June 21, 2011Dear Sir,I have been struck by the similarities in the formation of the UPB and the OBA. I think that these similarities should be highlighted for the general public whether or not one agrees with the actions taken in each case.The context for the formation of the UBP was that a new Parliamentary Election Act was passed in 1963. This Act enabled a much greater proportion of the population to participate in voting, beyond the previous ten percent or so of the population who were voters because they were owners of real estate property in excess of a specified minimum in value.The PLP was formed before the 1963 election and was successful in gaining six seats in parliament of which one seat was held by a white member of the PLP. The remaining 30 seats in parliament were won by persons who had specifically rejected the idea of political parties. In the subsequent meetings of parliament the 30 independents found that the six PLP members were able to have a great influence on legislation as they acted in a unified manner while the independent members expressed a variety of points of view. As a result the UBP was formed in 1964 by 24 of the thirty independent members in order to obliterate the influence of a party that was dominated by black members. These 24 members went against the basis on which they were elected to parliament.The context for the formation of the OBA was that the PLP had been successful in gaining control of parliament from the UBP in 1998 and in maintaining that control since then through two subsequent elections. Several members of the UBP parliamentary group began to feel that the UBP brand was hindering them from regaining control of parliament. Accordingly, all except two of the UBP parliamentary group left the UBP, thus going against the basis on which they were elected, and formed the OBA in 2011 in an effort to defeat the PLP at the next election. The PLP remains a party that is dominated by black members of parliament.In 1964 the UBP parliamentary group consisted almost exclusively of professionals, bankers, and businessmen. Similarly, in 2011 the OBA parliamentary group consists almost exclusively of professionals, bankers and businessmen.I am merely stating the facts of our political history.JT CHRISTOPHERWarwick