Harold Lovell’s announcement of his return to elected politics may have stirred nostalgia in some quarters, but it should also trigger a deeper, more uncomfortable question for Antigua and Barbuda: How long will the old guard hold the reins, and at what cost to our nation’s future?
Our political landscape has been dominated for decades by the same familiar faces and the same tired playbook. Sir Molwyn Joseph, Sir Cutie Benjamin, Sir Robin Yearwood — names that have been etched into our parliamentary benches since the 1980s and 1990s — still stand at the forefront, steering the country with the same ideas, strategies, and mindsets they honed decades ago.
While their contributions to nation-building in earlier years are undeniable, there comes a point when experience morphs into entrenchment, and legacy becomes a stumbling block to progress.
The truth is, Antigua and Barbuda can no longer afford to be governed by a political philosophy frozen in the last century. We live in a different world — one shaped by rapid technological change, shifting global economies, the climate crisis, and a population hungry for transparent, forward-thinking governance. Today’s challenges require agility, innovation, and a willingness to disrupt outdated systems. Unfortunately, the political giants of the past seem more inclined to preserve their era’s way of doing things than to embrace the bold reforms the future demands.
It is not a matter of disrespect. It is a matter of evolution. Leaders who guided us through the 1980s and 1990s did so in their time; now, that time has passed. A generation of talented, educated, and globally aware Antiguans and Barbudans stands ready to take the baton — but they are too often sidelined, their energy muted by the towering shadows of those unwilling to step down.
Politics should not be a lifetime occupation. It should be service, followed by the grace to step aside and let others serve. When leaders cling to power for decades, they do not just block individuals — they block ideas, new solutions, and the very possibility of transformation.
If Antigua and Barbuda is to truly thrive in the decades ahead, we must usher in a new era of leadership. That means Harold Lovell must rethink his return, and stalwarts like Sir Molwyn Joseph, Sir Cutie Benjamin, and Sir Robin Yearwood must accept that their finest contribution now may be to mentor and pass the torch, not to grip it tighter.
The past built our foundation, but it is the future that will define our destiny. And the future belongs to the next generation — if only the old guard will let it.
Carl Davidson
Bravo couldn’t have said it better my dear.
Well written and well thought out we can use that same argument here in the USA
Carl hit the nail on the head. We can respect what the old guard has done and still recognize that it’s time for fresh leadership. Antigua and Barbuda can’t keep recycling the same political formula from 30 years ago.
Time enough for people like cutie and the rest to step down. Been there for so long, let the new generation take over
Youth in a political context has nothing to do with age, but mindset.
There is no evidence to show that the (relatively) younger politicians bring fresh ideas, technology or mindsets to the arena.
PM Browne is the youngest PM by age but under his tenure young men were put in cages for having the wrong type of grass in their pockets. only when the North Americans legalized cannabis we followed suit. We still have a bicameral Parliament system where a unicameral would save time and resources. Yes Molwyn, Robin and Benjamin have done their due, but we have no evidence of the Young Turks pushing the state of the art envelope or displaying flashes of a progressive or forward thinking mindset. Antiguans have no access to the stocks, bonds and crypto markets and no banks allow the off ramping of crypto. A cheque still takes 3 working days to clear. We have no national or regional peer to peer money transfer services like Cash app or Venmo. A large percentage of businesses only accept cash especially gas stations . We have the slowest and most expensive Internet broadband services in the Caribbean. I need the writer to explain what exactly do the young politicians bring to the table beyond what Cutie, Robin and Molwyn offer.
3 Looonnnngggg days ago, and AAAALLLL UPP supporters and kool-aids drinkers would agree with this article ya 🤣🤣
Now Lovell return, them go quiet quiet now
The day cutie left that office he no longer can use his powers to get young girls gassy dread need to move these old guards for real
Well done and well relevant. Some of these politicians like to stay in office until they are shrivelled up and gray
A powerful and necessary letter.
This letter hits on a topic many of us have been thinking about for a while. We’ve seen the same faces in our political arena for decades. While we must respect the contributions of the “old guard,” the reality is that the challenges facing Antigua and Barbuda today are different from those of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. We need new, fresh perspectives to tackle issues like climate change, economic diversification, and technological innovation. It’s time for a new generation of leaders to step up and be given the chance to lead.
While I understand where you’re coming from you have to admit that the PM has been making moves in bringing young blood in and molding them for replacement.
We need some of the old people to mold the young ones as well
Had it not been for the return of Harold Lovell, would the author have written this article.
Good question!