Politics
1592 articles
Antigua and Barbuda Advances CHOGM 2026 Preparations at Key Planning Meetings
Antigua and Barbuda held two key virtual planning meetings on March 26 to advance preparations for CHOGM 2026, with officials reporting progress across logistics, security, media, and communications ahead of the November summit in St. John's.
Voter Re-registration Surges After PM Signals Election Within 90 Days
Thousands of Antiguan voters rushed to update their voter identification in the final week of March following the Prime Minister's suggestion that a general election could be called within 90 days. New data from the Electoral Commission shows 2,270 replacement ID applications and 507 new registrations recorded between March 23 and 28.
Antigua Government Moves to Shield Farmland from Housing and Commercial Pressure
Agriculture Minister Anthony Smith Jr. says the government is crafting policies to formally protect farmland from housing and commercial development pressures. The initiative aims to bolster food security and expand local production while managing competing land-use demands.
PM Browne Questions Visibility of UPP Candidates in Rural North and Rural East
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has publicly questioned the visibility of UPP candidates Malaka Parker and Ashworth Azille, claiming both lack a physical presence and voter recognition in their constituencies. Browne described the candidates as disconnected from the communities they seek to represent.
Leadership Crisis Deepens Within UPP as Doubts Surround Pringle's Future
The United Progressive Party is facing an internal leadership crisis after Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle reportedly agreed to step down, then reversed his decision amid grassroots pressure, leaving doubt and division simmering within the party.
UPP in Crisis: How Pringle's Near-Resignation Exposed Deep Party Divisions
The United Progressive Party is facing a serious internal crisis after Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle reversed a decision to resign, following a media leak that exposed deep divisions over leadership, succession, and the party's electoral viability ahead of a general election expected as early as April.
Antigua Bids Farewell to Former Minister Eustace 'Teco' Lake at State Funeral
Antigua and Barbuda held an official state funeral on Friday for former Minister of Works and Housing Eustace 'Teco' Lake, who passed away on February 20 following a prolonged illness. Governor General Sir Rodney Williams, Prime Minister Gaston Browne, and dignitaries from across the political spectrum gathered at St. Andrew's Anglican Church to pay their final respects.
Four Caribbean Nations Join Antigua and Barbuda in Funding UWI Five Islands Campus
Four Caribbean nations have pledged financial support to the UWI Five Islands Campus, ending Antigua and Barbuda's decade-long role as the institution's sole government funder. The commitment, made at recent UWI Technical Advisory Committee meetings, marks a significant step in establishing the campus as a true regional institution.
Browne, WIOC Win US Appeals Court Ruling in Alfa Nero Legal Battle
Prime Minister Gaston Browne, his family, and the West Indies Oil Company have won a major ruling in the US Court of Appeals, which upheld a lower court decision blocking Russian national Yulia Guryeva from accessing financial records tied to the Alfa Nero superyacht case. The court also ordered the destruction of documents previously obtained under now-quashed subpoenas.
U.S. Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Against Guryeva in Alfa Nero Case
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a lower court decision rejecting Yulia Guryeva's discovery application in litigation tied to the Alfa Nero matter, ordering the destruction of documents obtained through quashed subpoenas. The ruling represents another legal development in the high-profile international dispute.
Government to Expand Rent-to-Own Housing Programme with New Units and Land Sales
The Antiguan government is expanding its rent-to-own housing programme with 150 new units at Booby Alley and plans to allow long-term residents at Sutherlands to purchase crown land lots at $1 per square foot. The moves are part of a broader EC$100 million urban renewal effort.
Browne Announces Rent-to-Own Housing Expansion to Bolans and Barbuda
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced plans to build 50 rent-to-own condominium units each in Bolans and Barbuda's Louis Hill, expanding a housing model approved for the EC$50 million Booby Alley redevelopment. Cabinet also moved to cancel a long-dormant crown land lease at Sutherlands, opening the site for affordable housing development.
Whistleblower Letter Raises Alarm Over ABS Management, Archive Loss Ahead of Election
A whistleblower letter published by Antigua News Room alleges a culture of fear and retaliation at state broadcaster ABS, and raises alarm over the possible loss of up to forty years of the nation's broadcast archive. The claims come ahead of an approaching election cycle and are calling for public accountability from station management.
Montrulla Resident Warns MP Over Unfinished Road Ahead of General Election
An ABLP supporter from the Montrulla area has publicly warned Minister Anthony Smith that he and his neighbours will withhold their votes in the upcoming general election unless the long-promised concrete road from All Saints Road into Buckleys and Olivers is completed. According to Antigua.news, the letter writer, Henry Fuller, says the road has been left in a worse condition since Public Works first graded it months ago.
Parliament Bids Farewell to Sir Molwyn Joseph With Tributes to the Man Behind the Minister
Members of Parliament paid tribute to outgoing St. Mary's North MP Sir Molwyn Joseph on Friday, honouring his decades of service with personal accounts of late-night work site visits, pandemic leadership, and quiet acts of loyalty that defined his political career.
PM Browne Pledges to Address Unpaid Seaweed Workers' Complaints
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has pledged to take up the matter of unpaid seaweed workers with the relevant ministry after a caller raised the issue on his Browne and Browne radio programme.
Cancer Centre Set to Reopen in June 2026, PM Browne Confirms
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced that the Cancer Centre, closed since April 2023, is expected to reopen in June 2026 following ownership changes and equipment disputes. The PM also signalled plans to develop the facility into a regional medical hub for Caribbean patients.
Antigua's Cancer Centre Set to Reopen in June 2026, PM Envisions Regional Medical Hub
Antigua and Barbuda's Cancer Centre is set to reopen in June 2026 after more than two years of closure, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed. The facility, now under US-based private ownership, has missed previous reopening deadlines, drawing ongoing criticism from cancer support groups.
Russia Sends 100,000 Tonnes of Oil to Crisis-Hit Cuba as Trump Softens Blockade Stance
A Russian tanker carrying 100,000 tonnes of crude oil has entered Cuban waters in the first such delivery since January, as US President Donald Trump appeared to soften the de facto fuel blockade his administration imposed on the island. The shipment offers a short-term reprieve for Cuba, which has been suffering widespread blackouts and critical fuel shortages.
PM Browne Signals Social Security Pension Hike Following Actuarial Review
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed a 5 percent increase in state pension payments and signalled that a Social Security pension hike is also being planned, pending the outcome of an actuarial review.