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Weeks after the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party secured its fourth consecutive term in the April 30 general election, the chair of the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), D. Gisele Isaac, has raised explosive allegations that systemic advantages, misuse of state assets, and direct voter bribes skewed the final result.

In a scathing opinion piece published Tuesday in the Daily Observer, Isaac delivered a damning indictment of the country’s electoral landscape, labeling Antigua and Barbuda’s democracy “plywood-built” – a fragile structure that inherently favors sitting governments through unfair constitutional and institutional advantages.

At the core of Isaac’s criticism is the argument that incumbent administrations hold an unbeatable advantage thanks to their unilateral control over all state institutions and resources. She specifically named key state bodies including the national Treasury, Immigration Department, Port Authority, Public Works Department, the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), ABS-TV and even the independent Electoral Commission as entities the ruling party leveraged for electoral gain. Unlike challengers, sitting leaders hold full authority over when, where, and how state resources are deployed during election cycles, creating a fundamentally uneven playing field that opposition groups can never overcome, she argued.

Beyond institutional bias, Isaac detailed what she claims was widespread and deliberate vote-buying during the recent campaign. She cited direct cash handouts to voters, campaign motorcades that paired promises of road repairs with free gasoline giveaways, and distribution of supermarket vouchers, personal gifts, and free concerts to sway voter sentiment. Isaac framed these tactics as exploitative of widespread economic hardship facing the country, arguing that the ruling party’s short-term inducements undercut opposition plans for long-term economic improvement.

“To thousands of families, scrunting because of the high cost of groceries and living with termites, the cash in hand and plywood were more attractive than the Opposition’s plans to make life better, healthier and more affordable,” Isaac wrote, acknowledging that widespread economic distress left many voters with little choice but to accept immediate assistance over future policy gains. She added that the cycle of vote-buying perpetuates poverty, leaving voters dependent on ruling party handouts rather than building sustainable economic growth.

Isaac also openly addressed internal instability that weakened the UPP in the lead-up to the election, confirming reports of high-profile party defections, infiltration by “double-agents” aligned with the ruling party, and internal disagreements over key campaign decisions. Despite these challenges, she defended the UPP’s campaign performance, arguing that the opposition overcame massive resource disadvantages to mount a credible challenge. “Without apology I will say, again, that the Opposition — with its small resources but great goodwill and superior talent — pulled off an election campaign that was A+,” she wrote.

The veteran political leader also pulled no punches on the outsized role of corporate and private donor influence in national politics. She argued that election outcomes and subsequent government policy are ultimately controlled not by voters, but by wealthy interests that fund political campaigns. “Vote all you want — whether for a political leader or a party; it is those who open the purse — or keep it closed — that determine the outcome,” she wrote.

Isaac closed her column with a sober warning about the long-term health of Antigua and Barbuda’s democratic system, admitting that she struggles to encourage public trust and electoral participation when the principle of “one man, one vote” does not align with the reality of how elections are run in the country. Her comments represent one of the most high-profile critiques of the island nation’s electoral system from a major opposition leader in recent years, opening new conversation about the need for electoral reform to level the political playing field.

Fresh off the 2026 general election results, the incumbent Member of Parliament for All Saints East and St. Luke has moved quickly to extend heartfelt appreciation to the voters who delivered him another term in office. In a widely shared public statement following the announcement of poll outcomes, the legislator emphasized that his electoral success was not a personal victory, but a reflection of the deep-rooted trust, sustained backing and shared commitment that define his relationship with the constituency he represents.

Acknowledging the weight of the mandate handed to him by residents, the MP has pledged to raise the bar for his service moving forward. Contrary to speculation that post-election engagement would taper off, he made clear that his on-the-ground presence and regular outreach to constituents will only grow stronger in the coming term. Centering his policy priorities on accountable, responsive governance, the legislator reaffirmed his commitment to collaborative lawmaking, noting that every decision he advances will be shaped by direct input from the communities he serves.

Looking ahead, the MP outlined his core overarching goal: to work hand-in-hand with residents of All Saints East and St. Luke to drive inclusive, sustained growth across Antigua and Barbuda. Closing his message, he repeated his sincere gratitude to every constituent who cast a ballot, offered support, or placed their confidence in his leadership ahead of the 2026 poll.

To commemorate World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has published a groundbreaking report that centers a long-overlooked angle of journalist protection: the fundamental role of labor rights in safeguarding media workers around the globe. For decades, the global community has debated threats to press freedom through the lens of free expression, but the ILO’s new analysis argues that this framework is incomplete — journalists are first and foremost workers, and their ability to do their jobs safely depends entirely on whether they can access the core labor protections guaranteed to workers in every other sector. Alarmingly, the risks facing media personnel have grown steadily worse over the past three decades. Data from UNESCO’s Observatory of Killed Journalists confirms that more than 1,850 journalists have lost their lives while on the job since 1993. For the vast majority of these killings, no perpetrators have been held to account, leaving a pervasive culture of impunity that emboldens further attacks. Beyond lethal violence, hundreds more journalists today are arbitrarily detained, disappeared, or targeted with sustained threats. Legal harassment, physical violence, and widespread digital and gender-based abuse — which disproportionately harms women journalists — add layers of insecurity that force many to censor their work or leave the profession entirely. The ILO report makes a clear, evidence-backed case: the safety of journalists does not rely solely on protecting freedom of speech. It is inextricably linked to their ability to exercise core labor rights, from fair working conditions to collective bargaining. The analysis explores how the ILO’s own fundamental principles of work rights, paired with established international labor standards, can be leveraged to strengthen existing safety frameworks. It also offers actionable guidance for governments, media outlet employers, labor unions, and journalist associations to build tailored, sustainable protection strategies that address the unique risks the sector faces. “Journalists are key defenders of human and labor rights across the world,” noted Frank Hagemann, Director of Sectoral Policies at the ILO, in comments accompanying the report’s release. “But they are also workers themselves, and the framework of labor rights provides an underutilized, powerful tool to protect them while they carry out their critical work.” The ILO has long been engaged in global efforts to protect press freedom, and it is a core partner in the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. That plan, first adopted by the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination back in 2012, established a coordinated cross-UN approach to tackling rising violence against media workers and ending the cycle of impunity for attacks on journalists. This new report builds on that decade-long initiative, bringing a fresh labor-focused perspective to a growing global crisis that shows little sign of abating.