Headline: Smoke and Mirrors: Why Antigua’s Opposition Needs to Ditch the Drama and Deliver a Real Plan
By Brent Simon
It’s starting to look like a pattern: another day, another sensational headline, another investigation that leads absolutely nowhere.
Since 2014, the opposition in Antigua and Barbuda has lobbed accusation after accusation at Prime Minister Gaston Browne and his administration—each one designed to stick in the public imagination, regardless of evidence or eventual outcome. Corruption claims, land deals, foreign banking conspiracies, yacht drama, and now the Alfa Nero debacle. But after more than a decade of political grenades, what do they have to show for it?
Nothing. Not one claim has been proven in a court of law. Not one conviction. Not one single legal proceeding that withstood serious scrutiny.
Most recently, a U.S. federal court threw out a series of subpoenas aimed at Browne, his family, and key Antiguan institutions, calling them legally deficient. This case—driven by the daughter of a sanctioned Russian oligarch—was painted by some as the smoking gun that would finally “take down” the Browne government. Yet once again, it fizzled under judicial review. The court not only dismissed the subpoenas but ordered all related material destroyed, vindicating the Antiguan officials in emphatic terms.
So where does that leave us?
Frankly, in a political holding pattern where one side governs and the other side gossips. But that’s not democracy—it’s dysfunction.
An Opposition Without Options?
We’re heading into another election cycle, and Antigua and Barbuda deserves more than opposition operatives fishing in the same murky waters of accusation and innuendo. If the last decade has proven anything, it’s that the politics of scandal without substance has a short shelf life. The electorate is catching on.
You can’t keep yelling “corruption!” if the evidence never lands. You can’t keep shouting “dictatorship!” if the institutions—courts, civil society, even the press—remain open and active. Eventually, the cry-wolf strategy stops being annoying and starts becoming insulting.
Here’s a reality check: the opposition needs to reinvent itself, fast.
Time for a Real Slate—and a Real Plan
What voters want now is not political theatre. They want a credible alternative. And that starts with new faces and new thinking.
Where are the professionals, the climate scientists, the innovators? Where are the youth voices who actually understand the digital economy or sustainable agriculture? Antigua and Barbuda is not the same country it was in 2004. The electorate is younger, more educated, and more globally connected. They want leadership that speaks their language, not the recycled talking points of yesteryear.
And most importantly, they want policy.
They want to see how the next government—if there is to be one—will tackle:
The rising cost of living and inflation resilience.
Water infrastructure and climate change adaptation.
Real youth employment pipelines, not just job fairs.
A vision for renewable energy, ocean-based industries, and food sovereignty.
Concrete steps for strengthening institutions, not just shouting “transparency” into a void.
Instead, we’ve been fed a steady diet of character assassinations, conspiracy theories, and cynical attempts to smear anyone who dares to get things done.
It’s lazy politics, and it’s losing its grip.
A Final Word
This is a pivotal moment for Antigua and Barbuda. The country is not without challenges—but it is also not without opportunity. If the opposition wants to be taken seriously, it needs to stop playing prosecutor without a case and start acting like a government-in-waiting.
Bring a real slate of candidates. Publish a real platform. Put forward a plan that goes beyond hurling stones from the sidelines.
Because if your only plan is to outlast Gaston Browne by throwing enough mud in his direction, history—and voters—will remember you not as challengers, but as distractions.
And in the age of global competition, digital transformation, and climate urgency, distractions are a luxury we can no longer afford.
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poor desperate power-hungry UPP. They were banking on fabricated “scandal” to try and overthrow the government. What a weak, lazy, inept “strategy”.
Anything to desperately try and hide the DUNCE they have as “leader” and the spiteful, vindictive, bitter Man Cow that controls his puppet strings.
Banking on LIES and SMEAR CAMPAIGNS to win you votes is an exercise in futility. No amount of lies can change the fact that UPP is broken, lost, clueless and in need of leadership.
The party is a far cry from its 2004 glory stint in government
THREE PIGS
While Brent Simon makes a somewhat cogent response about the so-called shortcomings of the opposition party and their leadership.
I note with real interest that Mr Simon has neglected to tell the public at large in his diabolical diatribe, the corelation between the lack of focus on this government’s manifesto promises – and lack of implementation – going way back to 2014.
Just imagine for a nanosecond, that if Browne hadn’t been so tied up in trying to defend the plethora of legal and litigation issues plaguing him and the ABLP, the Prime Minister’s would have been more politically focused on manifesto promises with Antigua’s road infrastructure; lack of housing; power cuts and our ongoing water shortages.
Promised over the last two General Elections. Fact!
But Simon, let’s whitewash over all the above mentioned problems that we are all STILL witnessing shall we and focus on the UPP leadership instead shall we?
May I politely remind you that the U have been in opposition for well over a decade now – but hey, let’s not look into why this country is in a real mess though …
NICE DEFLECTION SIMON. NICE!
Simon might be one of the Lickspittlers, a good crook and his associates always know how to hide evidence, you always get a decision from a court but not justice
*UPP
While I agree with you that the UPP is drifting i to no where i have a differe t view from you on some of the poi ts you have expressed.
If you point one finger at ne you will find yourself pointing more at yourself.
Be guided that whike the UPP is divisional seeking to huff power from that ALP they are the opposition.
The givernment if the day remains the ALP and it’s bunch of tired, morally bankrupt, incompetent and unscrupulous ministers and cabal.
You will agree with me that if you do all in your powers to prevent the truth about you from being uncovered you cannot claim to be squeaky clean.
