By Tahna Weston
Infrastructure, crime and the perceived poor performance of the Gaston Browne administration echoed in St Peter Thursday night during a public rally hosted by United Progressive Party (UPP).
A number of the party’s candidates and caretakers, including former Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer attended the event to publicly endorse George Wehner, the UPP’s candidate for the January 14 by-election.
Senator Johnathon Joseph described Wehner as “a true son of the soil, a faithful national, a family man, a man who served his country with distinction in the military.”
Joseph told the crowd who had gathered at the Parham Basketball Court and the over 400 people viewing online that Wehner “is the man for the job to take St Peter under the column of the United Progressive Party”, which would be the beginning for the party to obtain governance of the country.
He said that the political landscape of Antigua and Barbuda requires men of sound character, adding that Wehner is one such individual who often denies himself to ensure the needs of others are met.
Pearl Quinn-Williams, the UPP caretaker for St John’s Rural North, spoke about the dilapidated infrastructure within the constituency, which has been neglected for decades.
Quinn-Williams called out the government for only now seeking to fix the roads in St Peter because of the imminent by-election — a claim that Prime Minister Browne has denied.
She recounted previous complaints made by the former St Peter Member of Parliament Asot Michael about the mistreatment of the St Peter constituents, citing that the prime minister said that the constituency is a Labour Party stronghold and therefore much attention does not need to be paid to the area.
“I pray, I pray and hope that it is done before January 14th, because if it is not, you know, where e drop, e tap; after the election, that’s it! That is how they treat the people of this country all the time. Only before an election they think that they can do anything for you.
“They take the people of this country for fools, but you in the St Peter Constituency, you have an opportunity to hold them to account by voting against them on January 14th. Do not reward them with your vote for their maltreatment of you, but let them pay with your retribution by voting against them and voting for George Wehner and the United Progressive Party,” Quinn-Williams said.
Former PM Spencer, who endorsed Wehner in his Christmas Day address, again took the opportunity to do so in spite of not being in the best of physical health.
Spencer said that the UPP was on a rescue mission, which starts on the day of the by-election by electing Wehner to the Lower House.
“And when we look at the political climate in this country, it is absolutely essential that we all move in the right direction and that is to effect political change in Antigua and Barbuda, starting of course with St Peter on the 14th of January 2025. It is absolutely essential, my dear good people, for us to be part of this rescue mission.
“Don’t worry with the Gaston Browne and the Rawdon Turners of this world. As a matter of fact, Gaston Browne and Rawdon Turner equal disaster … you hear what I’m telling you? Gaston Browne and Rawdon Turner equal disaster for Antigua and Barbuda. That is why you have to vote George Wehner,” Spencer said.
