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We gather not as passive observers but as active participants in the destiny of our nation. It is time to move beyond rhetoric and confront the stark realities of governance in Antigua and Barbuda.
The Reality of Fiscal Mismanagement
Our nation faces a critical issue: the persistent lack of accountability in government spending. Millions of taxpayer dollars disappear without proper audits, and while the government continues to raise taxes, they cannot explain how public funds are truly being spent.
In January 2025, the government secured a court-ordered forfeiture of EC $93.8 million linked to the Odebrecht corruption scandal, raising further questions about how deep financial mismanagement runs in our country. If there is money to seize, where has it been going? (Source: Antigua Observer)
Furthermore, the 2019 financial audit report exposed major discrepancies between ministry revenue figures and official financial statements, yet no one has been held accountable. Where is the transparency? Where are the answers?
A Nation Left in the Dark
As if the financial mismanagement was not enough, citizens now face frequent electricity outages with no warning.
Businesses are losing revenue, forced to shut down for hours due to unpredictable power cuts.
Households are suffering, with expensive appliances being damaged beyond repair.
Students cannot study, families cannot cook, and yet, our electricity bills keep rising.
The government has failed to upgrade or properly maintain the power grid, yet expects citizens to pay more while getting less. Who will compensate the people for their damaged appliances? Who will reimburse small businesses for their losses? The silence is deafening.
The Ineffectiveness of Opposition Infighting
While these crises mount, the opposition is caught up in internal battles, failing to be the strong force the people need. This is not the time for personal conflicts or political games—it is the time to fight for accountability.
The fight is not against each other; the fight is against bad governance. The enemy is corruption, mismanagement, and a government that refuses to answer to the people.
This is not a time for partisan squabbles or empty promises. We must demand transparency and accountability from our leaders.
The government must:
Disclose all spending records that bypassed parliamentary approval.
Establish independent audits of public funds.
Address the electricity crisis immediately, compensating citizens and businesses for their losses.
And to the opposition: Your job is not just to oppose, but to propose. Stop the distractions. Focus on the real fight.
Conclusion
Fellow Antiguans and Barbudans, the time for change is now. We must move beyond rhetoric and demand real action that will lead to a more transparent, accountable, and prosperous nation.
If they won’t answer to us, then we must make our voices so loud that they have no choice.
Enough is enough. The people deserve better.
J.WILLIAM ZEZE THOMAS DE CONQUEROR
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Some valid points here, but let’s not ignore the challenges of small island governance.
Hopefully, leaders take note and act instead of just responding with more rhetoric. loll
Nicee….. A well-articulated piece!
Great piece ZEZE, however, it is the duty of the Opposition Party to convert passive observers into active participants. If an Opposition Party cannot do that it is failing. An Opposition Party is supposed to serve as a Vanguard for the people (I like the term vanguard party). However, it seems to be the mantra of the UPP that they will not drink bush tea for anyone’s cold. My brother, that is the most ridiculous and nonsensical position for a political party to take. That position would appear to be diametrically opposed to the Party’s oft repeated phrase of People First. I hope it is not too late for the UPP to wake up.
The part with appliances being damaged by power outages is something I can relate with. I bought a SAMSUNG slide in range a couple of years back and two weeks after I had the range, there was a power outage that came on and off and on and off in a 60 seconds time. Since then my stove has not worked properly. This is the issue many people have to endure while the APUA minister and management are focused on fixing roads instead of fixing the power grid. I need to get a solar system started on my house so I will not rely on APUA or deal with my appliances being damaged people nah hab money feh waste.
CORRECTION
The writer has pointed a number of ills in our society as a result of mismanagement, corruption and the lack of transparency.
Note the first comment from “spanni man” who seemingly want to have it both ways.
Small island states are not inherently corrupt incompetent and inefficient. Stop enabling corruption with those comments. Spanni
The continuation of Antigua’s problem as outlined in the opinion piece stems a lack of robust and functional civil society and a legal community who provides continued analysis and defence
It will not come from the Opposition Party which is now a defeated to a dysfunctional entity.
Until there are organization such an local independent media capable of investigative journalism, with the ecumenicals who ban together as a civil society, supported by the unions and the lawyers; no such change will come about in our lifetime.