In a sharp critique delivered to the Upper House on Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader David Massiah declared the government’s 2026 budget fundamentally inadequate in confronting the severe cost-of-living pressures burdening households across Antigua and Barbuda. The opposition leader contended that the administration’s celebratory economic narratives bear little resemblance to the daily financial realities experienced by working citizens.
Massiah systematically dismantled the government’s fiscal framework, highlighting its excessive reliance on surplus figures that he characterized as illusory. “The government’s fiscal narrative depends on a surplus that vanishes instantaneously when debt repayment obligations enter the equation,” Massiah stated before assembled senators, asserting that this accounting approach obscures the genuine financial strain affecting families and workers nationwide.
While acknowledging certain constructive elements within the budget proposal, the opposition leader emphasized these measures remained insufficient to form a coherent strategy addressing affordability concerns. From his perspective as a labor practitioner, Massiah expressed particular concern about the budget’s failure to substantiate key provisions regarding wages, household earnings, and economic security mechanisms.
“Antigua and Barbuda merits a budget that embraces complete transparency, safeguards vulnerable populations, stimulates economic diversification, enhances governmental accountability, and ensures the enduring sustainability of both our social security systems and national finances,” Massiah asserted, framing these omissions as critical failures in governance.
The senator further questioned how projected economic growth would translate into tangible relief for ordinary citizens absent a clearly defined household income and cost-of-living strategy. He emphasized the Senate’s constitutional responsibility to rigorously examine whether fiscal policies genuinely protect disadvantaged groups while supporting long-term financial stability beyond optimistic projections.
Massiah concluded his address by reaffirming the Senate’s oversight role in budgetary matters, particularly regarding protections for vulnerable demographics and sustainable economic planning. The debate on the 2026 Appropriation Bill continues with anticipated responses from both government and opposition representatives.