ST JOHN’S – Harold Lovell easily retained the leadership of the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) less than a year after he unsuccessfully led it into a general election.
Lovell, a former finance minister, swept the lone challenger, Richard Lewis, by a 245 to 63 vote margin.
Lovell, who lost in his bid in City East to incumbent Melford Nicholas in the March 2018 general election, has thanked supporters for the victory on Sunday, while Lewis has promised to give full support to the re-elected leader.
The UPP was sept out of power by the Gaston Browne-led Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party in 2014 and lost again last year when Browne called an early poll. It won just one of the 17 seats.
In his address to the party’s 11th biennial conference on Saturday, Lovell said the island had suffered under the present administration.
The UPP also gave a lifetime achievement award to former prime minister Baldwin Spencer.
(CMC)
