UPP supporters to take to the streets today for protest march

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Franz DeFreitas (Facebook photo)
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Members and supporters of the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) will be taking to the streets this afternoon to protest a laundry list of issues they say the government has fumbled.

A large turnout is expected as the party – which jumped from having only one elected member of Parliament five years ago to six now – will walk through the streets of St John’s to demonstrate displeasure with everything from water supply to the cost of living.

“We need water 24 hours a day, and we need it seven days a week. That is a basic standard around the world and this government has not been able to deliver that, notwithstanding the millions of dollars, the tens of millions of dollars, tax payers have invested in reverse osmosis plants,” UPP member Franz DeFreitas said.

“There is the matter of healthcare, there is the matter of infrastructure in Antigua and Barbuda. There is the matter of salaries, contract negotiations with the various unions.

“There is the matter of LIAT workers getting paid. There’s just so many issues that you could just go on and on, and the people of Antigua and Barbuda must come out and say we will not tolerate a government that takes advantage of us as the citizens, and we are going to do everything that is possible.”

He said citizens should continue to put pressure on the ruling party to hold it accountable for what he said was a lack of proper governance.

“It is the voice of the citizens that puts pressure on those that are in Parliament, particularly the ruling party, and what we are saying, we cannot have a hands-on governance model as we have had before.

“We are going to be agitating and holding those who have been elected to serve accountable, so that we can get the results that we are looking for.

“Sending people on the streets to protest the issues shares and gives a catalogue of the fact that governance is bad. Therefore, when an election comes around, we will have the record to point to many people agitated because the government could not govern,” DeFreitas added.

The protest begins at the Multipurpose Centre at 5pm Thursday and will head to Parliament Drive, culminating with a public rally.

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