Fire destroys office of ruling party

ST JOHN’S (CMC):

Police are probing the circumstances that lead to the St John’s City East Constituency office of the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) being partly destroyed by fire on Monday.

Media reports said that the fire began during the early hours of Monday, soon after the party’s candidate and Information Minister Melford Nicholas and his team wrapped up a strategy meeting.

Nicholas said that while he could not quantify the extent of the damage, there were several broken windows, and at least two offices have been completely gutted.

He has condemned what he termed the political violence which has plagued the constituency in recent weeks, and is discouraging party supporters from any retaliatory action.

The police said they were conducting their investigations. The incident comes less than 48 hours before an estimated 80,000 Antigua and Barbudans go to the polls to elect a new government.

Apart from the ABLP, the main opposition United Progressive Party and the smaller opposition Democratic National Alliance are contesting the 17 seats in Parliament.

The Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission said 53 candidates, including three independents have been nominated to contest the polls that will be observed by teams from the Organisation of American States, the Commonwealth and CARICOM.