In a notable development in Antigua and Barbuda’s political landscape, Alex Browne, the candidate who lost the 16 March 2026 St. Philip North by-election, has been formally reinstated to the nation’s Senate. Browne, who suffered a clear loss to the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) candidate Randy Baltimore in the March contest, took his oath of office during a public swearing-in ceremony held on the morning of his return.
During the oath administration, Browne made a formal pledge to remain faithfully and truly loyal to the state of Antigua and Barbuda, as well as to uphold the country’s foundational Constitution and all existing national laws. Following the conclusion of the swearing-in process, Browne received messages of congratulations from sitting senators representing both the ruling and opposition blocs in the upper legislative chamber.
Among those offering well-wishes was government-aligned Senator Philip Shoul, who noted that he had held out hope that a younger opposition senator would be appointed to fill the vacant seat. Shoul’s comment referenced the opposition party’s stated public commitment to elevating younger people into its formal leadership structure. For Browne, this return to the Senate sets the stage for a rematch with Baltimore: Browne has already been selected as the United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate for the St. Philip North constituency in the upcoming general election, which is scheduled to take place before the end of the current month.
This is not Browne’s first tenure in the Antigua and Barbuda Senate. He was first appointed to the upper house by Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle in the aftermath of the 2023 general election. That initial appointment came in recognition of Browne’s strong performance against veteran political figure Sir Robin Yearwood, who formally retired from parliament this month after an unprecedented 50 years of continuous service in the national legislature.