I am humbled by your appreciation of the record of service to this country by my parents and grand-parents. I am inspired by the high regard in which you hold my efforts to enhance and improve the quality of life of the people of Antigua and Barbuda, and particularly the residents of St. Peter’s. I cannot walk away from the genuine hand of friendship you have extended to me.

I shall forever be inspired by the many prayers that were offered up for me during my darkest hour in public life, when unfortunately I was forced to resign as a Minister, not for any significant wrong-doing, but for doing right by you, and for speaking my mind on behalf of the wider population of this country. I shall never forget the night of June 19th 2003, when you came in your hundreds to my home to reaffirm your support and well wishes at the end of that most traumatic period. The outcome of any counting of ballots can never erase the impact of your expression of genuine love and concern for my physical and emotional well-being.

My desire to be of service to the people of Antigua and Barbuda is not for personal gain or aggrandizement. To the contrary, the temptation is great for me to conclude that the personal pain and vilification is not worth it. I have considered on many occasions walking away from it all and pursuing a career in business, or making a total shift to the law or some other profession. But when I visit your communities and your individual homes, when I speak to you in person at my office or on the telephone, I recognize your belief in, and commitment to, the cause for which I stand. I recognize that I can be no less committed.

I will uphold your belief, I will pursue the cause of enhancing the standard of living and the quality of life of the residents of St. Peter’s. I reaffirm my support for the leadership of the Hon. Prime Minister, Lester Bryant Bird, and his vision for Antigua and Barbuda. I shall see this struggle through to the end. I therefore ask for your support on Election Day. My success, indeed your success, would provide both you and I with a voice in the elected House of Representatives of this country, as the duly elected member by and for the people of the constituency of St. Peter.