By Robert Andre Emmanuel
During a Facebook live interview over the weekend, Political Leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP) Jamale Pringle continues to address the recent wave of resignations and internal conflicts that have rocked the nation’s main opposition party in recent weeks.
Pringle, who won the party leadership in a convention in April has faced constant criticism about his ability to lead the UPP.
Recent high-profile resignations, including that of Dr Edmond Mansoor, Sean Bird and other long-standing members, have raised questions about the party’s stability and direction.
In a recent letter, the UPP’s former Public Relations Officer, Damani Tabor, claimed Pringle had also sidelined his predecessors, former Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer and former Tourism Minister Harold Lovell.
The Opposition Leader expressed disappointment at the recent resignations from the party, including key strategists and claims of remoteness from party elders as “hearsay”, stating that he is in frequent contact with both men.
When asked about replacements of the strategists, Pringle said the party has “planned for all eventualities”.
In a recent public interview, former UPP Member of Parliament Anthony Smith Jr claimed that polls produced by the party prior to its convention showed that the business community and the public were less favourable for Pringle as the shadow prime minister.
Pringle, when asked about claims of various polls showing him lagging behind MP Richard Lewis in terms of favourability, rejected the argument, pointing out that the poll he had seen from Linley Winter, highlighted the need for consolidation of both men for the benefit of the party.
“It was a general poll of the whole country and what that poll revealed was that [my] leadership … and the leadership of Richard Lewis needed to be synchronized because from my understanding of that poll and the interpretation of the pollster was that we both shared massive support,” he said.
Pringle suggested that Lewis was more liked by older persons (those over 45 years) while he was more preferred by persons in the younger demographic.
When questioned about his efforts to prevent further resignations, Pringle said he has been doing personal outreach and mediation attempts to members within the party.
“The UPP is not a Jamale Pringle organisation, it’s an organisation that all of us have vested interest in and we have to ensure that we move forward in unity.
“We have to ensure that the cause that we’re here for is not the cause for self but the cause to offer that type of support to the people of Antigua and Barbuda … there’s so many things that are happening in Antigua and Barbuda that we have to look beyond who leads the United Progressive Party and look at the persons out there suffering … neglected by the Gaston Browne administration,” he remarked.
Despite the current party challenges, Pringle said he remained optimistic about the UPP’s future at the next general election.
