Maria Bird-Browne has formally written to the executive of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party outlining her interest in contesting the St John’s Rural East seat.
Since last week it was being bandied about that Bird Browne was being pursued by the constituency branch to run in the area. Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Bird-Browne’s husband, said the current MP, Sir Lester Bird, because of health issues will not be contesting the seat during the upcoming general election.
Bird-Browne will, however, come up against two other females during a primary, including the Senate President Alincia Grant.
Her husband, Prime Minister Gaston Browne during an interview on his radio station, Point FM, yesterday confirmed that his wife will be throwing her hat into the political arena.
“Maria has now written to the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party executive confirming that she is interested in contesting the Rural East seat, that letter went in yesterday (Friday). As I said to her when you are doing these things tell your husband, because I was, up to last night, telling people that she is considering and next thing I there listening and a beautiful letter came from her confirming that she is definitely interested in contesting. So there is no if or but about it now,” Browne said.
Browne said Maria, who is “naturally bright and very articulate”, was pushed into running for public office after allegations were made about her charity, Share Inc.
He noted that his wife is of the opinion that she has a contribution to make to the nation coming from a public service family, with her grandfather being father of the nation, national hero and former premier and prime minister Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Sr.
“So as far as I am concerned, now she is fair game. When you enter into the political arena, male or female, you are fair game . However, prior to that she was just First Lady, keeping her head down, was not involved in any politics, just trying to be a beautiful mother, a nice mother raising our child.
“And when you have a situation where people are fabricating stories to say that I took $5 million of government’s money to put into her charity, I mean there is no way I could not defend it, I felt too that in the context of being first lady and not being involved in politics at the time they went too far. However, they inspired her…” the prime minister said.
PM Browne said his wife has the capability to run for public office, adding that if he thought she did not have what it takes he would tell her “don’t embarrass our family”.
While he is proud of his wife, who has been around politics all her life, Browne said he is nervous about her contesting because he knows the strain that can be placed on the family life.
“The truth is I have some little butterflies in my stomach, you know about my wife going into politics, I’m being straight up. And I am not encouraging her because I recognise it could impact on our family life.
“I want to tell you I have a beautiful family, for me that is a priority other than the people of Antigua and Barbuda and representing them, that is my first priority to uplift them. The secondary thing is to keep my family together. I know the strains of politics so I understand the personal risks so there are some butterflies,” PM Browne concluded.
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Miss brown already win the primary it a set up husband and wife lord antigua in big problem what experience she have for politics max hurst say upp canadate dont have no experience so what experience miss maria brown have is it because of her husband
Stop It UPP Negative Person! “Mek Deh Gal Lone!” Everybody Deserves A Fair Chance! I Campaigned For The PLM/UPP/DNA; In 1971! Got Kicked Out Of Grammar School; For My Activities! “MEK SHE RUN MAN!”📖📚🎓🏆🌴
Stop lie. The UPP and DNA did not exist in 1971.
What You Know About Antigua? Ah Deh Me Born! Nothing Personal Though! I Love You Too!🌴
not a bad thing that she wants to represent the people, she seems to be a real nice lady and looks like she might have the people interest at heart. ..not like michael Browne that is looking for his pocket. ……good luck lady be strong and dont worry about what people may say about you,you are a strong woman i would believe…..
Dave are u crazy what have thess crazy ass goverment done since they wone all them do is study them pocket and bank account notning more antigua is in a mess no good running water cost living gone up high no good road in or out of our community so what are we voting for these kiss ass goverment fooling us am tired of them coming talking lots of crap what maria brown know about politics nothing
D…. The ABLP is far better than the previous self-centered government….They were so bad its unreal…It will take me a hundred years to highlight their ineptitude…The UPP was the WORST government Antigua rexperience so far… Are you for REAL??????
Really.. You people are real hypocrites… Since ALP won power tell me what strides we have made for better living and or working conditions… Tell me what new projects have been undertaken… How much revenue has been generated… How many scholarships have been offered.. How many new roads or repair on roads.. Cost of living… Improvements on taxes..how many more jobs for young people… Is crime decreased or any thing put in place to help to curb or combat crimes..new housing projects… And I can go on…
I don’t know what they are feeding Antiguan people but when things are wrong we should say so… Rightfully Antigua 🇦🇬 is way behind… It is 🙁 sad…
And I won’t even waste my time talking about the Maria Browne issue. Waste of my breath..
Antiguans wake up
Wish her all the very best. Also the very best to Alincia Williams-Grant and the other potential candidate. The people in that constituency alone will determine who THEY want to represent them. Good luck to all and sundry.
ALL a dem out fu money. Red, Yellow, Blue and Orange. We the people are the ones with the power, We sre the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, and is We who have our own best interest at heart.
Wake Up all you Political Prostitutes, and stop mek dem money-hungry sweet-mouthers lead you down the road for their richer dynasty with a LOLLY STICK!!!
Food for thought: Is Mari Bird a real Bird or wan St. Lucian who came to Antigua to reside with her mother and is the step-daughter of Mr. Bird who owned CTV at the time? Her mommy too busy now holding Antigua and Barbuda tax payers hard earned money dat she shut down she likkle shop dat use to be pan corn alley? No more St. Lucia for me? Antigua sweet? Me daughter hit the jack pot dat I missed? She ketch wan fooley?
