Isaac says UPP convention appears to be an obsession in some quarters; but date depends on the ‘bigger picture’

D. Gisele Isaac, the chairman of the United Progressive Party (UPP),
is curious to know why there are so many questions, in certain
quarters, and such haste to find out when the Party will be holding
its convention.

And, apparently, some entity has even undertaken a survey to
determine who should lead the UPP – an exercise from which the
Party has distanced itself.
 
Referring to regularity of these questions, the chairman says the
UPP convention appears to have become an obsession for some
people. However, she points out, it is not the only political party
that needs to hold such an event.

According to the Party’s constitution, a convention would require
three months’ notice. Therefore, Isaac says, the event will not be
held “today or tomorrow.”
 
Rather, the UPP leadership and executive would have to determine
the best time at which the convention should be held.
 
The UPP’s agenda cannot be set by the public, Isaac notes, since only
delegates can vote at the event.
 
Ironically, the Antigua Labour Party has not held a convention since
its current political leader, Prime Minister Gaston Browne, took over
from the late Sir Lester Bird.
 
However, Isaac says, nobody seems to be concerned about that
issue, while so many persons are focusing on what the Opposition
party does.
 
According to Isaac, there are persons who believe their interests
would be served by the UPP calling its convention, since they are
hoping for some degree of disruption in the Party’s ranks.
 
However, she says the UPP is planning on managing its business
without any friction.
 
Looking at what she calls “the bigger picture” – that is, the national
political landscape – the Party chairman says the convention will be

called when the UPP thinks it is in the best interest of the institution
to do so.