PM Browne says global instability drove decision to call early polls

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has said his decision to call general elections nearly two years ahead of schedule was driven by concerns over global instability and a desire to secure a fresh mandate before potential international crises reach the country’s shores.

Speaking at the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party’s campaign launch at People’s Place on Tuesday evening, Browne framed the April 30 poll as a strategic move to ensure governmental continuity during uncertain times rather than a political calculation to capitalise on opposition weakness.

“That is one of the main reasons why I’ve called the early elections, to ensure the continuity of the country,” Browne told supporters. “I do not want to be placed in a situation which will have global instability, and then we are faced with domestic political pressures.”

The Prime Minister said securing a new mandate now would allow his administration to address external challenges without the distraction of an impending election cycle.

He pointed to the ABLP’s track record during previous crises as evidence of the party’s capability to navigate turbulent periods.

“I think that any person, any objective person will confirm that the best team to lead Antigua and Barbuda during the period of crisis is certainly Gaston Brown and Team Labour,” he said. “We’ve done it through COVID, we’ve done it through several other crises, and we have the experience, the competence, and the commitment to make a difference.”

Browne rejected suggestions that the timing was designed to catch the opposition United Progressive Party off guard amid its well-documented internal difficulties.
He insisted the decision was rooted in national interest.

“This is not about power or power grab, it’s about the people, it’s about stability, it’s about ensuring that we continue along the trajectory of growth and development,” he said.

The Prime Minister warned supporters against complacency despite what he described as the opposition’s disarray, urging electors to renew their voter identification cards and turn out in large numbers on polling day.

“The world today is extremely unstable. There are many wars. Inflation is raging. And there is great uncertainty,” Browne said. “And at a time like this, our country needs strong, steady, experienced leadership.”

Parliament was dissolved on April 1 with Governor General Sir Rodney Williams issuing the writs of election on Tuesday, with nomination day set for April 13.

The snap election comes roughly three years into the current parliamentary term, with the constitutional deadline not requiring a poll until 2028.

The ABLP won nine of seventeen seats in the January 2023 general election and has since strengthened its parliamentary position through by-election victories and floor crossings.

The UPP ratified its sixteen candidates at a General Council meeting on Tuesday night and will officially launch its campaign on April 12 under the theme “Ignite.”