Eleven Years of Progress | By E.P Chet Greene

By Hon. E.P. Chet Greene, Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party

As Antigua and Barbuda marks 11 years of uninterrupted governance under the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), this milestone invites both reflection and renewed commitment. On June 13, 2014, our Party was entrusted with the sacred duty of steering this nation toward prosperity, equity and resilience. Today, as we assess our journey, the evidence of transformation is undeniable and so too is the understanding that our work remains unfinished.

Under the bold leadership of Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Antigua and Barbuda has undergone a paradigm shift from economic revitalization to social empowerment, from infrastructural modernization to global advocacy. The ABLP’s tenure has been defined by action, not rhetoric and the results speak for themselves.

Through strategic foreign investment, tourism expansion and support for local enterprise, we have turned stagnation into growth, uncertainty into stability and unemployment into opportunity. Our economy is undoubtedly being reimagined.

From upgraded healthcare facilities to expanded social safety nets, from affordable housing to education reforms, we have placed people at the center of our national development. In short, the pillars of our society are being strengthened.

Whether in the fight for climate justice, advocacy for small island states at at the UN, COP and other international fora, or our principled diplomacy, Antigua and Barbuda now leads where we once followed.

None of these achievements would have been possible without the trust and partnership of the Antiguan and Barbudan people. To our farmers, teachers, healthcare workers, civil servants, entrepreneurs, laborers, youth and women you are the backbone of this progress. To our diaspora, whose remittances, expertise and advocacy continue to fortify our nationyour role is indispensable. To the thousands of party members and supporters, whose tireless campaigning and community work keep the flame of Labour alive, I salute you on this special occasion. Labour all the way!

As we celebrate, we recognize that true development is a continuous journey. Climate change remains an existential threat. Economic disparities persist and global instability demands vigilance. If the past decade has proven anything, it is that Antigua and Barbuda thrives best when united by purpose.

Our Party’s creed remains our compass:
“We believe in the Empowerment of our people, in the principles of good governance, the elimination of poverty, the provision of full employment, equitable distribution of wealth and the equality of opportunity and justice.”

These are not mere words, they are a covenant with the people we serve; all Antiguans and Barbudans.

As Chairman, I am reminded daily that “the unity of Labour is the salvation of our country.” This maxim, etched into our Party’s foundation, is not nostalgia, it is a battle cry for the present and a guide for the future.

To those who have stood with us, thank you. To those who challenge us, we hear you. To those who have joined us, welcome and to the next generation, the future is yours to shape with the ABLP as your trusted partner.

We look toward to the next decade, moving forward not in complacency but in collective determination to build Antigua and Barbuda where no one is left behind.

The best is yet to come!