Antigua and Barbuda’s Republic Plans Put on Hold
The government has confirmed that discussions on transitioning Antigua and Barbuda into a republic have been placed on hold, citing a lack of political momentum and public support for constitutional change.
Chief of Staff Lionel Hurst said during the post-cabinet briefing that the administration is prioritizing other national issues and is not expending political capital on the move.
“It will require a constitutional amendment, and we cannot expend energy on something that does not have strong public backing,” Hurst said. “We saw what happened with the referendum on moving from the Privy Council to the Caribbean Court of Justice—some politicians took pride in defeating that effort. A transition to a republic would be even more difficult.”
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, Prime Minister Gaston Browne had signaled that Antigua and Barbuda would work towards removing the British monarch as head of state. However, there have been no significant steps toward this goal.
Hurst suggested that the matter is largely symbolic and does not have widespread urgency among the public. He noted that even as discussions on republicanism fade, the government continues to engage with the British monarchy. He pointed to the recent visit of Maurice Merchant, Director General of Communications, to receive an honorary title from King Charles III as an example of the ongoing relationship.
Calls for republicanism have gained traction in parts of the Caribbean, with Barbados making the transition in 2021 and Jamaica actively pursuing a similar path. However, in Antigua and Barbuda, the issue appears to be sidelined indefinitely.
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Hopefully, when the discussion resumes, there will be more public engagement and a clear plan for moving forward.
It’s understandable that such a major constitutional change would take time, but it’s disappointing to see the process stalled indefinitely.
Maybe the loss of political capital and the division it will create amongst our peoples. One day soon we will definitely want to completely break away from our colonial masters but not yet.
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