On Saturday night, Unity Labor Party (ULP) candidate Carlos James delivered a scathing critique of his opponent Kishore Shallow, characterizing him as an inexperienced political newcomer unfit to represent the constituency.
James launched a multi-pronged attack, describing Shallow as a “fly by night, Johnny come lately” with no substantive political understanding.
He particularly emphasized Shallow’s leadership challenges in cricket administration, suggesting his inability to manage Cricket West Indies effectively disqualifies him from political leadership.
“Before entering politics, you must understand the struggles of working-class people,” James declared, positioning himself as a candidate deeply rooted in the community’s experiences. He stressed his intimate knowledge of the constituency, stating emphatically, “I am from you. I feel you.”
The ULP candidate painted a stark contrast between his own political maturity and what he characterized as his opponent’s inexperience. “Politics is serious,” James asserted. “We cannot entrust leadership to amateurs who are green and lack understanding of progressive policies.”
In a revealing anecdote, James recounted a pre-campaign conversation with Shallow, during which Shallow allegedly acknowledged James’s good work while suggesting his entry was primarily motivated by the length of time Gonsalves was in office.
“You have aligned yourself with a backward, lazy bunch with no vision for running this country’s affairs,” James told his opponent, criticizing Shallow’s association with opposition figures like Cummings, Leacock, and Friday.
The political showdown in North Leeward promises to be a closely watched contest.
