ANTIGUA | Political Rift Deepens Over Funeral Honours for Late MP Asot Michael

ST. JOHNS, Antigua — The Opposition United Progressive Party's St. Peter Branch has launched a scathing critique of Prime Minister Gaston Browne's decision to deny a State Funeral to Independent Member of Parliament Asot Michael, who was found brutally stabbed to death in his Dry Hill residence several days ago.

In a pointed challenge to the administration's stance, the Opposition branch has condemned as "small minded and petty" the Prime Minister's decision to accord only an Official Funeral to Michael.

The slain parliamentarian, once a close ally of Prime Minister Browne before turning independent, made history as the first Independent candidate to secure a parliamentary seat in Antigua.

The gruesome discovery of Michael's body has cast a dark shadow over the nation's political landscape, with the funeral honours controversy highlighting deep-seated tensions between the government and opposition forces.

The UPP's St. Peter Branch, representing the constituency Michael served for two decades, has emerged as a vocal advocate for posthumously recognizing his contributions with the highest state honours.

"His death was violent, but his life was one of service," a Branch spokesperson emphasized, noting Michael's reputation for transcending partisan politics in his constituency work. According to local sources, he "never 'passed a house' simply because it was 'blue,'" serving constituents regardless of their political allegiances.

Michael's journey from government insider to independent critic, marked by his forthright challenges to his former administration's policies and persistent advocacy for St. Peter's development, ended tragically with his murder.

As police investigations continue, the Opposition's push for a State Funeral has become emblematic of broader questions about political recognition and reconciliation in Antigua's democracy.

The UPP St. Peter Branch maintains that Michael's service to the constituency and his historic role in the nation's parliamentary democracy have earned him the right to a State Funeral, setting the stage for a confrontation over how Antigua honors its public servants, particularly those who dare to challenge the political establishment.

As investigators probe the circumstances of Michael's violent death, and has one suspect in custody, the controversy over his final honors underscores the volatile mix of personal tragedy, political legacy, and partisan divisions in Antigua's political sphere.

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