UPP gives Joanne Massiah the boot

Nearly two years after the row started, the United Progressive Party (UPP) has officially expelled embattled Member of Parliament (MP) Joanne Massiah, the representative of the All Saints East and St Luke constituency.
The development also comes about a month after Massiah hinted at forming her own political party
and further criticised the current UPP Political Leader, Harold Lovell, for his performance during his stint as minister of finance from 2009 and 2014.
The party announced Massiah’s expulsion on the UPP aligned-Crusader Radio yesterday morning. Some party officials declined comment when contacted by OBSERVER media, while others could not be reached.
Yesterday afternoon, Leader of the Opposition Baldwin Spencer said he was preparing to travel and was thus unable to speak at least until Wednesday when he returns.
Meanwhile, the party’s spokesman, Senator Damani Tabor, who has been critical of the media in the past for its continued reporting on the spat between the party and the MP, said he has not been following the development and therefore could not speak.
Efforts to reach Lovell and the UPP’s Chairman D Gisele Isaac were unsuccessful. Similarly, OBSERVER media was unable to make contact with Massiah.
Meanwhile, Eleston “Namba” Adams, who also has gripes with the party but has been calling for unity over the past two years, said he will speak, but first, he needs to reflect.
According to UPP officials, the decision to expel Massiah was made at a meeting of its disciplinary council on Sunday.
(More in today’s Daily Observer)