Missing Link – By Latrishka Thomas
Missing Link Contest John
An independent politician is gearing up to take on the two major parties in St. John’s Rural West, as Antigua and Barbuda’s general election campaign moves into full swing ahead of polling day on April 30.
Nigel Bascus, leader of the Missing Link-Voice of the People Party, known as the MLVOP, has confirmed he will be contesting the constituency, where he will face the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party’s Michael Joseph and the United Progressive Party’s Richard Lewis, should he secure the required ten nominations.
Bascus is no stranger to election campaigns, having contested in different constituencies in previous elections.
The fisherman who founded the MLVOP in 2003 with the goal of fostering greater collaboration between the country’s two dominant parties, says his campaign is driven by a desire to elevate the standard of politics in Antigua and Barbuda — not personal gain.
“I’m not running for a bigger pay check. I’m just running to make my country better,” Bascus told Observer Media.
In his assessment of the current political landscape, he argued that too many politicians are motivated by self-interest rather than genuine service to their constituents.
At the heart of Bascus’s platform is a push to develop Antigua and Barbuda’s fishing and agricultural sectors — areas he says have been consistently overlooked by successive administrations. He said that as someone who has spent decades in the industry and has worked to train fellow fishermen, the country’s food security and economic resilience depend on far greater investment in these areas.
“For years, me try to get with the politicians to let’s get some fish farming but nothing happens,” he said. “We need to put more interest in agriculture and aquaculture. If a war broke out, what you can get is what you have.”
Bascus also pointed to the Missing Link International Training Enterprise — an online platform he established to train people in farming and fishing — as a demonstration of his long-standing commitment to the cause.
“If you know the amount of money you can make from fishing; multi-million-dollar business. And a lot of young boys need to train instead of going outside to commit crime,” he said.
On why voters in St. John’s Rural West should choose him over the established party candidates, Bascus was direct.
“I’m a leader of the Missing Link Party and I’m not a follower. Its better you vote for a leader. When a leader go to Parliament, you can talk what you want to talk, deal with the people in the constituency; make them write down what they want to do and you just carry it to Parliament,” he said.
Bascus confirmed he has the ten nominees required to formally enter the race and says he plans to campaign through house-to-house visits, radio interviews, and targeted public outreach. He also revealed that five other individuals have expressed interest in contesting under the MLVOP banner across other constituencies, though he declined to name them, saying he first needs their permission to go public.
Bascus is also calling on anyone interested in running under the MLVOP ticket to contact him directly at 774-5465 or 789-5465.
While Bascus is pressing ahead, two other third parties have confirmed they will not be participating in the general election.
The Antigua and Barbuda National Congress (ABNC) formed as recently as last December, has announced it will sit out this election cycle, saying it is still laying the groundwork needed to mount a credible campaign.
“As a new entity, we continue to build, listen and prepare in order to serve the people of Antigua and Barbuda the right way with steadfast leadership,” the party said in a statement.
The ABNC also weighed in on the timing of the election, acknowledging that Prime Minister Gaston Browne has the constitutional authority to call early elections, but arguing that the decision should be guided by the public interest rather than political calculation.
“We wish to emphatically state that the process should primarily serve the interest of the people and not political convenience or timing,” the statement read.
As a result, Gail Pero-Weston, who played a key role in establishing the ABNC last December and has previously contested elections as an independent candidate, will also not be on the ballot this time around.
The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) has likewise confirmed it will not be fielding any candidates in the upcoming election.
