United Progressive Party leader Harold Lovell is questioning the motive of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to extend the state of emergency for another 90 days.
Speaking on the first installment of the Captain’s Corner hosted on Progressive radio( 17th June 2021) and responding to a Cabinet decision where the government is seeking to extend the state of emergency for another 90 days, Lovell is of the view that the pronouncement is groundless.
“Those powers we say are completely unnecessary because there’s no emergency in Antigua and Barbuda now they are actually opening up the country”.
“We hear talks about more flights coming to the country, we hear talks about cruise ships coming to the country, schools are back out well they’re going on vacation now”.
“People are in the supermarkets people are in the banks,Where is the emergency? why is there a need to impose a state of emergency”?
The Former Finance Minister believes their is something peculiar about the extension and it may be politically motivated.
“So we can only look at this and wonder whether there are other ulterior motives behind the state of emergency. Why is it they want to have this reserved power.
“So that if they choose to crush their political opponents like the United Progressive Party,They have the right to do so and because under the state of emergency your rights are literally put in suspension,then it gives the government the upper hand”. Lovell further questions the need for a state of emergency.
” So we are yet to hear any proper explanation as to why there’s a state of emergency and why having reached the point where they are now talking about the fact that there are apparently no Covid cases, why are they extending the state of emergency for a further 90 days”?
Lovell reiterated that the United Progressive Party is opposed to it, they object it and there is absolutely no need for a state of emergency at this time.
