I will be back! That is the promise from former United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate for Christ Church West, Dr Maria Agard, after news broke Thursday that she would not be contesting the May 24 General Election.
Agard was not among the 23 UPP candidates, including leader Lynette Eastmond, who paid their deposits Thursday into the Treasury Department to contest the upcoming election.
Eastmond said Agard had a previously confirmed medical consultation abroad on May 23, which could not be rescheduled. She said the party had not yet selected or identified a candidate to replace Agard in the Christ Church West constituency.
“Nomination Day is Monday, so if a candidate does come along they will present themselves on Monday,” Eastmond said.
An emotional Agard told the Weekend Nation that while her health was good, she was doing follow-up treatment after a series of successful operations last year. She is expected to travel on May 22 for a consultation the following day and return in June.
The consultation was originally scheduled for February 6, but because she thought elections were imminent, it was postponed and could not be rescheduled again.
“I will always be in politics . . . whether it is elective politics, community politics, civic activism . . . . ,” Agard said.
The dentist said she was disappointed about not being able to contest the election because she was ready to defend her stewardship in Christ Church West.
Agard said she did things differently in the constituency because she believed the dignity of the poor had to be preserved.
The former Barbados Labour Party (BLP) member said she worked with state agencies and parliamentarians across the political divide to provide for constituents and move them beyond dependence on politicians.
Agard was elected on a BLP ticket in 2013 after former representative Dr William Duguid announced he would be relocating to Canada. (SDB Media)
