George’s defection was no surprise, says UPP chair, who defends the Party’s choice of Simon as its SMS candidate

Chairman of the United Progressive Party (UPP) D.Gisele Isaac says
she was not surprised by Dwayne George’s defection from the
Party’s camp to become a member of the Antigua Labour Party
(ALP). 

Last Thursday afternoon, July 27, it was announced that George had
been tipped to replace Labour Party candidate Samantha Marshall,
who withdrew from the race in St. Mary’s South that same day.
Only weeks ago, George chaired a town hall meeting in Urlings that
was hosted by Kelvin “Shugy,” Simon, the UPP candidate, in which
he supported Simon’s plans for the constituency. 

But to many insiders, George’s switch to the ruling Party came as no
surprise, since, they said, there had been glaring signs and
allegations about his defection in recent times.

Isaac says she is one who believed that George could leave at any
time. She was aware that he remained upset at not being chosen to
represent the constituency in the January 18 General Election. 

The Party chair says that George believed he was the heir apparent
to Corthwright Marshall and, later, that he was responsible for
Simon’s success at the polls. 

However, she says, Simon’s selection to contest the polls was based
on scientific data.

Meanwhile, responding to George’s claim that the UPP does not care
for or nurture its own, Isaac points to the dozen new and young
candidates on its election slate and its crop of young General Council
members.

She notes, as well, the propensity of the Labour Party to poach
disgruntled members of the UPP, rather than develop talent from
among its own membership – some of whom have been supporters
for generations.