标签： Antigua and Barbuda

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda — The Office of the Governor General has issued a public correction following an administrative error during the recent swearing-in ceremony for the country’s new Prime Minister and Attorney General.

In a formal press release, officials confirmed that an obsolete version of the Oath of Allegiance, which previously required loyalty to the British Crown, was mistakenly administered during the initial ceremonial proceedings. The error comes after the island nation implemented a landmark update to its oath requirements via the Oaths Act 2025, which officially entered into force on January 1, 2026. The legislative change was crafted to align the national oath with Antigua and Barbuda’s evolving constitutional identity as an independent sovereign state.

Under the updated legal requirements laid out in Schedule 1 of the new Act, all senior public officials must now swear or affirm a revised oath. The mandated text reads: “I, [Name], [swear by Almighty God] [solemnly and sincerely, declare and affirm] that I will faithfully bear true allegiance to the State of Antigua and Barbuda, its Constitution and laws.”

The Governor General’s Office noted that it has already updated official state records to reflect the legally required updated oath, correcting the administrative mistake. The office also emphasized its ongoing commitment to upholding the highest constitutional standards for all government proceedings, and expressed regret over any public confusion that resulted from the inadvertent error.

The political landscape of the Caribbean has marked a key milestone following the conclusion of Antigua and Barbuda’s general election, which saw incumbent Prime Minister Gaston Browne secure a historic fourth term in office. Within hours of the final results being confirmed, Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali released an official statement offering his warmest congratulations to Browne on his electoral triumph.

In his public remarks, President Ali emphasized that Browne’s win was far more than a narrow electoral success—it was a decisive mandate from the people of Antigua and Barbuda. He noted that the outcome of the election served as clear evidence of the deep, enduring public support for Browne’s governing agenda and the sustained confidence that Antiguans and Barbudans hold in his ability to lead the nation forward.

Looking ahead to the coming years of Browne’s new term, President Ali shared his eagerness to deepen the collaborative partnership between Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda. He outlined that the two neighboring Caribbean nations will prioritize working side by side to advance key regional goals that touch the lives of people across all Caribbean states. Central among these priorities is accelerating the process of regional integration and expanding cross-national cooperation in areas ranging from trade to climate resilience.

Ali added that both governments remain committed to ongoing collective efforts that will build a stronger, more prosperous Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that can better withstand global economic and environmental shocks, while delivering greater security and opportunity for all member states. Closing his statement, the Guyanese president extended his best wishes to Prime Minister Browne and his incoming administration, expressing hope for a productive and successful term that delivers tangible benefits to the people of Antigua and Barbuda.

The dust has barely settled on Antigua and Barbuda’s general election held on April 30, and a heated public debate has already erupted over what caused the United Progressive Party’s (UPP) historic defeat, with the party’s top leader rejecting a prominent political analyst’s scathing assessment of the opposition’s internal failures.

Political commentator Audley Phillip, who covers cross-cutting political, social and current affairs issues, has argued that deep-rooted internal dysfunction, rather than external factors, is to blame for the UPP’s abysmal showing at the polls. Ahead of the April 30 vote, Phillip noted, at least five high-profile UPP members defected to the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), stripping the opposition of key talent and signaling widespread internal discontent. He added that multiple other prominent former UPP figures—including Bertrand Joseph, Chandlah Codrington, Errol Cort, Justin Simon, Namba Adams and Wilmoth Daniel—have either distanced themselves from the party or remained publicly silent in the lead-up to the election, clear evidence of deeper structural rot within the opposition’s ranks.

Phillip warned that the defeat has left the UPP facing a full-blown crisis of voter confidence. The current electorate, he argued, has largely withdrawn its trust in the party’s entire slate of candidates, and without dramatic action, the UPP risks losing its relevance as a major political force. To reverse its decline, Phillip said the party must either shift to extra-parliamentary leadership or carry out a sweeping internal overhaul. He also called for a generational shake-up, noting that many of the party’s recent candidates should step aside to make room for emerging new leaders that should be identified early as part of a deliberate rebuilding process.

