BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — The newly formed Political Prostitutes Party (PPP) says it will not be contesting the upcoming general elections after all as Barbadians still await the date to be announced by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart.

The PPP, which had originally indicated its intention to contest the polls that must be held no later than June, said it has not been able to get candidates to contest all the 30 seats in the election.

“We are going to miss this election simply because the recruitment process is not complete as yet. I am still searching for candidates to represent us throughout most of the constituencies, so it won’t be happening this election for sure,” said PPP leader and founder, Charles “Spice” Lewis.

He told the online publication, Barbados TODAY that while several people had expressed an interest in representing the party at the election; the majority had failed to meet the required standard.

“Persons who wish to join the PPP must have a genuine interest in improving Barbados’ social and economics; be willing to change the political status quo; have a business and entrepreneurial mind-set; and must be in favour of legalising, decriminalising or regulating prostitution and other adult industry activities,” he told the Barbados TODAY.

Lewis, a well-known player in the adult entertainment industry here, had in March this year, emerged as the campaign manager for retired prostitute, Natlee Harewood, who said she would be contesting the City of Bridgetown constituency as an independent candidate.

However the two parted ways and Lewis launched the PPP to contest the election against the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) and the main opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP).

“I announced that I was forming a party and I am still forming it, nothing has changed. The process takes time, I had a feeling that it won’t happen right away,” Lewis said, adding that despite the party’s withdrawal from this year’s campaign, it should be ready by 2023.

“Since we will not be contesting this 2018 election it means that we will have to wait for the next one and that is a long process. I will continue trying to recruit citizens to join the party and once I have done that I will announce to the public that I have found my expected number,” he told the Barbados TODAY.