United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate for All Saints West, Harold Lovell, has publicly endorsed party leader Jamale Pringle and called for unity heading into the upcoming general election, according to Antigua News Room.
Lovell made the remarks during a candidate ratification event on Tuesday night, framing the election as a defining moment for the nation. "We are at that point where change is necessary," he told supporters.
The former finance minister threw his full support behind Pringle's leadership, telling the audience: "As I stand, I am happy to say that we stand behind the honorable Jamal Pringle." His comments signaled what he described as a consolidated front as the party ramps up its campaign efforts.
Lovell placed particular emphasis on internal cohesion, urging supporters to set aside past divisions. "Whatever is in the past, bury the past. And whatever is in the future, let it rise," he said. "Unity is not just a slogan. Unity is our strength."
Speaking to the party's broader identity, Lovell sought to position the UPP as something larger than a conventional political organization. "The United Progressive Party is not just a political organization. It is a movement," he said. "It is a movement that puts people first… a philosophy which says that the people must be the center of development."
Dismissing suggestions of internal fractures, Lovell told the crowd that the party remained strong despite outside pressure. "The enemy has tried to divide us… but I'm here tonight to tell you… we are united. We are strong. We stand together."
In one of the night's more forceful declarations, Lovell cast the coming election in populist terms, drawing applause when he told the crowd: "The power in the people is greater than the people in power."
He closed with a direct appeal for voter participation. "We need your voice and we need your vote… and we're going to make a change in this country," Lovell said. "There's going to be no turning back… only going forward."
The ratification event forms part of the UPP's broader campaign preparations, with leadership unity and voter mobilisation emerging as central themes as parties gear up for the general election.
