Opposition MP Says One Nation Concert Was Used as Political Prop
Opposition MP Kelvin Simon has criticised Prime Minister Gaston Browne over his appearance at the recent One Nation Concert, arguing that the event was misused for political self-promotion rather than national unity.
In a strongly worded social media post, Simon said the concert, which was intended to bring the country together through music and culture, was “meant to unite the country through music and culture—not be repurposed as a political prop.”
Referring to the Prime Minister’s performance persona as “Gassy Dread,” Simon said it turned “what should have been a moment of national togetherness into an act of desperate self-promotion.”
Simon further described the performance as “less tribute than parody,” adding that it was “off-key, disconnected, stripped of reverence reggae culture deserves.”
He argued that leadership must approach cultural spaces with restraint, stating, “When leadership treats culture as costume out of desperation, unity gives way to discomfort.” He added, “Some spaces require humility, not performance. This was one of them.”
Simon also linked his criticism to ongoing public concern about reports surrounding a proposed US$15,000 visa bond for certain United States visa applicants, saying there were still “no answers” on the issue.
“NO ANSWERS. ALL NOISE,” Simon wrote. “Still no answers on the $15,000 US visa bond. Just the Gassy Dread Show — off key, off message and off putting.”
The government has not publicly responded to Simon’s comments.
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Gaston knows Antiguans (not so much Barbudans) believe in GLITZ and GLAMOUR so he understands just a little entertainment is all most of us need to forget our misery and give him another 5 years to wreak more havoc on our poor souls while he and his Gang reap the bounty
Still think Gaston and the ABLP is the only party than can run Antigua properly….UPP and DNA will end up back in IMF they are not ready….IF they were at the control now we would be in deeper shyte….
Come on Simon, the Gassy Dread performance was just a light moment, no politics involved.. we have to learn to laugh at ourselves sometimes, everything doesn’t need to be so serious and so political…
Gassy Dread is the altar ego of Gaston Browne, who happens to be serving as Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda at this time.
A Caribbean reggae/dancehall–influenced artist known for conscious lyrics, cultural pride, and socially aware themes.
His music blends roots reggae with modern Caribbean rhythms, often touching on unity, resilience, identity, and justice, delivered with an unmistakable dreadlock aesthetic and grassroots energy.
Gaston Browne as a child was socialized among Rastafari including Lumba, The Late King Franki Tafari, Ras Kenya, Sagai Fu, among others.
Di I grew up with Rastafari partaking in their diet comprising Scatta, sauce and dread bread. Seen !!
The Rastafari values of Peace, love, unity and justice were embraced by I & I as a youth; values I carried into my adulthood.
I & I have embraced my Rastafari brethrens from since I was a youth, while others scorned and victimized them.
It’s not a coincidence, that it took my administration to apologize to Rastafari for the atrocities committed against them.
It’s not a coincidence that my administration has been providing compensation, reparatory justice to Rastafari.
Though structurally bald; I & I is Rastafari in heart. Seen !!
The I was embraced by the Rastafari movement as a champion for Rastafari.
So the partisan bald-head rhetoric of Derede Samuel, parroted by an attention seeking moron, is of no consequence.
Finally, Gassy Dread is a registered writer and producer in the UK, whose 18 songs, (all hits) will be released later this month on all platforms to include YouTube, Spotify, and ITunes.
The Rasta Dreadman is a bonafide artist, whose musical persona Gassy Dread should not be confused or commingled with politics. Seen !!
Gaston Browne is the politician who can take on and defeat any opponent.
Gassy Dread is the writer, producer, occasional artist, who fights and promotes the values justice, love, peace and right. Seen !!
Mr Simon – don’t let the success of Gassy Dread bun you.
The Rasta Dresdman Dreadman is blessed and no weapon formed against him shall prosper.
Dude, Get it right or simply take a dose of hush.
You too nuff.
@this world is a messed up place. You seem to be totally messed up yourself. Only Gaston is known to “Shoot from the lip”. Any one of them would be more careful in words and deeds than Gaston- No selling of people subben etc. Please Get help!!!
