ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC—Jamale Pringle, leader of the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), says the party remains strong and united despite a second high-profile defection to the government.
Former information and telecommunications minister Dr. Edmund Mansoor, who has been affiliated with the UPP for more than three decades, quit the party and was reported to two months ago and has since been appointed Minister of Agriculture, Lands, and Fisheries.
Dr Mansoor said he had submitted a resignation letter to the UPP’s general secretary, Shawn Nicholas, almost two weeks ago.
In a video broadcast, Pringle said that Dr. Mansoor, who had also served as president of the Senate from 2004-5, was joining a party that he had recently severely criticized.
“Dr. Mansoor has decided to use me and the chair as his whipping dog in an attempt to justify and excuse his actions,” Pringle said, adding, “Having criticized the duly elected leadership of the UPP, he now appears to be comfortable in a situation that months ago he condemned as a dictatorship. Watch video
“But no one defects from the people’s first party to the self-enrichment party based on principle or knowledge. I take this opportunity to encourage our members, our supporters, and our well-wishers not to be distracted.
“Make no mistake, the results of the last election alarmed the ABLP, and as a result, they have devised a well-funded strategy to derail this organization and to pick off the morally and financially weakest in our party.”
In the last general election held in January last year, Prime Minister Gaston Browne led his ruling ABLP to a nail-biting victory, winning nine of the 17 seats for a third consecutive term in office.
The party had won 15 of the 17 seats in the 2018 general election.
Pringle said that the party must remain “resilient and steadfast and resist the efforts” of the ruling party to undermine the UPP, adding that he was thankful “to all those who have responded to Dr. Mansoor’s defection with assurances of their loyalty, commitment and their love for our party and their determination to fight on for the good of Antigua and Barbuda.”
Labour Party chairman EP Chet Greene welcomed Dr. Mansoor’s resignation from the opposition, telling reporters to gain a politician with 30 years of experience who recognized the “value, importance and significance” of the ABLP’s work is “encouraging.”
Download video – Opposition leader United Progressive Party (UPP), Jamale Pringle
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