VETERAN Caribbean journalist Colin Lesley James has thrown down his pen and will vie for a parliamentary seat in the Antigua & Barbuda House of Representatives when the next general election is called.

James, 46, will represent the Opposition Antigua Labour Party (ALP) in the next general election due by March 2014. The ALP, which suffered consecutive losses in the two last general elections, is bidding to regain state power after running the twin-island territory for several years.

The organisation, which is affiliated to Jamaica’s ruling People’s National Party, styles its members as ‘Comrades’ and is known for its strong ties to the Bird family. The island’s first prime minister, Vere Bird Snr and his son, Lester, who also served as prime minister, are regarded as heroes of the party.

James will run in his native All Saints East & St Luke constituency.

The constituency comprises the popular village of Swetes, which produced former West Indies cricketers Curtly Ambrose and Ridley Jacobs, as well as Leeward Islands cricketer Enoch Lewis.

Other areas include the larger All Saints, his birthplace and home of former West Indies allrounder Winston Benjamin and former Leeward Islands fast bowler Anthony Merrick; Sawcolts, John Hughes and Old Road, the defending twotime champions of Antigua’s football championship.

James, a former president of the Antigua & Barbuda Media Congress, has spent almost 30 years in journalism, covering events all over the Caribbean and the world.

He will likely run against the United Progressive Party’s senator Joanne Massiah.

Chester Hughes of the Antigua & Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU) and the sitting MP for the area has moved to another constituency.

“My decision to cast my hat in the political ring was not an overnight or knee-jerked one. For years… I have given it much thought and deliberation. For years… the people in the community have been urging me to come forward, and now I have decided to step forward I ask for your support to make a difference,” James told party supporters during his inaugural speech on Labour Day, May 6, which coincided with the introduction of the candidates for the election.

“I’m fortunate to have parents who toiled in the vineyards of the government service and the service industry. My father — Alfred “Colo” James — was a postman and service station attendant, while my mother, Tessie James, was a frontline worker at two of the country’s best known hotels.

“They would always relate their experiences to their four sons and I, being the first, would have been asked to lead the way not only for my other brothers, but relatives and friends.

“That’s why I know that my decision to enter politics has the stamp of approval of my parents and the rest of the family — extended and otherwise. There’s no doubt that my parents, brothers and other family members and relatives will vote for me, come election day,” the owner of Antigua Independent Media and managing director of CJ Communications told cheering supporters.

James has written and commentated extensively on news and sports-related events, and is also a capable photographer and videographer.

ALP leader Gaston Browne, who defeated former prime minister Lester Bird for the top post in the party, described James as a “sure winner”.

“I am very happy to have him as a part of our team,” Browne told the Sunday Observer via telephone Thursday.

“We are confident that he will win the seat. He has a strong community base and has organised a number of football leagues in the constituency. He also has a good work ethic.

“Colin emerged as the candidate as a result of a scientific constituency poll. We polled three prospective Labour Party candidates and also polled two from our opponents — the incumbent MP and the prospective replacement and he came out better than all. Colin was even beating our incumbent caretaker. He came through as the popular choice.

“He is a grass-roots man who has done a significant amount of community work, particularly in sports,” Browne said.

Political observers have said that the Opposition had made serious gains on the ruling party in recent years, as the Antigua & Barbuda economy, which normally realises GDP growth of five per cent and more annually, has been feeling severe economic pain.

The shutdown of companies formerly run by imprisoned Texan billionaire R Allen Stanford and harsh demands laid down by the International Monetary Fund, with which the island has a borrowing arrangement, have also added pressure on the 74,000 citizens (among them 19,000 Guyanese and 11,000 Jamaicans) of the picturesque Leeward Island that has produced several outstanding citizens.

The UPP won nine seats to the ALP’s seven in the last election, with the lone Barbuda seat going to an independent with affiliation to the UPP.

“I can assure you that I’m not going to be the typical partisan politician,” James said.

“By saying that, some may interpret it to be naïve, but the same qualities of being openminded and sincere will be part of my political mantra. Yes, my views will be partisan from the point of view of expounding the party’s policies and programmes, but I will be open to opposing or dissenting views. Because of my extensive media experience I’ll have a greater tolerance and appreciation for the profession. I will do my best to ensure a healthy and vibrant media environment,” James told the Sunday Observer in an interview.

James served for 11 years as the BBC’s Caribbean Service correspondent for Antigua from 2000 to 2011 and also worked as Antigua correspondent for the Caribbean News Agency (later named the Caribbean Media Corporation) between 1989 and 2000.

Among his other journalism appointments was that of associate editor of the Antigua Sun newspaper, owned by Stanford, who is serving time in a United States prison for running a Ponzi scheme.

James also worked for 12 years for the state-run Antigua Broadcasting Service (radio and television) and presently does shows on ZDK Radio, as well as edits news and sports packages for Sun FM.

He also worked with the Antigua & Barbuda Electoral Commission as its public relations and education officer, Antigua Brewery as a sales executive and the Antigua & Barbuda Employers’ Federation as its industrial relations officer.

As for being new and different in the political process, James insists that he will be.

“Rather than blaming and making excuses, I will be working hard to get the job done whether or not I fail or succeed at the first attempt. My approach to doing things will be proactive not reactive. I will seek to engage rather than wait to be engaged. I will hold my hand and accept responsibility for my actions,” he stated.

What motivated him to go into politics?

“It has been something that has been part of my life for the past 30 years, ever since I got involved in community and sports activities. I’ve always been involved in doing something to affect people’s lives, whether it be providing an opportunity for education, sports advancement, health, social, cultural. Also, the people from the community have always been asking me to represent them in some way and in recent years after they have watched several candidates from outside the constituency get elected and then do little, they are of the view that it is time for someone who has grown up and live among them to be given an opportunity to represent them in Parliament.

“I have given it serious thought and consideration for the past two years, and having discussed it with my wife and family following a call from the leader of the Opposition and other key members of the ALP, I made the decision because I want to improve my community and provide service on a national level,” he said.

That call to serve came from the ALP alone, according to James, and he decided to step forward.

“They (ALP) approached me and I have a burning desire to make a contribution to my country. Also, having been a journalist for the better part of 30 years and writing and commenting on issues affecting the country, I believed that one of the ways to assist was to get involved in politics. The UPP did not approach me. So the choice was really whether or not I was ready, and the answer is yes.

“The Labour Party has been revamped to some extent with a new leader and is now the political brand of choice among the people. With a proven track record of empowering the people and being all-inclusive, neutral and swing voters as well as dissatisfied UPP supporters are gravitating to the ALP. It should be an interesting next few months, between now and March 2014,” commented James.