Prime Minister Gaston Browne has responded to a digitally altered image circulating online — one that falsely depicted him kissing Barbuda ABLP candidate Kendra Beazer — by reposting it on his own social media page and using the moment to reinforce his message of inclusivity.
According to Antigua News Room, Browne addressed the image directly during an appearance on Pointe FM's Browne and Browne Show, dismissing it as an attack not worthy of serious concern.
"I'm sure you saw… they had me and Kendra… kissing," Browne said. "So I posted it on my Facebook page."
Rather than respond defensively, the Prime Minister and Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party leader framed the episode as an opportunity to speak to his broader stance on non-discrimination.
"When you're a real man, you're not worried about them stuff," he said.
Browne said the post drew a wave of supportive responses, including from members of the LGBTQIA+ community across the Caribbean region.
"Some of them actually posted to my page… 'If I was in Antigua, I'd vote for you,'" he said.
He went on to suggest that those responsible for producing and circulating the manipulated image had misjudged public opinion. "They just keep making these silly mistakes," Browne said.
The Prime Minister used the incident to reiterate his position on inclusivity, stating that he supports people across all walks of life — "Rasta, dreadlocks, young, old, everybody" — and that discrimination based on age, faith, or sexual orientation has no place in society.
"We don't discriminate," he said.
The episode underscores the growing influence of manipulated digital content in political campaigning, as candidates and parties contend with misinformation and social media narratives ahead of elections.
