As we gather to celebrate the 44th year of our Nation’s political independence, I greet you – Nationals, Citizens, Residents, and Our Diaspora – with some degree of pride, with humility, and with a much-needed sense of hope for a brighter future.

Our celebration this year is shadowed by the recent misfortune of our brothers and sisters in Haiti; the Dominican Republic; Cuba; and, especially, Jamaica.

Our prayers, sympathy and empathy are with the victims, some of whom have lost literally everything.  We feel their pain, their anxiety in the present, and their fears about their future.

And, having faced their situation, ourselves, as Antiguans and Barbudans,  my Party and I pledge to do all we can to assist the relief efforts, as the survivors go about rebuilding their lives and their communities.

We also acknowledge the situation down South, between Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela – all of whom have  been good neighbours to us – and pray for a peaceful resolution for them and for the region.

Here, at home, Independence is not only a time for reflection on our achievements, but a time for acknowledging our sacred responsibility  to preserve the values upon which Antigua and Barbuda was built: Freedom, Justice, and Dignity for all.

At this moment, the dark shadow of corruption threatens our Nation’s progress. It has eroded our trust in the government, its institutions, the public service, and even in the church and civil society.  

The expanding list of perverted systems and national scandals is stifling opportunities for the local man and woman – and, especially, for our youth.  This has slowed our march towards prosperity, and it has dampened the hopes of achieving for those who, every day, go out and endeavour.

We must shine a light on corruption wherever it exists. Our calls for an independent investigation into Vehicle -Gate and the Ministry of Public Works must be heeded if this Nation is to stay true to the pillars on which independence stands. 

This position cannot be just politics; rather, it must be principle.  

Every dollar lost to dishonesty is a Social Security pension unpaid; a classroom left unfinished; a clinic left in ruin; a hospital without supplies; roads in disrepair; and agriculture left to wither on the vine.  

Every act of corruption robs our youth of their dreams and a better chance of realizing them.

But we are not powerless. Our hope is not unreasonable; it is rooted in action. I call on every citizen, regardless of political affiliation, to demand transparency; to insist that the rule of law is upheld; and to support the calls against the practices that threaten our independence, integrity, and economy. 

So, as we celebrate our 44th Anniversary this year, let us do more than parade, dress up, sing, dance and eat – and treat Independence like “just another festival.” 

Rather, let us  work together to actually build institutions that are strong, politically independent, and accountable, so that our Nation’s future is safeguarded for generations to come.

Let now become that turning point — where hope overcomes corruption… where honesty becomes our guiding light… and where every person finds purpose in building our beloved country.

At this time of celebration, let us honour our past by forging a future of integrity, equality, and prosperity. 

A Happy and Reflective Independence to everyone, and may God continue to bless and to redeem Antigua and Barbuda.