As the countdown to Antigua and Barbuda’s April 30 general election begins, incumbent Prime Minister Gaston Browne has launched a sharp critique of the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), dismissing its slate of campaign pledges as unrealistic, repackaged proposals designed to court voters through reckless handouts rather than thoughtful, actionable governance.
During a recent interview on local radio station Pointe FM, Browne broke down his criticism of the opposition’s policy agenda, arguing that UPP’s platform lacks both strategic vision and policy coherence. The prime minister emphasized that many of the party’s high-profile promises have not undergone rigorous financial modeling, crafted solely to grab public attention without accounting for the severe fiscal strain they would impose on the national budget.
At the center of Browne’s pushback is the UPP’s flagship proposal to eliminate all duties and taxes on motor vehicle purchases. He calculated that this policy alone would strip the government of more than $50 million in critical annual revenue, a loss that would be nearly impossible to offset through alternate funding streams without cutting core public services. Browne noted that after facing public pressure over the proposal’s massive fiscal gap, UPP has since walked back its plan to a more moderate 50% across-the-board reduction in vehicle duties — a change that exposes the original pledge’s lack of preparation.
Browne further pointed out that the governing Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party administration has already implemented the kind of duty concessions the UPP is now claiming as an original initiative. Currently, the government offers a 50% duty reduction on new vehicles for all buyers, and extends full 100% duty exemptions to specific working groups including taxi operators, public school teachers, nurses, and police officers, putting the UPP’s adjusted proposal in line with existing policy.
“This is nothing more than repackaging: the opposition is promising something that is already law and practice in our country,” Browne said, accusing UPP of intentionally misleading voters to win support ahead of the vote. He used the colloquial term “mamaguy the people” to characterize the opposition’s tactic of deceptive, empty campaigning.
The prime minister made clear that his administration will not enter a race to outbid the opposition on unfunded giveaways, rejecting calls to match UPP’s pledges with equally costly promises. “We will not get drawn into their giveaway war. Our approach will be responsive to public needs, but it will also be measured and responsible,” he stated, adding that his government will remain focused on delivering sustainable policies that deliver long-term empowerment to workers and all segments of the national population.
Browne’s comments come as all political parties ramp up their campaign activities in the lead-up to the end-of-April poll, with public debate dominated by competing plans to address taxation, ease the rising cost of living, and steer the national economy through ongoing global headwinds.