A self-described lifelong Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) supporter has publicly declared that he will not cast his vote for Dr. Philmore Benjamin in the St. Mary's North constituency, citing concerns over party process and political integrity. According to Antigua News Room, the letter writer's grievances center on how Benjamin came to be the ABLP's candidate for the seat.
The letter writer points to Benjamin's past membership in the Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement (ACLM), which he describes as a known communist group that actively opposed Sir Vere Bird and the Labour Party. The writer argues that Benjamin has not undergone the same democratic vetting process required of other Labour candidates, and that Prime Minister Gaston Browne effectively imposed him on the constituency without a primary.
"The Prime Minister just impose him on us the people of St. Mary's North, giving him a position he never earned," the writer states. As a point of comparison, the letter references Sir Molwyn Joseph, noting that even he was required to contest a primary upon returning from the United States to seek the constituency's representation.
The writer characterises the move as not only opportunistic but also as a show of disrespect toward Sir Molwyn Joseph, whom he describes as a loyal party servant who has long upheld Labour's values. He further criticises Benjamin's leadership and campaign style as outdated, arguing that the constituency deserves a representative who honours the party's democratic principles.
Concluding the letter, the writer states that he and others will instead throw their support behind the Level Up movement, insisting that political leadership must be earned through trust, respect, and democratic process — not through top-down appointments.
