Randy Baltimore pushes back against claims of bribery leading up to St. Philip’s North by-election
Randy Baltimore has forcefully rejected allegations of political misconduct, accusing critics of deliberately distorting a community initiative for partisan gain.
The controversy follows circulating social media posts showing Baltimore and members of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) distributing gifts within the constituency. The United Progressive Party (UPP) has since labelled the initiative as “tantamount to bribery,” suggesting it played a role in influencing the outcome of the recent by-election.
But in a strongly worded statement issued last night, Baltimore dismissed the accusations outright, describing them as “baseless” and rooted in political opportunism.
“This was never about politics—it was about people,” Baltimore stated. “It was about bringing joy to children and families during the Christmas season and giving back to a community we are proud to serve.”
He took particular issue with what he called the exploitation of images involving children to advance what he described as a “false and malicious narrative.”
“It is both unfortunate and deeply distasteful that anyone would seek to weaponize a moment meant for children in order to score political points,” he said.
Baltimore further argued that residents of St. Philip’s North are not easily misled and can clearly distinguish between genuine community engagement and political rhetoric.
Why is he even justifying anything. Man ignore them and keep it moving
Sounds like a case of sour grapes to me so there is no need to entertain the BS Mr. Baltimore. Just keep on being great. That will bun them for sure.
Plz. Thats the MO of the ABLP….Whats new. PM Did that live on camera. Who cares. Antiguans lub things
Honestly, I don’t see anything wrong with giving gifts to kids during Christmas. Using that as a political attack feels really low. People need to focus on real issues instead of trying to twist goodwill into something negative.
I understand why UPP is raising concerns, but accusing someone of bribery over Christmas gifts seems extreme. There’s a line between outreach and manipulation, and I’m not convinced it was crossed here.
Just because someone gets things from a politician, they are not obligated to vote for them. If the UPP was actually a stable party worth the check in the box, instead of Giselle Isaac’s puppet show, people would vote for them. Sadly, they keep old heads while the ABLP continues to invest in the youth vote