Fresh off a landslide re-election victory that locked in a fourth consecutive term for his administration, Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda has launched a stark crackdown on unprofessional conduct among his cabinet ministers and senior government officials, demanding that any public servant who cannot stay focused and engaged during official meetings resign immediately.
Speaking in an interview with local outlet Pointe FM, Browne outlined a new push for heightened discipline and professional accountability across the executive branch, calling out a range of distracting, unproductive behaviors that he says have become unacceptable in his government. Among the most common issues he highlighted were excessive smartphone use and persistent inattentiveness that pulls officials away from critical government business being discussed at meetings.
“If you want to drop sleep and you can’t keep your head up, then leave it,” Browne told host, emphasizing that roles in public office demand full commitment from the people who hold them. He argued that any elected official or public servant who is unwilling or unable to maintain full focus during official proceedings does not deserve to keep their position of public trust.
Browne doubled down on the criticism, noting that far too many officials spend entire meetings glued to their mobile devices instead of contributing to policy discussions. All public servants and elected representatives, he stressed, have a responsibility to remain attentive and deliver productive outcomes for the citizens who elected them.
In a revealing anecdote that underscores the scope of the issue, Browne shared that he had personally observed a sitting cabinet minister playing the popular computer card game Solitaire mid-meeting just recently, exposing the complacency he is now working to root out of his administration.
The prime minister’s remarks come as part of a broader conversation about governance and accountability, unfolding just weeks after the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) secured a decisive victory in the April 30 general election. The party won 15 out of the nation’s 17 available parliamentary seats, granting Browne’s administration an overwhelming governing majority in the national legislature.
Browne has repeatedly warned his caucus and cabinet that the lopsided election win does not give the party permission to grow complacent. Instead, he has repeatedly called on ministers and members of parliament to raise their performance standards, tighten operational discipline, and work continuously to preserve the public trust that delivered their historic election majority.