, he narrowly defeated the UPP’s Alex Browne by just 94 votes. Alex Browne yesterday hosted a mobilisation activity in an effort to shore up support.
About The Author
