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Newly independent MP Anthony Smith Jr. has been sworn in as the Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries, and the Blue Economy in a whirlwind 24 hours that saw the young businessman-turned-politician resign from his post as a member of the opposition party.

Members of the United Progressive Party (UPP) were caught off guard by the news, with several of the UPP’s leadership seemingly unaware of the resignation when Observer media reached out for confirmation on Monday afternoon.

Smith, along with Minister of Housing, Public Works, and Urban Development Maria Browne, was one of the youngest MPs ever elected to Parliament, receiving more than 2,000 votes in last year’s general election. Smith now takes over parts of Minister Chet Greene’s and Minister Maria Browne’s portfolios.

At a ceremony at Government House on Tuesday morning, Governor General Sir Rodney Williams described MP Smith as a role model for young people. “You have a service to give, and I think that it is important for you to recognise that now you will not just be representing your constituency, but you will be representing all of Antigua and Barbuda,” Sir Rodney said.

In a letter to the UPP’s General Secretary, Smith cited a misalignment of values and spoke of being at odds with the direction and decisions of the party in recent months. His departure follows the resignation in February of UPP caretaker for St Paul, Cleon Athill, who also cited “problematic leadership style and organisational culture” and derided the mentality of how the opposition executes its roles and functions.

MP Smith challenged D Gisele Isaac for the role of Chairperson at the UPP convention in April. Smith’s letter also alluded to insults, criticisms, and threats of expulsion he apparently received during and after the convention. Supporters of the incumbent leader Jamale Pringle and Isaac were seen ripping off their shirts and shouting “loyalty over royalty” when Smith and Richard Lewis lost their bid as chair and leader respectively.

Despite his resignation from the party, Smith will continue to serve as an independent member of Parliament. According to the Constitution, “Every member of the House shall vacate his seat in the House if, having been elected to the House by virtue of being a member of a political party, he resigns his party whip and withdraws his allegiance from that party”. However, it also states “he shall not be required to vacate his seat so long as he remains an independent member of the House”. Smith is the first independent MP to become a member of the executive.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne stated that the ministries given to MP Smith were “indicative of the confidence” the Cabinet has in his potential. “I feel absolutely confident that he has the capacity to serve… he’s totally committed to making a significant contribution towards the advancement of his constituents and the people of Antigua and Barbuda.

“I would have observed his entry into politics 18 months ago and always felt that he had some capacity and the type of decency that we could engage him as an individual with whom we could have a relationship with,” he said.

The Prime Minister took a dig at the UPP after managing to poach another former member of the party, this time an elected member of Parliament. ABLP Senator Dwayne George is also a previous UPP supporter. “I recognise that he was operating within a very toxic environment, an environment in which it would have stymied his growth and development, and that he has utilised the opportunity to transition to greener pastures so that he could better serve his constituents,” PM Browne said.

Meanwhile, Smith acknowledged that while some persons would have been upset by the news, he made the decision in the best interest of his constituents. “I know, at this time, that persons will be hurt that I would have decided to withdraw my allegiance from the United Progressive Party, and I can understand that.

“But what I want persons to understand is that the people of All Saints West elected me to serve, and they elected me to lead; this is an opportunity to serve the people of All Saints West and the people of Antigua and Barbuda, and nation building comes before all the partisan politics that we see on the ground and hear about all the time,” he said.

A statement from the UPP yesterday admitted Smith’s departure had taken the party by surprise but pledged to fill the gap with a new party caretaker promptly.