Antiguans await election date

Antigua's Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer has kept voters guessing as to when they will go to the polls to elect a new government.

Addressing a political rally Sunday night, Mr Spencer would only announce that parliament had been dissolved as of Monday, and he had to ensure "that certain things are in place" before he can set a date.

The two main political parties had started unofficial campaigning well ahead of the prime minister's speech.

Both political camps have been regularly issuing counter releases putting corruption and crime on the campaign agenda.

The governing United Progressive Party (UPP) will be seeking its second term at the upcoming poll.

The UPP took up office in March 2004, after it defeated the Antigua Labour Party (ALP), which led the country for 28 years.

To the wire

Some political observers have expressed surprise that Mr Spencer appears to be taking his term down to the wire, even though unofficial campaigning began last November.

Political analyst Philip Abbott offers critical support to the government.

He told BBC Caribbean that the effects of the financial crisis will only get worse and that the prime minister should call the election sooner rather than later.

"The US economy affects us a lot, things in the US are not going too good right now.

"The same thing in Europe - we are a tourism-based country and all the factors of tourism are slowing down," Mr Abbott, a member of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), said.

Crime

In addition to the effects of the financial crisis, rising crime is also expected to feature prominently in the run-up to the election.

The government has sought help from foreign police officers to deal with increased criminal activity.

However, Canadian-born Police Commissioner Gary Nelson was fired in July 2008.

Mr Nelson had been in charge when a Welsh honeymooning couple had been killed at an Antiguan resort.

In the high-profile exchange of words after the dismissal, government had said that Mr Nelson's probationary period had not been renewed.


Lester Bird voting in 2004 polls

In 2004, Lester Bird had said the elections had been based on a time for change

Mr Nelson had questioned the resources given to Antigua's police force and has filed a lawsuit against the government.

"Overboard"

CCM's Philip Abbott noted that both political parties seem desperate to be elected.

"The UPP has been putting forward what it has done, to some extent, but they're also going a bit overboard in other ways.

"The Labour Party has certainly gone overboard in certain directions," Mr Abbot said.

Last election

Baldwin Spencer led the UPP to a landslide victory in general elections in March 2004.

The ALP had been seeking a seventh term in office.

The UPP win had ended the political dynasty of the Bird family, which had dominated Antiguan politics for more than half a century.

Current ALP leader Lester Bird had run Antigua and Barbuda as prime minister from 1994 to 2004 after taking over from his father Vere Bird senior, the country's first prime minister.

During his 2004 campaign, Mr Spencer promised to fight corruption and added that "crimes committed against the people" would not go unpunished.

In 2004, Mr Bird had told BBC Caribbean that his party had laid down strict anti-corruption guidelines, following a 2002 inquiry into the national medical insurance scheme that led to fraud charges against seven officials.

Mr Bird had said after the 2004 result that the people had just wanted a change.

"Elections were not contested on issues but on the basis of a time for change," he said at the time.

The election campaign promises to take place during a busy time for Antiguans and Barbudans for several reasons other than politics.

The hearing into the case against the two men charged with killing the Welsh honeymoon couple from south Wales is now scheduled to take place on 25 March.

And, the second test between England and the West Indies takes place in Antigua 13-17 February.

--BBC Caribbean.com