PM Browne Uses Manifesto Launch to Urge Stability, Warns Voters Against ‘Risk’ Ahead of April 30 Election

Prime Minister Gaston Browne used the launch of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party’s 2026 manifesto to deliver a direct appeal to voters, framing the upcoming April 30 election as a choice between stability and uncertainty as his administration enters the final stretch of the campaign.

Addressing supporters, Browne anchored his message in urgency and global context, warning that international instability is already affecting everyday life in Antigua and Barbuda. “My friends, we all feel it at the store,” he said, adding, “the wars and chaos around the world mean higher prices and an uncertain future.”

He positioned the election as a defining moment, asking voters to consider leadership readiness in a changing global environment. “On election day, you must ask yourselves: Which leader and team is strong enough, steady enough to see our country through?”

Browne’s speech leaned heavily on the party’s central campaign theme of a national “renaissance,” presenting his administration’s record as evidence of forward momentum rather than recovery. “The world is entering a new era. And so is Antigua and Barbuda,” he said, adding that his government offers “a renaissance in changing times.”

The Prime Minister pointed to a range of economic and social policies as proof of that progress, highlighting measures aimed at increasing disposable income and easing financial pressure on households. “We repealed the personal income tax, increased the minimum wage, increased public sector wages, increased social security and occupational pensions to put more money into your pockets,” Browne told the audience.

He also cited expanded social support programmes, including food assistance and tax relief on essential goods. “We expanded the food voucher program, expanded a zero-rated ABST on essential foods and rolled out affordable broadband,” he said.

Beyond social policy, Browne outlined ongoing development projects as part of the government’s growth strategy, pointing to activity across multiple sectors. “We are literally building new hotels,” he said, while also referencing investments in water infrastructure and roads.

“We expanded the reverse osmosis plants to provide more water,” he added, noting that “ongoing roadworks… are taking place in every single constituency.”

The speech repeatedly returned to a central campaign message: continuity. Browne cautioned voters against changing course at a time of global uncertainty, portraying his administration as a safe and experienced option. “On election day, do not take a risk on a leader and a team that’s just not ready,” he said.

He closed with a direct call for support, urging voters to maintain what he described as steady leadership. “Let’s keep Antigua and Barbuda in strong and safe hands,” Browne said.

The manifesto launch forms part of a broader campaign push by the ABLP, with party officials emphasizing economic performance, infrastructure expansion and social programmes as key pillars of their re-election bid.

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