Agard defends UPP; seeks to clear the air

The United Progressive Party (UPP) was not created to oppose the Barbados Labour Party (BLP).

Just one day after publicly announcing joining the UPP, Member of Parliament for Christ Church West Dr. Maria Agard defended its formation against the BLP St. Andrew representative George Payne’s claim that the new political institutions had been formed to “attack” his party.

“I wish to place on record, to state categorically that the United Progressive Party was not formed to oppose the Opposition. The Constitution of Barbados allows for the formation of political parties by the citizens of this country who believe that they have the intellectual capacity to serve this country at the highest level. That is why we received free education and we are putting it to good use, but it seems as though there are people on this side that believe that it is reserved for a particular class and a particular people and we condemn that,” she stated.

Earlier, Agard also responded to Payne’s accusation of the ruling Democratic Labour Party funding subsidiary parties.

Interrupting on a point of order, the newest member of the UPP sought to clear the air on the origins of the subvention granted to her party.

“The law allows minor parties or opposition parties to receive a subvention. Let me assure you that the United Progressive Party if it receives any money from the governing administration it is the subvention to which we are entitled. The subvention that opposition parties receive was actually an initiative of the Barbados Labour Party when they came to power in 1994, so they should have no objection whatsoever to opposition parties receiving that subvention,” she asserted.

Agard had sat as an Independent member of Parliament for two years after being expelled from the BLP. (JMB)