ABLP Government Spends Far Less on Travel Than Opposition Did, PM Says

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has defended his administration’s spending on overseas travel, asserting that the government spends significantly less than the previous United Progressive Party (UPP) administration.

Speaking in Parliament, Browne dismissed opposition concerns about the cost of official trips, stating:

“The amounts that we spend on travel are significantly less than the 78 million a year that the UPP used to spend during a single calendar year.”

He argued that international travel remains essential for securing foreign investment and representing Antigua and Barbuda in critical negotiations.

Opposition MPs challenged Browne on whether all travel expenses were justified and demanded a comparison of government travel costs for January 2025 and January 2024. However, Browne said that such detailed figures should be formally requested.

“If you’re asking for details, specifics… you have the Freedom of Information Act in which you can write to the financial secretary or even myself as the Minister of Finance to get these specifics,” he said.

He further rejected the notion that a prime minister should be expected to have precise figures on hand, calling for a “reasonable” approach to such inquiries.

“You can’t expect that any prime minister will have all of the figures in his head. I mean, come on, be reasonable.”

While Browne reaffirmed that government travel spending is managed responsibly, opposition members have called for regular public reporting on travel expenses, including trip objectives and costs.

The Prime Minister did not commit to additional reporting measures but emphasized that information is accessible through existing legal channels.

As economic concerns persist, the debate over government travel spending is likely to continue, with opposition MPs pushing for more disclosure and the administration maintaining that such expenses are necessary for national development.

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