Fresh off a dominant landslide victory at the polls, the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party has formally launched its new parliamentary term, but Prime Minister Gaston Browne is making clear that celebration will give way to accountability. Speaking on Monday during the inaugural sitting of the newly elected Parliament at the nation’s Parliament Building, immediately following the official swearing-in of all elected Members of Parliament, Browne delivered a blunt reminder to his party’s lawmakers that their decisive win does not equal permission to step back from public service.
In opening remarks to the newly seated chamber, Browne doubled down on a message he has stressed repeatedly throughout the transition: the landslide result is no mandate for slothfulness. “If anything, it is actually a mandate for us to serve more faithfully the people of Antigua and Barbuda,” he told assembled lawmakers. He laid out clear expectations for all members of the legislature, calling for unrelenting effort to advance social and economic empowerment for citizens across both islands. The prime minister emphasized that Parliament retains its status as the highest decision-making body in the nation, and attendance will be a core accountability measure for all members.
Browne stressed that casual attendance will not be tolerated, noting that lawmakers should only miss sittings when facing illness, official government travel, or other well-documented extenuating circumstances. Beyond participation, he reminded MPs that they hold a critical fiduciary responsibility to their constituents, requiring that they carry out their work with consistent dignity and professional conduct.
The opening sitting included formal leadership appointments, with Browne extending congratulations to Osbert Frederick on his reappointment as Speaker of the House and Philmore Benjamin on his new election as Deputy Speaker. He framed the parliamentary chamber as a sacred space at the heart of the nation’s democracy, charging the new leadership with upholding the chamber’s core values. Frederick and Benjamin, he said, are tasked with leading proceedings with wisdom, fairness, and unwavering firmness, all while protecting the dignity and institutional integrity of the House.
“You are entrusted with safeguarding the dignity, order, and integrity of this honorable house,” Browne stated, adding that the government expects the chamber to avoid descending into chaos even amid the inevitable political challenges of the coming term. He praised Frederick’s track record from his previous tenure as Speaker, noting his consistent reputation for being fair and firm, and expressed confidence he would uphold that standard in his new term.
Ahead of the government’s policy agenda for the coming term, Browne also called for cross-party unity as the administration works to advance its national development agenda. “Let us continue to work in a united way to continue to advance Antigua and Barbuda as we seek to expand the Renaissance, this new era of progress and development,” he said.
Before closing his remarks, Browne extended congratulations to all newly elected and re-elected lawmakers, singling out veteran parliamentarian Stedroy Benjamin for special recognition. Benjamin, the MP for St. John’s City South, took the parliamentary oath of office for the eighth consecutive time, marking a historic milestone in his decades-long career of public service.