Trump administration, OAS congratulate Antigua and Barbuda’s prime minister on re-election

The Trump administration and the Organization of American States (OAS) on Friday, May 1, congratulated Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne on his reelection.

“The United States congratulates Prime Minister Gaston Browne on his electoral victory as Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a brief statement. “We look forward to continued collaboration with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to advance shared priorities, including to strengthen regional security by deepening cooperation to counter illegal immigration, transnational criminal organizations, and illicit trafficking.  

“Enhanced collaboration in these areas will support greater stability and security in our hemisphere,” Rubio added. 

Browne’s gamble in calling general elections nearly two years ahead of the constitutional deadline paid off on Thursday, April 30, when he led the incumbent Antigua and Barbuda Labor Party (ABLP) to a landslide victory. 

Preliminary results indicate that the ABLP won 15 of the 17 seats in the Legislature, reversing the slim victory it attained in the previous general elections in January 2023, when the party scraped home by a 9-7 margin.

Figures released by the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) show that the leader of the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), Jamale Pringle, was the only candidate of the party that withstood the ABLP onslaught.

On the sister isle of Barbuda, the incumbent Trevor Walker of the Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM) retained the seat, polling 609 votes against 398 for Kendra Beazer, a former BPM member, who contested the poll on behalf of the ABLP.

In the first report of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) in Antigua and Barbuda for the 2026 General Elections, led by former OAS Secretary for Access to Rights and Equity Maricarmen Plata, the mission “commends the people of Antigua and Barbuda on the transparent and orderly conduct of the general elections of April 30. 

The EOM extended its gratitude to ABEC for its “openness and the valuable information provided.” 

The mission also expressed its appreciation to the various political actors, electoral and governmental authorities, candidates, and the representatives of civil society organizations with whom it met, for their willingness to share their perspectives, which complemented the mission’s direct observation. 

The OAS/EOM comprised 17 members from 11 countries, five of whom worked virtually. 

The mission said it took note of the efforts made by the ABEC in preparing for this election, “thus ensuring the political rights of the 63,313 registered electors. 

“There continue to be opportunities, however, to modernize and strengthen some areas of the process,” it said. 

The mission observed that, while registration has been occurring in a mostly homogeneous manner throughout the country, “the legislation does not clearly outline the procedures registration officers must follow prior to and after an application for registration.” 

This was also the finding of the 2023  OAS/EOM, when the mission recommended introducing a mandatory home/residence verification procedure into the legal framework. 

As noted in the 2023 report, the mission observed that there are no formal inter-institutional protocols for removing deceased electors, or those absent from the country for 10 consecutive years, from the voter register.

The OAS mission noted that, currently, the removal of deceased persons from the Register of Electors relies on “ad hoc arrangements,” such as the voluntary submission of death certificates or funeral programs by family members. 

To establish a more systematic and reliable framework for maintaining the Register’s integrity, the mission reiterated its previous recommendations regarding: Establishing formal procedures for the inter-institutional exchange of information which permit the ABEC to systematically obtain lists of deceased persons and other relevant data in order to sanitize the list; and introducing a unique national identifier that assists the efforts of the Civil Registry to accurately identifying electors.

In his address to supporters, Browne, who was sworn in on Friday, said he was grateful for the confidence shown in his leadership and that of the ABLP to continue the socio-economic development of the twin-island state. 

“We are here to serve all the people of Antigua and Barbuda,” he said. “Education, jobs, business opportunities will be open to all who are prepared to seize them. And I say to my distinguished countrymen and countrywomen, when we create these opportunities for you, please seize them. 

“And I add here again that no one will be left behind who is willing to move forward,” Browne added. “And notwithstanding your political persuasion, this is not a time for laggards. This is a time for all of us to perform, to increase our productivity and to make sure that Antigua and Barbuda becomes one of the most productive small island states globally.”

In conceding the heavy defeat, Pringle thanked “all Antiguans and Barbudans who have supported the United Progressive Party.

“We’re, indeed, grateful and you will hear from us in a short time,” he said.