分类： politics

In a striking parliamentary confrontation, Opposition Member of Parliament Sherfield Bowen has leveled serious allegations against the Gaston Browne administration regarding its fiscal management practices. During Friday’s Budget Debate, Bowen presented a detailed critique asserting that the government’s proclaimed fiscal surplus constitutes an accounting illusion that collapses under rigorous examination.

Bowen’s central argument focused on the administration’s controversial methodology of excluding debt amortization from expenditure calculations—a technical maneuver that creates an appearance of financial health while substantial obligations remain outstanding. The parliamentarian maintained that applying standard accounting principles reveals the government is actually operating at a deficit rather than the proclaimed EC$200 million surplus.

The opposition figure raised compelling questions about the administration’s simultaneous declaration of surplus while seeking parliamentary approval for substantial new borrowing authority. Bowen highlighted the apparent contradiction in requesting approximately US$600 million (equivalent to EC$1.6 billion) in new borrowing capacity immediately after announcing a budget surplus, suggesting this discrepancy indicates deeper fiscal challenges.

Bowen connected these fiscal concerns to broader transparency issues, revealing that his attempts to obtain financial documentation from state entities have been systematically obstructed. This lack of access to public records, he argued, prevents proper parliamentary oversight and verification of whether government expenditures have received appropriate authorization.

The parliamentarian concluded with a sobering assessment that the pattern of deficit spending and accumulating debt has persisted despite repeated governmental assurances of improving public finances. As of this reporting, the Gaston Browne administration has not issued a direct response to these allegations.

In a dramatic escalation of his ongoing transparency campaign, opposition parliamentarian Sherfield Bowen issued a stark ultimatum during Friday’s 2026 Budget Debate: release crucial government records or face legal proceedings. The legislator revealed he would seek writs of mandamus – judicial orders compelling public officials to execute their statutory duties – against multiple government agencies.

The confrontation originated from what Bowen termed a ‘vehicle-registration controversy’ when he sought basic information from the Transport Board regarding government-owned vehicles. Despite what he characterized as a straightforward inquiry about the number of officially registered state vehicles, Bowen received a blunt refusal: ‘I don’t think we can give you that information.’

This obstruction, according to Bowen, transcends mere bureaucratic resistance. He framed it as a fundamental breach of democratic principles, emphasizing that elected representatives must have unfettered access to information concerning public assets and expenditures. The Transport Board case proved merely symptomatic of a broader pattern, with Bowen detailing similar stonewalling from multiple record-holding entities.

He provided a particularly telling example involving the Social Security institution. Whereas several years prior he successfully obtained and utilized their data for governmental financial analysis, his subsequent requests for updated information have met with complete silence. ‘Ever since I did that, no matter how many times I request the data, not even an answer,’ Bowen told Parliament.

Bowen’s threatened legal action specifically targets the Transport Board and the designated ‘keeper and custodian of government records.’ He maintains that this struggle transcends partisan politics, touching upon the core democratic obligation of transparency in governance. Public institutions, he argued, bear a non-negotiable duty to disclose information pertaining to state assets, public spending, and national financial management.

In a striking parliamentary confrontation during the 2026 Budget Debate, Opposition Member of Parliament Sherfield Bowen delivered a scathing critique of the government’s fiscal narrative, presenting evidence that Antigua and Barbuda’s national debt has dramatically increased rather than decreased under current administration.

Bowen challenged the administration’s frequent claims of successful debt management, revealing that while the government emphasizes debt-to-GDP ratios showing improvement from over 100% to approximately 61%, the actual dollar value of national liabilities tells a different story. According to the MP’s analysis, the national debt has ballooned from EC$2.6 billion in 2014 to approximately EC$4 billion in the current budget—representing a substantial increase in real terms.

The parliamentarian referenced the 2014 Director of Audit’s Report as his baseline, highlighting that when the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party assumed office, the debt stood at EC$2.6 billion. He systematically deconstructed the government’s percentage-based presentations, arguing that focusing solely on GDP ratios creates a misleading perception that obscures the true scale of borrowing.

Bowen enhanced his argument with per-capita calculations, demonstrating that each citizen’s share of the national debt has effectively doubled from approximately EC$24,000 in 2014 to about EC$50,000 currently. This tangible metric, he contended, more accurately reflects the actual burden on the population than abstract percentage comparisons.

The opposition MP attributed this debt accumulation to years of sustained budgetary deficits and continued borrowing, directly contradicting government assertions of improved public finances. His critique formed part of a broader examination of the budget’s presentation methods, which he accused of masking structural economic weaknesses behind favorably framed headline figures.

In a strategic move to deepen ties with its overseas citizens, the government of Antigua and Barbuda has established a specialized diplomatic position dedicated to diaspora relations. Foreign Affairs Minister EP Chet Greene formally announced the appointment of Dr. Davery as the nation’s first Diaspora Officer during his parliamentary address on the 2026 Budget.

The creation of this role signifies a substantial policy shift from conventional consular assistance toward building a more structured and impactful partnership with Antiguans and Barbudans residing abroad. Minister Greene emphasized that this initiative reflects a renewed commitment to engaging diaspora communities, particularly those in major hubs like New York.

Complementing this appointment, Minister Greene unveiled plans for a landmark Diaspora Business Forum, scheduled to take place in St. John’s in 2026. The government has strategically planned the event to coincide with the vibrant Carnival season, facilitating greater participation by enabling overseas nationals to combine cultural celebration with economic engagement without the need for multiple transcontinental trips.

The forum’s primary objective will be to catalyze investment and foster the transfer of knowledge and skills from the diaspora to the domestic economy. Minister Greene explicitly stated that while financial remittances are valued, the administration seeks a more profound level of economic involvement. “We can’t just be talking about remittances,” Greene told Parliament, outlining a vision for the forum to serve as a platform for serious business dialogue that directly contributes to national development.

This dual-pronged strategy—a dedicated officer and a major investment forum—forms part of a broader governmental effort to transform global overseas connections into sustainable, long-term economic partnerships for Antigua and Barbuda.