LETTER: Disheartened by the Company the Prime Minister Keeps

Dear Editor,

As a young woman and a first-time voter, I was filled with optimism and a sense of purpose during the last general elections.

I campaigned alongside Prime Minister Gaston Browne and Senator Rawdon Turner in Pares Village, going house to house, believing in the promise of change and betterment for our Community.

However, what should have been an empowering experience quickly turned into a series of frightening encounters.

On more than one occasion, we were almost run over by cars while simply walking on the sides of the road. This wasn’t just a minor inconvenience; it was harassment, plain and simple.

There were people who followed us every step of the way, threatening us, trying to intimidate us into silence. I was 22 years old, a first-time voter and campaigner, and the level of aggression we faced was overwhelming.

The harassment only ceased when the Prime Minister himself threatened to “thump Asot Michael in his face.” Yes, Asot Michael—who has never once apologized for his bad behavior, his nasty words, or the chaos he incites.

The same Asot Michael who is mentioned in the Peter Verdi UK Crime Agency criminal proceedings.

The same Asot Michael who stands before our courts for assaulting a female police officer. The same Asot Michael who, like this government, has done nothing for St. Peter since Noah built the Ark.

To make matters worse, after all the effort we put into campaigning, walking the trails daily with Turner, we were left behind. We believed in the vision we were sold, but in the end, it was all for nothing.

There has been zero effort from the Prime Minister to assist us in building our community. We walked those trails, knocked on those doors, and stood in the face of danger, only to be abandoned once the votes were counted.

So, imagine my dismay when I now see Prime Minister Browne hanging out with, taking pictures with, and seemingly endorsing the very man who caused such distress during our campaign. It’s not just disappointing; it’s utterly unbelievable.

The Prime Minister may not realize how much this hurts—how much it disillusions those of us who believed in him and his vision. To associate with a person who embodies everything we campaigned against is a betrayal of the trust we placed in him.

Prime Minister, you may have forgotten the struggle and the fear we faced during that campaign, but I haven’t. And I can assure you, neither have the many others who stood by your side.

Your actions now feel like a slap in the face to all of us who believed in you. We expected better, and I, for one, am profoundly disappointed.

Sincerely,

ABLP Supporter