Much hyped UWP rally turns a flop show

Roseau: Following a lacklustre turnout at the rally on Thursday afternoon, infighting is expected to persist within the leadership of the United Workers Party. The event was first advertised as a “mass rally,” with radio commercials boasting “thousands” of attendees, but the reality fell short of the hype.

A modest stage that was mounted on a truck was surrounded by an estimated 250 spectators. The speakers congregated in a tent that was no larger than what a family might use for a small event. The area that the police had sealed off was much larger than what was actually present.

This underwhelming turnout will undoubtedly cause more strife among the Workers’ Party. While some backed the now obviously misguided boycott, some had suggested that the UWP should actually contest the election and present their representation to the voters in every constituency.

Additionally, several attendees of the event expressed their disappointment at the party as it announced the boycott. The event was only attended by a small number of people, all of whom were older party members; it is obvious that young people have rejected the UWP during this election.

What may be fashionable in political salons of lofty discourse has undoubtedly failed to inspire the populace to take action. Contrast this with the recent election in Grenada, when tens of thousands of people spontaneously turned out to support political novice turned Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.

There was no response to Lennox Linton’s invitation to come, even though he was a former UWP leader.

The lack of public support for the boycott will probably lead to greater conflict inside the Workers Party among those who wished the election had been contested.

The fact that a sizable rally was expected at the occasion appeared to frustrate the speakers as well. The majority of Dominicans oppose their boycott, according to one of the attendees and supporters of the opposition at the event expressed to local media that the party leadership has let down because UWP lacks an agenda. Many people approached the podium, but none of them shared even a single future plan they had for Dominica. They do this merely out of laziness and a desire to criticise the government at every turn.