Prime Minister Gaston Browne has issued a strong warning to workers across the country, saying that higher wages must be matched by improved productivity, particularly within the public sector.

Speaking Saturday night on the “Browne and Browne Show” on Point FM, Browne made it clear that his administration’s push to raise incomes will come with expectations for better performance.

“You cannot expect to be a laggard and get premium pay,” Browne said, as he addressed the issue of productivity across the economy.

The Prime Minister’s remarks come as the government rolls out a series of wage increases and policy changes aimed at improving living standards.

These include the recent increase in the minimum wage to EC$11.50 per hour, as well as a 5 percent salary increase for public sector workers implemented at the end of March.

Browne said his administration intends to go further, with plans to transition toward a living wage model, ensuring that workers can meet the real cost of living. However, he warned that such gains must be sustainable.

“To sustain increased pay, we have to increase national productivity,” he said.

In one of the most direct critiques of the public sector in recent times, Browne pointed to what he described as longstanding inefficiencies within some government departments.

“I know that there are many laggards within the public sector. That has to come to an end,” he stated.

He added that workers cannot expect higher compensation without contributing meaningfully to national development, urging both public servants and private sector employees to adopt a stronger work ethic.

“You have to put your shoulders to the plough,” Browne said, emphasizing that productivity is essential to maintaining higher wages and economic stability.

Concerns about public sector performance have long been a topic of debate in Antigua and Barbuda, with critics frequently highlighting slow service delivery, bureaucratic delays, and uneven accountability. Browne’s comments suggest that his administration is now prepared to confront those issues more directly as part of its broader economic agenda.

At the same time, the Prime Minister made it clear that the responsibility does not rest solely with government workers. He said increased productivity must be a national effort, involving businesses and employees across all sectors.

The warning comes as the government seeks to balance rising wages with economic sustainability, particularly in a small economy vulnerable to external shocks.

Despite the firm tone, Browne reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving living standards, describing higher wages as a central pillar of his new term in office.

“We promise a better life,” he said, “but it requires the full contribution of all Antiguans and Barbudans.”