The political storm in Antigua, which saw opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) party led by Baldwin Spencer accusing Government ministers of corruption in handling contributions to the national Medical Benefits Fund, and Prime Minister Lester Bird appointing minister Robin Yearwood to take over from him in the day-to-day conduct of government, continues to bubble along,
The opposition parties including the UPP are considering legal action against the Government after a consultant's report suggested that a total of US$26m was involved in the Medical Benefits Fund affair, and the UPP is threatening a 'total lockdown' of the country after Lester Bird ignored the UPP's deadline of 11th September to resign and call new elections.
The Government is sticking to its existing timetable for elections, which are due by June 2004, and will be conducted under the Representation of the People Amendment Act (2001). The amended Act calls for a complete re-registration of all eligible voters and the general supervision and administration of all elections in Antigua & Barbuda by an Electoral Commission.
Mr Bird however is calling for the removal from the Commission of its Deputy Chairman, prominent UPP member Bruce Goodwin. In a letter to the Governor-General, Prime Minister Bird said that: “Goodwin’s consistent public utterances demonstrate that he is incapable of such impartiality and objectivity in relation to my party and me as its leader. It is tantamount to misbehaviour.”
Baldwin Spencer warned: “That is my nominee on the Electoral Commission and no amount of threats, and no amount of dealing and wheeling with the Governor-General is going to allow a situation to develop in this country, that that kind of effective representation on that electoral commission we the people do not have.”
Mr Spencer accuses Lester Bird of failing to activate the Commission: Bruce Goodwin's offence seems to have been to agitate for it to take up its legislative agenda.
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