United Progressive Party (UPP) leader Jamale Pringle has accused the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) of copying key elements of the opposition's manifesto, asserting that his party remains the primary driver of policy ideas in the current election campaign.
According to Antigua News Room, Pringle made the remarks at a rally in St. Philip's South on Monday night, claiming the ABLP was forced to revise its platform only after the UPP publicly released its own proposals.
"They had to go back… and they mimicked everything the UPP did," Pringle told supporters, referring to the release of the party's campaign website and manifesto.
Pringle challenged voters to compare both documents side by side, arguing the exercise would confirm the UPP's position as the leading force on policy direction.
"If you put the two manifestos side by side, it shows that the UPP is a visionary organisation… we lead, we don't follow," he said.
The opposition leader added that the UPP's proposals were developed through broad consultations with workers, pensioners, business people and community leaders. He said the policies were designed to address pressing national concerns, including the cost of living, water supply, road conditions, crime and healthcare.
Pringle's remarks come as political parties make their final appeals to voters ahead of the general election.
