By Robert A. Emmanuel
The impending St Mary’s South by-election has turned into a face-off between former allies on the political scene, as Dwayne George, a former campaigner for the UPP’s Kelvin Simon, has entered the fray—but for the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party.
In a shock announcement, high ranking Labour Party officials told Observer that George is to replace Senator Samantha Marshall, who until recently was their candidate for the seat, having been unseated by Simon in the January general election.
The senator announced in a letter that she was withdrawing from the race for familial reasons and said it was time for her to step aside.
“We live in a parliamentary democracy where the majority speaks. I must recognise the clear message sent to me at the last polls,” she said.
Senator Marshall’s letter stands in stark contrast to the Senator’s previously expressed confidence in her ability to defeat Simon after the election court dismissed a petition to invalidate Simon’s nomination/election.
“I will support and render all possible assistance to any person you select and hope by taking this step now, you are afforded a reasonable opportunity to make an appropriate selection of another who is willing and ready to serve,” the senator wrote in a letter to her former constituents.
Until recently, George was a member of the United Progressive Party, having served as the campaign manager for the former UPP caretaker for the constituency, Cortwright Marshall, and being a strong campaigner leading up to the general election for Simon.
Both Simon and George contested the role of St Mary’s South candidate last year after the UPP was forced to remove Cortwright Marshall due to health reasons.
Recently, George was seen moderating a St Mary’s South town hall meeting immediately after the court dismissal of the election petition, praising Simon for his hard work and efforts so far to represent the constituency.
Meanwhile, Simon said he was unsurprised by the announcement and wished his former ally, now political opponent, well.
“Whoever may come, this is pretty much what I have to say on that, it doesn’t matter as I will be winning back St Mary’s South and I wish him all the best in his endeavours,” Simon expressed.
Suggestions have been made that this will be a political battle focused on physique as both Simon and George are physically fit men, however Simon rejected that his campaign would be based around this issue.
“Those things are frivolous because I have never campaigned on my physical appearance, I have never said anything about my physical appearance; if people like me, they like me because I am Shugy… for who I am, how I deal with people.
“At the end of the day, I want to be known as a politician that cares about the people, not one that looks good because if somebody is voting for me based on my looks, I think that it is empty because somebody can always come along and look better than me,” he said.
Meanwhile, the interim Political Leader of the United Progressive Party Jamale Pringle said that the party will be issuing a press statement on the matter.