Political Analyst Not Feeling Energy from UPP in St Peter

Regional political analyst Dwyer Astaphan expressed concerns regarding the United Progressive Party’s (UPP) readiness for the upcoming St Peter by-election

During a segment on Observer Media’s Big Issues, he differentiated between awareness and preparedness, stating, “You could be aware that a house is on fire, but you’re not prepared to put it out if you don’t have the tools.”

The by-election, necessitated by the passing of Independent parliamentarian Asot Michael, will be a critical test for both major political parties. However, Astaphan suggested that the UPP would face greater challenges in executing a strong campaign, saying, “I am not feeling the energy from the UPP.”

While acknowledging that the UPP could still win the by-election, he stated it would require extraordinary effort.

Prior to this, UPP Political Leader Jamale Pringle mentioned that the party planned to announce its slate of candidates in October for the upcoming general elections, though no official candidate announcements have yet been made.

Recently, the UPP did announce its Mobilization Officer, George Wehner, as the candidate for the St Peter by-election next month.

However, Astaphan pointed out that announcing the candidate earlier could have been advantageous, considering the mandatory 120-day timeline for the election.

He stated, “The UPP candidate for this by-election ought to have been on the ground, patrolling it day and night, chipping away. This is retail politics. You have to go in there and get the people’s confidence and their faith and trust.”

In defense of the party, UPP Chairman D Gisele Isaac noted that there was “constitutional housekeeping” that needed addressing.