I endorse everything Honourable Shuggy has said and on that score. I also offer Gaston these bits of advice. Hope you “….Messed up….” would relay them to him if he hasn’t seen them:
1. If you want to grace a stage in Antigua & Barbuda, You have to at least be better than the late Bowlface.
2. If “Gassy Dread ” had to do this for a living, he would “Ded fu hungry”
3. AI cannot get you to sing in proper key. You either have it or you don’t.
Shugy notice how the seasoned UPP politicians like Harold, Pringle, Richard keep quiet & pick their battles in the public. Takes notes from them as you start to sound very lame, jealous, childish and bitter. When Namba was over Carnival, he did the same thing when he went to perform on Party Monarch finals night solo infront of better upcoming soca artists, and nobody cried like you over that.
Every week you have Gaston living in your mind rent free and posting bout him straight, more then even Maria. Post about UPP and your leader Pringle too man. ABLP start One Nation, and it growing bigger. Be glad for that, cause even if UPP, you guys won’t be able to stop it like how y’all cancelled Romantic Rhythms after 1 year. Is not everything in Antigua has to be toxic and negative. All UPP comes across now is being a set of miserable people, and other than Mr. Knight, who the hell wants to be around miserable people all day, everyday?
Antigua’s Madea is GASSY DREAD.
Antigua’s Madea is GASSY DREAD de CRAZY BALD HEAD.
The opposition is giving credence to a non entity like Gaston, waste a time.
LMAO🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 the WINK UP PREACHER MAN up inna he feelings cause aint in the spotlight at a fete. This coming from the man who ditched his parliament duties to go wink up in Trinidad. The same man the jet set for St Kitts Music Festival Dominica World Creole Festival Miami Carnival the fete list goes on.
I can bet any money he was up front in the VIP section
Tat really bun y’all One Nation is getting better and Better and soon will be on par with St Kitts and Dominica music festival.
The Wink Up Preacha Man needs to get over himself cause he spunding really childish and petty AF
Kaiso_Thyme!
POMPEY! WHAT THE HELL…
U does, say it well.
And, U membah dem days when?
U, and men like Quinland
De, original Gangsta Don
And, dem Baldhead, policeman
Just, just grab Rastaman!
Tek a bottle, innah him hand!
And, because U a Baldhead!
But, him a #Natty_Dread!
Natto! Feel me! #WATO!
Dem, U buss de bottle innah de dread head!
Den, U tek a piece!
Cause, u a wan Babylon police!
U trim de dread locs! Dreadlocks!
Like a farmer shaving his sheep!
Tell de Dread, U look like! Little Boo Peep!
Hold tight de Pompey!
Papi! Drop de Conch Shell.
‘Cause, de Rastaman know’
Fu sure! From shore #run_ah_sure!
For Iver_more! #Iver_more!
Everyday, the bucket goes to the well.
One day, the bottom will drop out!
But, we still BUN BABY_WRANG OUT!
So, Rastafar I; never have to shout!
Antigua! Barbuda! REDONDA!
Jesus Christ! Super star!
Won’t you please, tell them who you are?
Jesus Christ! Here comes the star!
To take the wheel, and say who you are?
Oh! BOMBOCLATH! OH! RASSCLATH!
Dis RASTACLATH! DE RATTIT #BOMBOCLATH!
Jah would never give the power to, a #Bald_Head!
For run come crucify the dread!
Oh time will tell. Yes, time will tell
Who’re in dem hell?
Who’re in their heaven!
But, one thing is certain!
According to, the Rastaman!
Like, Sizzlah, Buju or even de Fireman!
Dem dat, bun fire pan Babylon!
De costume worn by Gaston!
Wud mek him a Chi_Chi Man!
Innah de Ras Tafar I camp!
Dem nah ramp, wid such tings!
Those are royal sins!
To have a wig on a bald head
And, calling himself a dread!
Did Gaston Browne say, GASSY DREAD is one of his alter ego’?😅😅
Did somebody say his GASSY DREAD performance was for a light moment @Belle, tru dat?
