Teco forced to bow out next general election

The Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) has, according to well placed sources, begun making decisions in preparation for the next general elections, constitutionally due in 2019.
Sources within the party said it has started with the identification of Daryl Matthew as the political hopeful to replace sitting MP Eustace “Teco” Lake who has been ill for some time and is currently functioning on a shortened work week.
While one source says the identification of a replacement is confirmation of a likely early election as hinted previously by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, another says it is a strategic move “for a responsible government.”
According to well placed sources, the decision was taken at a recent meeting where it was agreed by the senior party members, that Lake, the MP for St John’s Rural South, is not in a position to run for office again.
When contacted, Matthew would neither confirm nor deny the information, stating “I have no comment.”
Efforts to reach Lake were unsuccessful, but OBSERVER media’s main source said he (Lake) is aware of the decision and “might be a bit disheartened.”
Lake’s health is said to be the cause of the decision after he fell ill earlier this year and had to be hospitalised for treatment for kidney failure. He was placed in a medically induced coma due to the seriousness of the situation at the time.
While, he has publicly admitted he will need a kidney transplant but said the challenge is sourcing a match and a donor who is fit for the procedure.