Lamin Newton has moved closer to being named the Antigua and Barbuda Labour
Party’s Caretaker for the All Saints West constituency after he polled most of the
votes in the primary held on Friday.
The primary was a three-way race between Newton, business executive, Regis
Burton and environmentalist, Arry Simon. At the end of the count, it was
determined that 359 of the more than 700 eligible persons cast their ballots. With
no spoilt ballots the final tally was: Lamin Newton, 157, Regis Burton, 142, and
Arry Simon, 60.
However, rather than declaring an outright winner on the night, the Party’s General
Secretary, Mary Care Hurst announced that since no candidate polled fifty percent
plus one of the votes (180), then the matter would have to be decided by the party’s
executive on how to resolve the matter.
However, by mid-afternoon Saturday, the ABLP Chairman, MP for St. Paul, Hon.
E.P Chet Greene issued a statement indicating that as Newton was the candidate
who polled a plurality of the votes, he will be named the caretaker for the
constituency at the party’s executive meeting on Friday.
The full statement reads;
On Friday evening, 15 March 2024, the ABLP held a primary election among
three candidates in the All Saints West Constituency, in order to determine who
among the aspirants would become the caretaker representative of the Party,
leading to scheduled general elections in 2028.
The three ABLP candidates were: Comrade Regis Burton, Comrade Lamin
Newton, and Comrade Ary Simon. The results of the primary election were
tabulated last evening, and Mr. Lamin Newton received more votes than the
other two candidates.
The Executive of the ABLP will meet next Friday, 22 March 2024, to affirm the
results of the Primary and to ratify the choice of Comrade Lamin as the
caretaker candidate.
There is great anticipation and excitement among the party faithful, knowing
that the comrade-candidates have all pledged support for the winner, and that
victory in the All Saints West Constituency is assured.
Greene’s statement was later endorsed on Saturday by the Party’s Political Leader,
and Prime Minister, Hon. Gaston Browne, when he appeared on the Browne and
Browne radio show.
The Political Leader has advised Newton to ‘reach out’ to the other two candidates
in the race and begin to build a coalition of support well ahead of the next general
elections, due in March 2028.
“Your team now is bigger than those who helped you to win the primary as you
now have to bring the entire constituency together; all of the comrades, all of the
well-wishers making sure that we go into the next general elections fully unified
with all the supporters and well-wishers behind you, even the candidates who
contested and lost. You gave to make sure that you reach out to them; you reach
out to them, not they reaching out to you, to unify the constituency. You have a big
job here,” PM Browne declared.
The call for unity could not come quicker as one candidate, Regis Burton, has
penned a letter to the General Secretary requesting a run-off as this was agreed to
in a joint declaration among the candidates ahead of the primary.
Friday’s meeting of the executive is however expected to fully endorse Newton as
the caretaker for All Saints West constituency.
