Potter Formally Declares

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Politics

Thursday, 07 February 2013 02:30

By Everton Barnes

Antigua St. John's - Trade unionist Ralph Potter has formally declared his candidacy for the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party in the All Saints West constituency, where the United Progressive Party’s backbencher, Chanlah Codrington, is the sitting representative.

Potter’s announcement came a day after a Caribarena Today poll showed him trailing two other ABLP hopefuls - Wigley George and Daven Joseph - who have already made their intentions known.

The announcement also came just weeks before an ABLP-sanctioned opinion poll is conducted in the constituency. Party sources said the poll in All Saints West is one of several that will determine the final candidate. Two other constituencies in that mix are St Phillip’s South and St George.

In an exclusive interview, Potter told Caribarena Today that while he polled behind both George and Joseph, when the constituency is actually polled, he would outperform the other two.

“I believe my chances of winning the constituency poll are very good,” he said. “I strongly believe that of the three, I have the better chance of beating Codrington in the general elections. It is because of this that I believe that in a poll done among a cross section of registered voters in the All Saints West constituency I would emerge ahead.”

Potter said his track record, both at the national and community level, along with intangibles such as character are what make him the most attractive candidate.

“If given the chance to run, I am confident that I can bring home the seat to the ABLP,” he added.

Potter contested the seat in the 1999 general elections on behalf of the UPP, and Caribarena Today raised concerns expressed by some in the ABLP about the presence of former UPP members on the opposition party’s ticket.

“My answer to those people is that anyone who joined the ABLP, whether 20 years ago or just last month, is equally a full-fledged member of the organisation with the same rights and privileges,” he said. “I ought to be judged on my achievements and my character and not when I joined the ABLP. Additionally, if the UPP and the ABLP were to poll the exact number of votes in the 2014 general elections as they did in 2009, it means that the UPP would win again.

Governments change, because people change. We (Melford Nicholas, Dean Jonas etc) feel we have something to offer, and we will not be distracted by narrow-minded views.”

Potter said he has seen what the UPP promised it would do prior to its election victory, and he is convinced that the UPP today is not the same party which he was a member of more than 15 years ago. “We have seen the complete ruination of the country,” he said. “We have seen the severe hardships inflicted on the people by the UPP government, and we see no light at the end of the tunnel with the UPP continued governance. What is at stake is not us, but the future of Antigua and Barbuda.”

He called on the general membership of the ABLP to embrace the former UPP members, as they wish to put their individual and collective talents to use for the betterment of Antigua & Barbuda.

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