Senior Counsel Tony Astaphan believes that in order for the Gaston Browne led administration to secure an unprecedented fourth tenure in office that they must manage the volume of misinformation in the public.
Astaphan said the best way to manage it, is to counterattack and “to articulate the achievements of the government”.
“The government and those members and supporters of the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) need to remain focus, put themselves in a position that they can get access to the facts and information and present the necessary information to the public. I said it many times, those who host radio shows need to have to the necessary information to be able to meet the allegations being made and put forward strongly the achievements of the party and government,” Astaphan added.
The improvement of roads, the return of Liat, WIOC, the build out of the two polyclinics, the establishment of the UWI Five Islands Campus, the ongoing improvement of water production are just a few of the achievements Astaphan mentioned must be shared.
According to Astaphan, the opposition and their supporters will continue pushing their agenda, so it is imperative that the ABLP does the same.
In the last general elections in 2023, the ABLP retained the government, with 9 seats out of the 17 but did so by one seat as the UPP won 6 seats, the Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM), one, and independent candidate, the late Asot Michael made history winning his seat.
A major difference than in 2018 when the UPP only won one seat, joining the one member from the BPM.
How much more counter attack they need. Anything else will be overkill
Tony is right. The government has done a lot that people forget about. Roads, UWI campus, clinics, those things matter and need to be communicated better.
Achievements? Which roads? Which water? People are still catching hell for basic services. They can’t spin their way into another term.
Astaphan talks about misinformation, but does the ABLP always tell the whole truth themselves?