Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle has launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Gaston Browne, accusing him of abusing state authority to intimidate political opponents and silence dissent, allegations he says strike at the heart of democracy in Antigua and Barbuda.

In a sharply worded New Year’s message, Pringle said the Prime Minister has abandoned dialogue and statesmanship in favour of intimidation and hostility, warning that the country is drifting toward authoritarian governance.

“This is not the behaviour of a statesman,” Pringle declared. “This is the hallmark of a leader who knows he has failed and is afraid of the truth.”

The opposition leader’s comments follow a controversial sequence of events in Morris Bay, where the Development Control Authority demolished a tent owned by Pringle’s family, citing illegal construction. Less than 24 hours later, a major infrastructure project being carried out by the APUA in the same community was destroyed by fire.

Police have since launched an investigation into the blaze and questioned Pringle in connection with the incident.

Pringle alleges that the timing of the enforcement action, the subsequent fire, and the police questioning are no coincidence, claiming that Prime Minister Browne orchestrated the chain of events as part of a broader campaign of political persecution.

Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle in front of Police Heaquarters about to be questioned on Morris Bay incident

According to the opposition leader, the episode reflects a dangerous erosion of democratic safeguards, including freedom of expression, press freedom, and the right to political dissent. He said workers, small business owners, and civil society organizations increasingly feel vulnerable to retaliation for challenging the government.

“Those sworn to protect us are now being used against us,” Pringle warned. “The very citizens the Prime Minister swore to serve are being targeted.”

The leader of the United Progressive Party cautioned that such actions undermine national unity and deepen political divisions at a time when cohesion is urgently needed.

The government has repeatedly rejected similar accusations, insisting that all regulatory enforcement and police actions are lawful, independent, and free of political interference.

However, Pringle says the Morris Bay episode has become a defining symbol of what he describes as a growing culture of fear — one that threatens the foundations of Antigua and Barbuda’s democracy.