NUPW presidential candidates ready for battle despite court-ordered election delay

The decision by the High Court to suspend the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) elections by at least a week, possibly paving the way for the embattled incumbent president Akanni McDowall to seek re-election, has not fazed his two challengers.

Both Fabian Jones and Kimberley Agard, who were set to battle for the post of president on Thursday, told Barbados TODAY they were not intimidated by the prospect of McDowall being allowed to seek a third consecutive term.

While the ruling handed down by Justice Cecil McCarthy late Wednesday night prevented the NUPW from holding its scheduled elections, it will be determined next Thursday whether McDowall’s suspension, which prevented him from running, will stand.

Jones, who was McDowall’s main opposition in the 2019 elections, told Barbados TODAY he received word of the court’s ruling after 10 o’clock last night.

He said if McDowall was allowed to throw his hat in the ring he would embrace the challenge.

“I respect the court’s decision. It shows that democracy is at work and the truth is, I have no fear in this campaign. I really set out to challenge Brother McDowall and I am willing to accept whatever the court’s decision is. Should he be allowed back into the elections, may the best man win,” Jones said.

“The truth is, when I launched my campaign that was my biggest opponent in my books and I always look forward to a challenge. I was the leading contender last time in 2019 and it was a small gap of around 60 votes, so I believe that is a small margin to close and I believe that I maintained my ground from 2019 and I have been building on my base.”

Jones said he felt the recent controversies within the NUPW would also affect McDowall’s chances of being re-elected.

He said the postponement would also give him additional time to reach more members.

“I’m not disappointed because canvassing was a challenge during COVID and a lot of things led to the team not getting to cover as much ground as possible, so this is a perfect opportunity. I see this as a gift this morning.

“It gives me more time to refine my message and reinvigorate my campaign. It gives me more time to reach more membership because those are the ones I am counting on to really bring me through to the victory that I am looking for,” Jones added.

Meanwhile, Agard said she was somewhat disappointed by the court’s decision.

She told Barbados TODAY she was hoping the controversies surrounding the union would have come to an end following the election of a new president on Thursday.

“Obviously the result is disappointing because we would have hoped that by this time today we would have been well on our way to having a result, where the NUPW would have been taking a new direction, whosoever would have been the winner. Hopefully, it would have been me, so it is disappointing in that regard that we are in the same controversial and chaotic light that we have been in for the past couple of months,” Agard said.

She admitted that while she did not feel entirely comfortable about McDowall being allowed to seek re-election, the NUPW’s members would have the final say at the end of the day.

“I have my apprehensions against it, but if the court decides to make a decision and we comply with what the court decides then he goes to the polls and he faces the members and the members will make a decision,” Agard said.

“Everybody [her team] is feeling a bit disappointed because we thought that this would have been the end of a particular saga, so in that light we are disappointed.

“However, we are still upbeat, we are still focused and we know what our main goal and our main mission is, and that is to make sure that at the end of the day the members are happy and satisfied with the organization, so we are still focused and dedicated to the cause,” the contender added.
(randybennett@barbadostoday.bb)