ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Prime Minister Gaston Browne has named October 24 because the date for a by-election within the St Mary’s South constituency that the candidate of the primary opposition United Progressive Get together (UPP)’ had received within the January 18 common elections this yr
Nomination day is October 9.
Kelvin ‘Shugy’ Simon, who stepped all the way down to thwart efforts by the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Get together (ABLP) to problem his victory on the common election, will once more be the UPP’s candidate.
However Browne, talking at an ABLP rally in Urlings Village, the place he endorsed economist Dwayne George because the occasion’s candidate, mentioned the by-election is about neighborhood development, urging voters to not “minimize their nostril to spoil their face” by selecting a candidate who couldn’t ship.
George is a former UPP member who switched to the ABLP. Final week, he tendered his resignation from the Higher Home to contest the ballot.
Prime Minister Browne had led the ABLP to a nail-biting victory within the January 18 common elections, profitable 9 of the 17 seats for a 3rd consecutive time period in workplace.
Simon was among the many seven members of the UPP that received seats within the elections. Nonetheless, his victory over the incumbent Samantha Marshall by 199 votes for the St Mary’s South seat had been challenged as a result of he was a public servant when he was nominated.
“The petitioner and the Antigua Labour Get together first sought to stop me from being sworn in as a Member of Parliament by in search of an injunction from the Courtroom. The Courtroom refused this on February 14, 2023,” mentioned Simon, who had written to the Speaker concerning his choice to resign.
“Since that date, I’ve been consumed by the litigation and the media controversy. This has created an unwarranted hindrance to the correct execution of my duties because the consultant for the constituency of St Mary’s South,” Simon added.
“It’s unfair to the folks of St Mary’s South to have this uncertainty hanging over their heads. This case must be resolved with out additional delay. Due to this fact, my choice at the moment, June 7, 2023, is that I need this matter to be settled by the folks, not the Courtroom.
“The constituents of St Mary’s South elected me convincingly earlier than, and I’m assured that they are going to achieve this once more in a by-election,” Simon added.
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