ST.JOHN’S, Antigua – WITHIN ten days of the February 9 dissolution of Parliament, Prime Minister Hon. Baldwin Spencer has announced the date for the nation’s General Elections as March 12, 2009, stressing the need for fair and peaceful elections.
During a live broadcast last night (Feb. 17) Spencer said that it was time for Antiguans and Barbudans to “put aside political differences and to cast aside political extremists” that would be bent on causing confusion in this year’s elections.
Since the dissolution of Parliament political tensions in the country have been high, with several buildings owned by the opposition Antigua Labour Party destroyed and damaged in fires Sunday (Feb. 15) morning.
Spencer said that he would be taking a number of initiatives to ensure that the elections are carried out in a way that would allow “the society to participate fully and peacefully”.
“To pre-empt the use of fear and acts of political malice in the election…I long ago invited election observer teams from Caricom, from the Commonwealth Secretariat, and from the Organization of American States to be early on the ground for the run-up to the elections.
“I am confident that despite existing tensions, the general election will proceed peacefully. I am confident that the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda will protect and serve us better than adequately,” the PM said.
The arson attacks are of particular concern, Spencer said, as similar tactics were used prior to the 1999 general election.
“Precisely because of the disposition to arson that has marked previous elections, the calls from the Antigua Christian Council and the Police High Command for a violence-free election are quite timely, and quite important.”
Additionally, it was only hours before Spencer took to the airwaves that regional and international news agencies broke the story of multi-billionaire investor Robert Allen Stanford being charged with fraudulent investments totalling US $8 billion.
For Antigua-Barbuda the news was a major shock and has as yet unseen implications, as the nation is Stanford’s base of operations in the Caribbean.
Despite this financial crisis and others taking place throughout the world, Spencer urged the political parties to put aside their personal agendas for the good of the nation.
“The failure of Trinidad & Tobago’s far-flung CLICO-CL Financial conglomerate is a piercing wakeup call for our country; as it is for other countries of the Caribbean. Breaking developments in the United States involving the Stanford Group have profoundly serious implications for Antigua and Barbuda.
“By no stretch of political partisanship should this be seen as a matter for political exploitation. This is not a looming crisis,” he warned.
Spencer’s call for non-partisan cooperation was quickly followed however with a jab at ALP “hate radio”, which he claimed “plunged recklessly and foolishly into attempts to make the Stanford matter a partisan political issue”.
“May God guide us. May God defend Antigua and Barbuda in the face of all adversities,” Spencer said after announcing the election and February 25 Nomination Day dates.
Antigua News