URGENT ANTIGUA-PM says general election will be held in 90 days.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Saturday, announced that general elections will be held within 90 days and urged supporters of the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) to get ready for the early poll.

“I have asked all of the Labour Party candidates who will contest the next general elections to utilise the next few weeks to go door-to-door and to get the people out to do the re-registration so that they can have their cards in time for the upcoming general election,” Browne said on his weekly radio programme.

“So you know general elections are coming. I think it is known. So, I’m also appealing to the people of Antigua and Barbuda to do the responsible thing to get re-registered as soon as possible because yes, there will be general elections,” he told radio listeners.

Browne, who became the first Antigua and Barbuda prime minister to be elected for three consecutive terms, added, “I would say within 90 days, and the earlier you go to get your card, the better.

“ So I’m now announcing that general elections will take place within 90 days, and I’m asking my colleagues, in particular, the candidates of the Labour Party, to go out on the road for the next three weeks in particular to make sure that we get our supporters registered,” he added.

Earlier this week, the Barbados-based regional pollster and analyst, Peter Wickham, said he would advise Prime Minister Browne to consider calling a snap general election to capitalise on what he describes as significant momentum for the ABLP following the party’s decisive victory in the by-election last Monday.

The party’s candidate, Randy Baltimore, maintained the St. Philip North seat that had been held for the past 50 years by Sir Robin Yearwood, who had earlier this year announced his retirement from active politics.

Baltimore defeated Alex Browne of the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), amassing a total of 924 votes compared with Browne’s 406, representing approximately 69.5 per cent of the votes cast compared with 30.5 per cent for Browne.

The figures also show that the ABLP has improved its showing compared with the 2023 general election, when Sir Robin Yearwood was the candidate, and he defeated Browne by less than 100 votes. The voter turnout has been placed at 70 per cent.

Wickham said that the UPP leader, Jamale Pringle, should have considered stepping down, pointing to a series of failures under Pringle’s tenure, including the loss of the St. Peter’s constituency, the departure of various candidates, and statements from party members indicating they would not return to the fold under the current leadership.

“The party should be allowed to decide in a special conference whether to stick with the current leadership or move on, especially with other candidates waiting in the wings,” Wickham said.

In the last general election held on January 18, 2023, the ABLP won nine of the 17 seats, with the UPP winning six and the Barbuda People’s Movement winning one. An independent candidate won the remaining seat.

But the UPP increased its majority following the murder of opposition legislator, Asot Michael, with its candidate Rawdon Turner winning the by-election, followed by UPP legislator, Anthony Smith, joining the ABLP and becoming the Minister of Agriculture.