Prime Minister Gaston Browne has cautioned workers across Antigua and Barbuda that wage increases must be matched by improved productivity, placing particular emphasis on performance standards within the public sector.
According to Antigua News Room, Browne made the remarks during the "Browne and Browne Show" on Point FM on Saturday, stating plainly that workers cannot expect higher pay without delivering stronger results.
"You cannot expect to be a laggard and get premium pay," he said.
The Prime Minister's comments follow the government's recent implementation of several wage measures, including a rise in the minimum wage to EC$11.50 per hour and a five percent salary increase for public sector workers, both enacted in March.
Browne indicated that his administration is also working toward a living wage model, but stressed that any such framework must be underpinned by sustained national productivity gains.
"To sustain increased pay, we have to increase national productivity," he said.
The Prime Minister did not shy away from criticising inefficiencies within parts of the public service, warning that substandard performance would no longer be tolerated. "I know that there are many laggards within the public sector. That has to come to an end," he said.
Browne extended his call for a stronger work ethic to both public and private sector employees, urging all workers to "put your shoulders to the plough."
His remarks land against a backdrop of long-standing public concerns about slow service delivery and bureaucratic inefficiencies in certain areas of government.
Despite the firm tone, Browne reaffirmed his government's broader commitment to raising living standards, framing higher wages as a central pillar of its economic agenda. "We promise a better life," he said, "but it requires the full contribution of all Antiguans and Barbudans."
