ABLP Candidate Must Exceed Predecessor’s Performance to Win By-Election-Wickham

The upcoming by-election in St Mary’s South Constituency has drawn attention from pollsters and political analysts alike.

The Antigua Labour Party’s candidate, Dwyane George, is set to face off against Kelvin ‘Shugy’ Simon of the United Progressive Party and Andrew Antonio of the Democratic National Alliance.

The previous fourth candidate, Nigel Bascus of the Missing Link-Voice of the People, could not meet the ten-person quota necessary for nomination on October 9.

The by-election, scheduled for Tuesday, is expected to be closely contested.

The upcoming by-election is of great importance, according to pollster Peter Wickham.

Wickham has noted that George, one of the candidates, will need to surpass the performance of his predecessor, Senator Samantha Marshall if he hopes to win the election.

This analysis highlights the vote’s significance and suggests that the outcome may have far-reaching implications for the political situation in the country.

Even though the field of candidates has been reduced, the by-election is being closely watched by observers.

The contest between George, Simon, and Antonio is expected to be closely scrutinized by political insiders and analysts alike due to its potential impact and significance.

“I think that is, his bar, It would be great if he won but ultimately, the ABLP has to send a signal that regardless of what happens in this by-election they are still the government and I think that is the reality that they would want to press.

“It would be great if they have more numbers but as far as their candidate is concerned, he needs to improve the showing,” Wickham said.

According to Wickham, Kelvin Shugy Simon from the United Progressive Party must replicate his performance during the January 19th elections.

“He needs to send a signal that it is time for that constituency to come home and it is time for the constituency to remain at home and the reasons persons that voted for him in the last election are still valid.

Wickham added, “Arguably he has a much easier task than George who has to persuade the people to vote differently and that’s the way the two line up.

After securing the constituency’s seat in the January 18 election, Kelvin ‘Shugy’ Simon stepped down as the Parliamentary Representative of St Mary’s South on June 7, leading to the necessity of a by-election.

His victory with a margin of 199 votes marked a significant moment for the United Progressive Party (UPP), but the ABLP challenged his eligibility to hold the seat post-election.

The ABLP claimed that he failed to resign as a civil servant before his nomination on December 28, 2022, as mandated by the law.

To avoid a lengthy legal dispute that could hinder his duties as MP, Simon decided to resign, triggering the requirement for a by-election within 120 days of his resignation.