You have accused the opposition of making unfounded allegations against the prime minister and his circle.
Do not lose sight of the fact that the opposition may make calls for whatever they want.
It is the government who decides which of the allegations they dig into.
Be reminded that it is this very prime minister who made it clear that absolutely no governor general can initiate any inquiry into any shady actions of any government he heads without his approval.
If that’s the case how do you expect some of the allegations of corruption to be proven?
I will give you one specific example.
Mienl Bank opened its bank jn Antigua to corruptly filter out money around the world.
In every country where money has gone to passing through the bank in Antigua there has been criminal prosecution and conviction.
A government official has been referenced to having received bribed money.
Is that not enough reason for antigua to find out who and let the chips fall where they may?
Certainly that would exhilarated Gaston from all the finger pointing and shame the opposition for theor continuous unproven allegations.
Who has prevented that?
You opinion is as a result of the actions of the American courts.
Don’t be too quick to celebrate.
If you read the ruling if tge judge you will see they the matter was struck out with prejudice.
Do you understand that?
It means that the matter is not over and dead.
It can be brought back again when the inadequacies mentioned to by the judge are addressed.
Did the prime minister willing walk j to the slaughter house? No.
He fought with every breath to ensure that the matter died prematurely.
An innocent man fights to prove his innocence.
Not to prevent facts from being revealed.
Vindication comes after a matter has been litigated in a competent court.
This matter and none if the allegations made against Gaston have ever been litigated in any court.
Not because of a lack of evidence.
Instead because the prime minister in his personal and official capacity has fought to his last breath to prevent litigation of any matter.
Until that happens there will always be gray clouds hovering over his head.
The energy exerted by Gaston Browne in fighting to prevent him from being proven guilty should instead be spent in him assisting to prove his innocence.
Innocence is the lack of guilt and not victory from keeping the truth from being revealed.
If you leave your chikd to be nurtured by an adult against whom the allegations are numerous you will have no one to blame but you when that adult violates the innocence of your child.
Brixtonian, there is none so blind as he who will not see. I endorse Brent’s views, not because he is my son, but because his criticisms are valid.
I will be 75 years old in a couple of months and I have never voted for the ABLP. Whenever I have voted, it has always been a case of choosing between the lesser of two palpable evils. The patronage mentality is in the DNA of both parties and that cannot be disproved. In Antigua and Barbuda, democracy is a pipe dream. I cannot think of a single instance where candidates were not foisted on constituents by either the incumbents or the opposition. That strategy is patently undemocratic. Whether blue or red, the mentality is the same and gives rise to the poignant observation that it is six of one and half a dozen of the other.
As it stands, and I will not hesitate to state publicly, the UPP does not have enough credible or competent candidates. We can can do much better than that. I refuse to accept that Antigua and Barbuda is devoid of persons who can actually think and speak and make a difference.
This may come across as my being harsh and insensitive, but this is my honest assessment of our political landscape.
It is not lost on me that some ministers of government and their families have come into inexplicable wealth over the last decade. I remember that the late Mr. Tim Hector was aghast at a leader’s acquisition of six houses in Villa valued at $72,0000 each while on a salary of $972.00 per month. This is not magic; it is a portrait of political corruption.
Nothing has changed; the present-day version has escalated from mere hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. And it all occurs in plain sight, if the current spate of construction activities is anything to go by.
Brixtonian, let’s face it: Sungoo is no better than Lungoo. Whether blue or red, the curse of the patronage mentality weighs heavily on our political institutions and departure thetefrom is nowhere in sight. Again, I fully endorse my son’s observations.
The UPP is trying to get with fabricated scandals, what the can’t get with the ballots and it seems as every day the power is drifting further away from them!
Yup. Nar now the FBI supposed to come and “lakkup Gastan”
watta bunch a liyadd neargah dem opposition elements be
The role of any opposition party is to oppose and score political points. I am 100% certain that if the ABLP were in opposition they would have done exactly the same thing.
You sound just as DUNCE as Pringle. “Oppose for opposing sake” is not a viable strategy! Now the UPP will go back to the drawing board and see what other “scandal” they can manufacture and cook up in Man Cow backyard.
With much respect Charlie Simon, I understand your support for son’s viewpoint, however, Antiguans must never forget what is really plaguing our country.
I’ve always kept an eye on politics, not only here in Antigua, but across the Caribbean, Africa, Europe and the USA.
For instance, many other countries have detractors within their own political parties. In France, President Macron has robust arguments and confrontations with his own party members, so does UKs Keir Starmer, Mia Mottley from Barbados has recently taken one of her own political colleagues to task. Even Trump has detractors within the Republican Party.
Yet, I am truly flummoxed that here in Antigua & Barbuda, that I have yet to hear from anyone inside the ABLP government criticise, critique or complain whatsoever about Gaston Browne’s tutelage of the country in 10-11 years of governance. Very strange!
Yes, we expect the opposition and their supporters to do so, but to have no disagreements whatsoever within the party is very weird.
Not ah one of them spoke out about the wasteful spending on the Alpha Nero; also the missing Hurricane Irma donation; the Africans that arrived here on the island and then mysteriously disappeared; and who can forget the lack of transparency when a Freedom of Information was requested, and then ignored by the PM.
HIS CABINET STAYED QUIET ON ALL THE ABOVE AND MORE …
Charlie, your son was partially correct in his criticisms of the opposition party, but ignoring the bigger picture and what’s been troubling the country for over a decade is rather like putting the cart before the horse.