How did Gaston win the elections, by running on the energy of the Bird dynasty?
Asot is their money-hidder to the point where he robbed Lester blind the last time of hiding the teafing money in his mother’s account. So in fact, he was always on their watch list?
Cutie Benjamin, what say you, when you alledged said that over your dead body Gaston will be crime minister, comrades???
Pussy Salad, you quiet bad, Gaston nand Maria go soon mek you Willikies fish-food?
The list goes on, but time is short. Wake people. Wake Up!!
Mrs Bird Browne’s mother came to Antigua as a young girl. She attended the Antigua Girls High School from where she graduated. She has pictures in her uniform.
She met her husband , Marias father , here in antigua while working, after she left school. She has lived in antigua practically all of her life. Since she was a very young child in st. Lucia she could not have had a child or brought one here when she came.
BTW her shop has moved from corn alley to lower market street.
In the wake of all the sexual harassment that has been going on for decades, people have become strong and are now standing up against it especially against those with power and money. There is strength in numbers.
There are two members of the current party that have sexually harassed people. One of which has harassed both sexes, we know who that one is already.
The second one has asked for sexual favors when the individuals were in the process of getting a signature for duty free concessions on certain items. There is no physical proof as they had to remove all electronic devices from their person before entering his office. All those women (maybe men too) need to stand together and stop this abuse of power from continuing. We should never let someone with that much power lead a nation. All it takes is one person to step forward and the rest will follow.
People, do the right thing. Stand up against this abuse of power. Do it for your country, your dignity and future generations to come.
In my day (’40’s and ’50’s) you could count how many anti-man there were on one hand….
and how many lesbos on the other.Today? T’ings so rampant you just don’t know who is ‘man’ and who is ‘woman’.So many ‘batting’ both sides of the wicket.But,I get your drift and
do agree that sexual abuse must be exposed and rooted out of today’s workplace…..and from our places of worship as well.
I hope she knows Rual East lub plenty monies …and they can n will be bought …dem no come cheap 1 vote is a grand
Lester paid us well and when he refused ….well he knows better…HE LEARNED THE HARD WAY when we allowed UPP in bcos of NOPAY….
POLITICS IS A VERY DIRTY GAME …
WHOEVER thinks its love of countty …fool please!!
When they have power n authority they dnt give a dammmm abt you n me ….
But give her a chance
Hear her out n let her work 4 her votes……
STATEMENT:
Politicans all over are the same; some better than others! ….But the people ALWAYS get what they deserve!
Basil
Rural East will benefit from her complicated Degree in Psychology. Share Inc is no longer dormant thousands of young women in that area will have a fighting chance in the exclusive economic powerhouse
Rural East will benefit from an intelligent, compassionate, warm individual who is a true problem solver person. Some of these things are missing in our politics.
As a former head girl of The Christ the King High School , a degree holder and a continuing student ( who by the way was accepted at AUA medical school) I am sure she will find a way to denounce excluvisity.
Problem solver! When there was an issue with Share Inc she was silent. I listened to the interview on Point FM and am yet to hear the intellectual. She sounds like a sweet young lady but even with Gaston’s talking points she is not ready. Her embellishment of her work experience and the contributions of Share Inc shows she is reading her husbands play book. She will win the primary and the seat in the coming election but this will be a decision the PM will regret.
If u followed the Share Inc story ,it was mrs brown husband gaston who said in the budget address that the government would contribute monies to an account which would start a venture capital fund. The statement was not made by mrs brown. Her organization would also contribute monies to this account.
If the PM made the above remark , then isn’t it he who has to defend it? She is not a government worker. And we all know that she could have talked forever and the opposition would still have twisted the story.
Observing and Receiver seems like one in the same. Why not change your name to defender. You seem like you are one of those whistle-blowers, who intend to take Antigua from zero to naught….. thst is if you are Antiguan who ha the country’s best interest at heart.
What, you are one of the Political “PROSTITUES” that is being paid a nice, warm under-money to “charitably” try to win votes and keep Antiguans as blind Bartimus?
All the degrees and big high school’s people attend do not make them any better than the “commoners”. Not everyone has the opportunity to ride on politrickian’s backs, or have their young daughters sleep with these old, polotical geazers for money. The grass-roots children are just as educated and wise overall.
Rest your head……. EVERYTHING is for a season. I hope you would not be also…… “for a season”.
Well, this country was a democracy the last time I checked. UPP said talk as you like and I am doing my part. How explaining a person’s background becomes political prostituting is a new one for me. Your definition of whistle blowing though, explains everything. BTW , they couldn’t pay me for my thoughts. My education was expensive which I paid for. They couldn’t afford to.
Mrs Browne was not exactly destitute when she met her husband . Given her schooling she would have made a decent living for herself. She also did not have an unknown name. Thinking about it , she was the step up; not him.
I agree that the grass roots children are just as educated and wise. And some are wiser. Thank papa bird for starting us on the road to receiving great education!!!
Please note,
I could not care less where the PM’s mother-in-law’s shop has moved to. I do not purchase “under-cover” chinese made items with ridiculous marked-up prices, I prefer to support my LOCALS at the vendors’ Malls or at the Craft Market where I know what they are truly made of.
Thanks for the advert.
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