| Kelvin Craig Simon | |
| Office: | Member of the House of Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda |
| Termstart1: | 18 January 2023 |
| Termend1: | 7 June 2023 |
| Nationality: | Antigua |
| Party: | United Progressive Party |
| Profession: | Politician |
| Constituency: | St. Mary's South |
| Constituency1: | St. Mary's South |
| Term Start: | 24 October 2023 |
| Predecessor: | Vacant |
| Predecessor1: | Samantha Marshall |
| Successor1: | Vacant |
Kelvin Craig Simon, also known as "Shugy," is an Antiguan politician and member of the United Progressive Party in Antigua and Barbuda.[1] Before entering politics, he worked as a guidance counselor and basketball player.[2]
Simon spent 15 years in the public service of Antigua and Barbuda, where he worked as a guidance counselor at several schools, including St. Mary's Secondary School, Ottos Comprehensive School, and Villa Primary School.[2] Simon holds a degree in counseling and human resource management from the Caribbean Nazarene College in Trinidad, and is a certified personal trainer.[3]
Simon played for the Antigua National Basketball Team.[4]
Simon was first elected as the Member of Parliament for St. Mary's South in the 2023 general election. Running as a candidate for the United Progressive Party (UPP), he defeated the incumbent Samantha Marshall of the Antigua Labour Party (ALP) by a margin of 199 votes.[5]
In February 2023, a High Court judge ruled in his favor, allowing him to be sworn in as an MP despite ongoing legal disputes over his nomination.[5]
Simon's victory was challenged due to his previous status as a public servant at the time of his nomination, leading to a legal petition against his right to hold the seat.[6] In response to the legal challenges and to ensure the legitimacy of his position, Simon resigned from Parliament in June 2023, triggering a by-election.[7] [8] In the subsequent by-election held in October 2023, Simon was re-elected, making him the first candidate to win two elections in the same year.[9] Simon received 1,065 votes against his opponent's 891.[10]
Simon co-founded "Project Bolans", an initiative focused on community development through sports tournaments, clean-ups, and food distribution drives. [2]