Kelvin Shugy Simon, the UPP Member of Parliament for St. Mary’s South has taken a strong stance against what he believes is government interference with freedom of speech.

Simon is threatening to take legal action against the Development Control Authority (DCA) following the removal of a billboard at his Bolans office.

The incident occurred on Friday when DCA officials, accompanied by the police, removed a canvas that covered a billboard featuring a statement about Brian Stuart-Young, the embattled CEO of the Global Bank of Commerce.

Simon expressed his disappointment and criticized the actions as an infringement on freedom of speech and expression.

He stated that the situation was “disheartening” and not a direction that a democratic country should take.

Simon also highlighted a pattern of billboard removals that occur whenever they feature content critical of certain individuals, particularly Prime Minister Gaston Browne and Brian Stewart Young.

Simon emphasized that the content on the billboard was factual and not defamatory, yet it faced removal shortly after being displayed.

He is determined to take the DCA to court for what he perceives as trespassing and removing property from a property they have no right to remove.

He believes that government institutions should face legal consequences for their actions and not act with impunity.

During his interview on the Snake Pit on Saturday, Simon also touched upon broader issues of government transparency and accountability.

He criticized the government’s handling of various matters, including financial institutions and corruption allegations.

He questioned the government’s silence on certain issues and expressed concerns about the independence of regulatory bodies like the DCA.

Simon reaffirmed his commitment to challenging what he perceives as injustices and ensuring that freedom of speech is upheld in Antigua and Barbuda.

He called on others to join him in holding government institutions accountable and protecting democratic principles.