UPP PARTY LAUNCHED

TheY are politicians, not celebrities!

According to Chairperson of United Progressive Party (UPP), Attorney-at-Law, former Senator and Minister, Lynette Eastmond, some Barbadians have been persuaded to treat politicians,
who are put in office for the purpose of serving the people, as if they are celebrities.

“So, we vote for them as if they are celebrities,” she told members of the media during the press launch of the island’s newest political party, UPP, at Courtyard Marriott, yesterday.

“We don’t need political celebrities. We need to vote for people based on their record, what they actually do. When I look at other countries, there isn’t this voting for people because they ‘talk sweet’. Some of the people who lack charisma, for example, Angela Merkel isn’t known to be the most charismatic person, but she is one of the strongest leaders in the world and I think that is because the Germans understand that they need people who can manage their country. They don’t want celebrities,” she stated.

Eastmond stressed that change is needed, and that voters need to choose people that can actually deliver.

“They talk pretty, but then they can’t deliver. I don’t think anybody would choose their heart surgeon based on whether or not he talks sweet. You want to know that he/she has a track record of delivering, if not you will die. And the same thing will happen to a country, if you don’t choose people who can actually manage it properly – the country will die,” she stated.

“We have seen countries fall into chaos and it happens by choosing the wrong people who are not competent to run things,” she further pointed out.

Describing the response to UPP so far as ‘positive’, Eastmond disclosed that a number of individuals have expressed interest in joining.

However, while not in a position at that point in time to name those individuals, she did acknowledge that the country’s next general election is constitutionally due in 2018, and assured members of the media that all candidates will be place before the last quarter of 2017.

“We will be ready for 2018 – there are candidates that have come to public far later than we will come. Some have even won. We have started to engage the public and the candidates will be introduced on an individual basis,” it was explained.

“We in the UPP believe in a united Barbados, so it is not our view that we should exclude anyone. We welcome businesspersons, community leaders, artistes; we welcome all Barbadians of all ages,” she said. (TL)