Prime Minister Gaston Browne has issued a pointed warning to workers nationwide: higher wages will come with a firm expectation of improved productivity, particularly within the public sector.

According to Antigua.news, Browne delivered the remarks on Saturday night during the "Browne and Browne Show" on Point FM, where he addressed what he described as longstanding inefficiencies across government departments.

"You cannot expect to be a laggard and get premium pay," the Prime Minister said, making clear that his administration's drive to raise incomes would not come without accountability.

The comments arrive as the government rolls out a series of wage measures aimed at improving living standards. These include a recent increase in the minimum wage to EC$11.50 per hour and a five percent salary increase for public sector workers implemented at the end of March.

Browne indicated his administration intends to go further, with plans to transition toward a living wage model that ensures workers can meet the real cost of living. He cautioned, however, that such progress must remain economically sustainable.

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

In some of the most direct public criticism of the civil service in recent memory, Browne did not shy away from naming the problem. "I know that there are many laggards within the public sector. That has to come to an end," he stated.

Concerns about public sector performance have long circulated in Antigua and Barbuda, with critics pointing to slow service delivery, bureaucratic delays, and uneven accountability. Browne's remarks signal that his administration is now prepared to confront those issues head-on as part of a broader economic agenda.

The Prime Minister was equally clear that the burden of responsibility extends beyond government workers. He called for a national effort, urging employees and businesses across all sectors to raise their performance.

"You have to put your shoulders to the plough," Browne said, framing productivity as essential to both wage sustainability and broader economic stability.

Despite the stern tone, Browne reaffirmed his administration's commitment to raising living standards, describing higher wages as a central pillar of his current term in office.

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