But UPP chair D Gisele Isaac has forcefully pushed back against every part of Phillip’s critique, defending her party’s campaign and rejecting the framing of the UPP’s performance as a failure. Isaac insisted that the UPP ran a credible, ethical and fully responsible campaign in the lead-up to the vote. In the four weeks before election day, she pointed out, the party carried out extensive voter outreach: holding public rallies across the country, conducting door-to-door canvassing to connect with constituents, and clearly laid out its policy plans and programmatic priorities for voters. The party did everything a legitimate opposition should do to earn support, she argued.

In Isaac’s view, the election outcome was not a product of bad campaigning or internal disarray—it was the result of voter priorities that favored the ruling party’s vote-buying tactics. She claimed that the ABLP secured its victory by distributing material goods to voters, including plywood, galvanized steel, electronic devices, cash and what she described as questionable “scholarships”, incentives the UPP chose not to offer. “People made choices,” Isaac said, framing the final result as a simple reflection of voter preference that did not reflect on the quality of her party’s campaign.

To illustrate her point, she drew a vivid analogy: a chef can prepare a high-quality meal, perfectly set the table, and serve the dish properly, but if an invited guest chooses not to attend, that does not mean the chef or the meal itself was flawed. In the same way, she argued, the UPP’s efforts should not be judged solely by the election result.

The public back-and-forth comes after one of the most lopsided election results in Antigua and Barbuda’s recent political history. The ruling ABLP secured 15 of the 17 available seats in Parliament, leaving the UPP, the main opposition force, with just a single seat. The clash between Phillip and Isaac lays bare the deep divisions over what the UPP needs to do to recover, as the party grapples with its future direction and leadership questions in the aftermath of the devastating defeat.

Fresh off his successful election triumph in the All Saints West constituency, Anthony Smith has publicly extended sincere gratitude to the area’s residents, framing the electoral win as a collective accomplishment for every community within the district.

After completing a grassroots tour that saw him traverse the length and breadth of the constituency to connect with voters directly, Smith released a formal statement highlighting his appreciation for the backing he received on election day. During his on-the-ground outreach, the newly elected representative personally communicated his thanks to constituents for the unwavering support, trust, and confidence they placed in his leadership ahead of the vote.

“This victory does not belong to me alone – it belongs to every single person who calls All Saints West home,” Smith stated in his address, making clear that the outcome of the election was a reflection of the shared hopes and priorities residents have for the area’s future. He went on to reaffirm his long-standing pledge to serve every community across the constituency, regardless of how voters cast their ballots in the recent contest.

Unlike many elected officials who limit post-election outreach to formal press releases, Smith chose to take a hands-on approach, spending time driving through neighborhoods to deliver his thank-you message directly to residents. This intentional act of face-to-face engagement, he explained, is a clear signal of his ongoing commitment to staying connected to the people he will represent and upholding the principles of accountable, accessible representation.

Looking ahead to his upcoming tenure in office, Smith stressed that his work advancing the interests of All Saints West is already underway, and he made a new promise to remain consistently attentive to the evolving needs and growing concerns of constituents throughout his time in office.

Residents across St John’s City West have received a public invitation to join the nation’s Prime Minister for a community constituency walk this Saturday afternoon. The event, organized by the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, is centered on extending gratitude to voters for their ongoing political backing.

Per the party’s official announcement, the gathering will kick off promptly at 14:00 local time at the party’s local branch office, before participants traverse multiple neighborhoods throughout the constituency. The walk comes on the heels of recent major political shifts across the country, and has been designed to create an open space for the Prime Minister to engage face-to-face with constituents, hear their on-the-ground concerns, and personally acknowledge the widespread public support his government has received.

Organizers are actively encouraging all local supporters to turn out for the community-centered initiative, highlighting that the core goals of the event are to strengthen cross-community unity and deepen two-way engagement between political leadership and local residents. The Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party further noted that this walk is just one component of the party’s long-term, ongoing strategy to sustain close, trusting relationships with the voters who put it in office, and to encourage consistent participation from local communities in driving forward national development efforts across the country.