Alter Egos and light moments are all terms used in HOLLYWOOD SCRIPTS.
Flip Wilson was a great Geraldine!
Martin Lawerence was a great Sha_Nay_Nay!
Yeah crisscrossed, and crossed dressing makes for great light moments…😅😅😅😅😅
Lady’s!
Gentlemen!
Good laughter! Still food for the soul!
BOOM_BYE Bye! Innah…
BOOM BYE! Bye!
Jumbee Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg 🦶🏿 Garrat_Bastard
Vere Edwards
I remember the years under UPP that Namba used to parcicipate in the calyspo monarch compeition even though he was minister of carnival. Making it worse is the songs were awful. He was actually able to be worse than the Indian Doctor some years ago. I doubt anyone remembers Namba’s songs. People accross the region are enjoying Gassy. Yeah the man can’t sing but the songs are good. Thankfully for Gaston, there is no justice department indictment, naming him as receiving money in his private bank account to facilate Dipilomatic passports (Baldwin Spencer)
@tenman de Chameleon of many hues, from the Ancients, #pussy_clath don’t fit you like an Italian Hemp Custom made suit; but #shapeshifting and #chameleon sure does. The #ten_man samming for you to obtain your DARK TRIAD degree was well worth it, I see! More power to the #shape_shifter!
Now, speaking of the Ancients, those in WaLADli passed on a Plantation Legend from the North of the Island.
According to them, there was a DAWG, that would always come around the Slave Quarters at night, sniffing, scratching from fleas etc, but morning came, and the sun rose, the DAWG could never be seen or found on the plantation.
Nah, said the Village priest one night, as they observed the DAWG, something about this DAWG smells familiar. To him, it smells like old rum vomit mixed with tobacco smoke and HUEman urine; so, they devised a plan for the following night. The plan was to wup that DAWG ass with a bunch of whips.
So, the following night, as soon as the dog crawled from under the fence, they put a whopping, whipping, lashing on that DAWG, until it jumped out of its skin. The slaves was aghast at first, but then they realized and recognized who the HUEman form/shape was that jumped out of the DAWG’S skin.
It was the RENKING, ALWAYS DRUNK, RUM PUKE smelling OVERSEER.
The ass whooping, plus that he got that night never brought him back to the slave quarters to SPY.
This #SHAPE_SHIFTING STORY fits a chameleon like you, like a naked suit, you simply added the rancid RED HERRING in your hand, as you sashay, on the New York runaway during their fashion week.
How the, WHAT THE POMPEY’S HELL, do Baldwin Spencer or Namba have to do with #baldhead Gaston putting on a Chinese made red green and black tam trimmed in horsehair and plastic faux locs.
Are there some 🍬highlights in the twists too?
Uncle Bilay – ah sending you another client. Get the BULL_BUDS soaked and ready.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg 🦶🏾 Garrat_Bastard
Vere Edwards
To be honest, I didn’t even know that the ” one nation concert” was still going down, for real, because I have been so busy focusing on the latest US visa ban, and trying to help the number of people who have called me to get some advice as to any move going forward.
I had a few associates who wanted my opinion about business in Antigua as well, so I was quite busy . I was also caught up with the refugee and Venezuela topic, that I didn’t even know this was still happening.
Hey, but I guess GB has more time on his hands than me, because if it wasn’t a political play as Shuggy said, then what was GB political play about our Visa’s?
Because for me,and many millions of people, that’s some serious problems right now.
This man is a failure..that’s all I could boil this down to, because how on earth you have time for concerts (even though I respect Capleton the real fire man) and didn’t take that time to fix Antigua’s relationship with the US?
Don’t shoot the messenger..just asking for the crowd!
How utterly embarrassing that the Prime Minister is ridiculing the high profile image and the prestige of Rastafarianism.
If a Caucasian was prancing around ridiculously like this on stage he’d be rightly booed off. Gaston Browne’s whole look is very distasteful and a disturbing caricature to say the least.
I’d be interested to know what the great Jamaican 🇯🇲 poet and political activist Mutabaruka would say about this outlandish parody of the Rastaman.
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