In a landmark political moment for the twin-island Caribbean nation, Prime Minister Gaston Browne took the oath of office for his fourth consecutive term as head of government on Friday. The inauguration came just hours after Browne led his long-ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) to a decisive landslide victory in the April 30 general election, a contest he called nearly two years ahead of the constitutionally mandated deadline.
Browne was joined in taking the oath by Attorney General Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin during the ceremony, which was officiated by Governor General Sir Rodney Williams and attended by all other ABLP candidates who won seats in the election. Official results released by the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) confirm that the ABLP secured 15 out of the 17 available seats in the country’s parliament. The remaining two seats were split between the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) and the Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM). Voter turnout across the nation reached just over 62.5 percent of eligible electorate.
Addressing supporters and reporters shortly after his swearing-in, Browne emphasized the scale of his party’s mandate, noting, “That was a resounding victory. People spoke, and they spoke with clarity. They spoke resoundingly, and we’re very happy with the mandate that was given to us.” The Prime Minister acknowledged that the strong electoral victory came with heightened responsibility, which his administration is fully prepared to uphold. “But with that mandate comes increased responsibility, and it’s a responsibility that we will certainly honour. We’ll make sure that we continue to deliver for the people of Antigua and Barbuda. In fact, the fact that I was given a fourth term as Prime Minister is in itself a humbling experience, and it has strengthened my commitment to fight even harder for the people of Antigua and Barbuda and to deliver more for them.”
Looking ahead to his new term, Browne outlined an ambitious agenda focused on accelerating national progress. “So the people of Antigua and Barbuda will be seeing accelerated growth and development, accelerated infrastructural development, and the roadworks and waterworks we have started will be accelerated until we substantially resolve the water and road problems,” he added, extending gratitude to the public for its patience during ongoing infrastructure projects.
The Prime Minister announced that the full composition of his new Cabinet will be revealed this coming Tuesday, noting that most senior roles will be retained by sitting ministers to ensure policy continuity amid major ongoing initiatives. “there will be “familiar faces” because several ministers are handling significant projects and continuity is important. So, for example, I’d want to ensure that we have Minister Daryll S Matthew in Education to continue the expansion…. We certainly want to maintain Minister Chet Greene as Minister of Foreign Affairs because, as you know, a significant amount of planning has gone into the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference scheduled for November, and to put in a new minister at this time would not be advisable.”
Browne also confirmed that his wife, Maria Browne, will keep her position as Minister of Public Works, praising her proven ability to manage multiple concurrent infrastructure projects across different constituencies. To build a pipeline of future leadership and avoid unnecessary government expansion, newly elected ABLP members will first serve in junior ministerial roles to receive on-the-job training before moving into senior positions. “Again, we don’t want to have a bloated government by having all senior ministers. We will have some junior ministers as a form of training and development so that they, too, can blossom into senior ministers eventually and better serve the people of Antigua and Barbuda,” he explained.
In a call for more constructive political discourse across the nation, Browne urged a shift toward more responsible politics to build a stronger future for Antigua and Barbuda. “I’m hoping that with such a resounding victory there will be a new dispensation going forward. I’m hoping that our politics will become more civil. I’m hoping that politicians on both sides of the aisle will stand on the truth because, at the end of the day, misinformation, disinformation and falsities are literally eroding the fabric of our society and destroying our country.”
The Prime Minister stressed that he welcomes a strong, reformed opposition to maintain government accountability, rejecting calls for a weakened opposition bloc. “He also said he believes in responsible politics and that the opposition should use the moment to reform, adding that a strong opposition remains necessary for accountability. We do not necessarily want a weak opposition. We want individuals with the competence to continue to hold us accountable,” Browne said.
Internationally, the United States has extended its congratulations to Browne and his administration. In an official congratulatory message, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington looks forward to deepening ongoing collaboration with Antigua and Barbuda on a range of shared regional priorities. These priorities include strengthening collective regional security, improving coordination to counter illegal immigration, disrupt transnational criminal organizations, and crack down on illicit trafficking networks operating in the Caribbean.