ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Less than 24 hours after being defeated in a crucial by-election, Dwayne George has been sworn in as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance.
Nine months after he won the St Mary’s South by-election on a ticket of the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), Kelvin “Shugy” Simon repeated the feat, winning Tuesday’s by-election by a lesser but comfortable margin.
Simon was among the seven members of the UPP that won seats in the January 18, 2023, general elections after Prime Minister Gaston Browne had led the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) to a nail-biting victory, winning nine of the 17 seats for a third consecutive term in office.
George, an economist who was re-appointed to the Senate, said that he plans to use his experience in economics to enhance the country’s financial health.
“With my career and expertise in economics, my contribution to that would be significant because I do know the laws and principles of economics, so I will be able to put policies in place to improve our economy, our GDP, our national income, so that more opportunities can be created for our younger folks, middle-aged and the elderly in Antigua and Barbuda,” he said soon after being sworn in by Governor General Sir Rodney Williams.
Prime Minister Browne defended the appointment, saying he is also committed to nurturing George’s personal and professional development, recognizing his potential as an economist.
“He is an economist, so he is not coming in empty-headed or empty-handed; he is coming with intellectual resources that he can utilize for the benefit of the people of Antigua and Barbuda,” Browne said, adding that George would be in a better position to help the people of St Mary’s South.
“As my prodigy, I will make sure that I continue to provide opportunities for him and coach him…,” said Prime Minister Browne, who on Friday posted a picture of George on his first day at work on his Facebook page.
“When you look at the by-election results, the Labour Party support grew by 1.5 percent. It wasn’t the five or five-and-a-half percent that we needed to win the seat, but at least it shows that the Labour Party is getting stronger,” the Prime Minister said.
Simon’s victory over the incumbent Samantha Marshall by 199 votes for the St Mary’s South seat, had been challenged on the grounds that he was a public servant when he was nominated. As a result, Simon resigned from the parliament, forcing the by-election.
According to the figures, Simon polled 1,065 votes against 891 for economist George, a former UPP member, with the DNA’s Andrew Antonio getting eight votes. Five ballots were rejected.
The Governor General reminded George of the importance of upholding the rule of law and the practical principle, emphasizing policies that benefit the majority.
He also urged George to contribute to policies that promote the well-being of all citizens, regardless of their backgrounds, while calling for collaboration between the public and private sectors to drive economic growth.
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