By Carlena Knight
It was a show of strong family support for United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate Algernon ‘Serpent’ Watts as three of his sisters endorsed him at Thursday’s UPP ‘Relief and Recovery’ rally at Potters playing field.
Their backing follows a widely circulated public endorsement by Watts’ brother for his opponent for the St George constituency, Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) incumbent Dean Jonas, earlier this week.
Two of the three sisters even flew in from Montserrat to show their support.
After taking the stand, Watts said that he “will not be phased by any of the attacks that the ABLP is throwing” his way. Instead, “all of these attacks do nothing but build my profile”, he continued.
“The two little billboards you knock down will not stop me and the people. He will not stop me. Dean cannot stop me.”
Watts went on to say that “for too long St George and the country has been neglected by the ABLP-led government” and “it is time for real representation”.
He pointed to a lack of infrastructure, and the poor condition of roads and sporting facilities as just a few on a long list of alleged failures by the incumbent who has been the area’s MP for a decade.
“We have been abused, misused and refused for far too long. It’s time for us to take back our country. I heard a phrase one time that says ‘it’s my money and I need it now’. Well me a change that phrase – it’s our country and we need it back now.
“On election day, vote UPP all the way, whether you are in All Saints East, All Saints West, Rural North, Rural South, City East, me na kay way you dey, put your x by the sun I say,” he added.
Continuing his address, the radio personality touched on plans he has for the area if successful at the polls on Wednesday – one being the implementation of community councils in the respective villages.
“That community group will be elected and selected by the community, not me, and they will be responsible for the community. So, if you need anything done, you want a piece of land, you want your road fix, you want infrastructure done properly, then the community groups will be responsible for that. The days of ‘check your minister’ are over,” Watts vowed.
He also discussed renaming a number of sporting facilities, once retrofitted, in honour of great persons from within the constituency.
“One thing I am recommending to the people of these groups is that when we transform this area, this sporting facility, and make it into a top-class sporting facility, I am recommending that they will name this the Guy Yearwood Sporting Facility.
“In New Winthorpes, we have big plans for over there as well and I am suggesting that they will see it fit to name the New Winthorpes field the Sylvester ‘Bouncing’ Joseph Sporting Complex. Pigotts will be transformed as well,” Watts added.
In addition to Jonas, Watts will also be vying for the seat against Benjamin Quinland of the Democratic National Alliance.
