ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC—The main opposition party, the United Progressive Party (UPP), has acknowledged that it was taken by “surprise” by the resignation of its legislator, Anthony Smith, who has since been appointed as the Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy.
“This action, admittedly, took the Executive, Branch, and Party supporters by surprise, and we recognize the distress it has caused those who put their confidence and trust in MP Smith and his representation.
“However, the Leadership assures all its members, supporters, and the constituents of ASW (All Saints West constituency) that we will work assiduously to fill the gap created by MP Smith’s defection,” the party said.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Gaston Browne defended the decision to appoint Smith as a senior member of his Cabinet less than 24 hours after he had resigned from the main opposition party.
Smith had said that his resignation was due to “a misalignment of values that cannot be reconciled” and that over the past months, he found himself “increasingly at odds with the direction and decisions” of the UPP.
Browne told the ceremony at which Smith was sworn in as a minister that he had recognized that Smith, who is in his 30s, had been “working within a very toxic environment, an environment in which it would have stymied his growth and development and that he has utilized the opportunity to transition to greener pastures so that he could better serve his constituents.”
In his July 15 resignation letter, Smith said, “Despite my best efforts to address these concerns internally, I have realized that my continued membership of the party compromises my abilities to serve my constituency and uphold my ethical standards.”
Smith, one of six UPP candidates victorious at the January 18, 2023, general election, said he would no longer “fall under the Party Whip and will instead serve as an Independent Member of the House of Representatives.
“This transition will allow me to act by my conscience and make decisions that I believe are in the best interest of the people I represent,” he said, adding that he believes that by serving as an independent legislator, he would be better positioned to advocate on behalf of his constituents.
However, in its statement, the UPP said, “The process for selecting caretakers and candidates for the next election is already underway and will be followed through expeditiously, but very carefully, in the interest of the people we serve and the party.
“In any organization or family, disagreement and separation are likely to arise. How we respond, however, determines the unit’s strength and how we go forward. We have met and risen above such challenges before and emerged a stronger and more resilient Party, and we will do so again.”
The UPP said that the Gaston Browne administration remains a threat to the well-being of Antigua and Barbuda.
“Our focus remains on removing this economic and social scourge at the next opportunity, and we will not be deterred or distracted from this objective,” the UPP added.
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