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PM Browne Calls for ‘National Reset’ After Vehicle Procurement Scandal
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has declared that Antigua and Barbuda is embarking on a “national reset,” outlining sweeping reforms to strengthen accountability and end what he called decades of systemic abuse in government procurement and payments.
Speaking on his Browne and Browne Show on October 18, Browne said the recent controversy surrounding the unauthorized purchase of government vehicles had exposed deep flaws in the public sector’s procurement and treasury systems.
But instead of being a political crisis, he called it “an opportunity for a fresh start.”
“They always say, never waste a crisis,” Browne told listeners. “What I see here is an opportunity for a reset, for a new dispensation in the way we manage public resources.”
The prime minister’s remarks came amid public scrutiny over the acquisition of several Ford Broncos reportedly procured without Cabinet approval.
The issue prompted the resignation of the Comptroller of Customs and raised questions about internal controls within the Ministry of Works and the Treasury.
Browne acknowledged that the matter revealed “endemic corruption” in government but said it also marked a turning point. “This is going to be a no-holds-barred discussion,” he said.
“No deceit, no trickery, no mystification.
I’ll be calling for a new dispensation in the business community who continue to play fast and loose with government revenue.”
He vowed to expose those who benefitted improperly from public contracts and to recover funds where possible.
“We’re going for restitution,” he said, adding that neither he nor the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party would accept campaign donations from individuals or businesses linked to the irregular purchases until the issue was resolved.
He framed the crisis as a test of political will.
“If there’s one man in this country who will never betray the public trust, it’s Gaston Browne,” he said. “Some told me I should have handled it differently. ‘
But how do you handle corruption? Sweep it under the table and continue decades of plundering? Or do you face it head-on and fix it once and for all?”
Browne reminded listeners that his Cabinet had already taken steps to centralize vehicle purchases years earlier after recognizing what he described as “systematic abuse” in government fleets.
In 2023, following recommendations from Minister of Public Works Maria Browne, Cabinet approved a policy requiring that every vehicle purchased for government use must be accompanied by a Cabinet decision.
The measure was intended to prevent unauthorized acquisitions and ensure that all government contracts were properly documented and justified.
“That was a deliberate decision taken at the behest of Minister Browne when she brought to Cabinet’s attention that the process for acquiring vehicles was too loose,” the prime minister explained.
“Some individuals who may not have been eligible for vehicles ended up with them. So she asked that it be centralized, and the Cabinet agreed.”
He said the new framework included a procurement committee chaired by the financial secretary, with senior officials from Finance and Public Works as members.
Ministers, including Maria Browne herself, were deliberately excluded from the committee to avoid conflicts of interest.
“From as early as 2014, when we first formed the government, I made it clear that the prime minister should be precluded from any contracting or procurement,” Browne said.
“That is how seriously we take governance.”
Browne alleged that some elements of the Treasury had been “captured” by business interests seeking to fast-track large payments at the expense of small suppliers.
He accused certain staff of accepting money to prioritize invoices for powerful companies while ordinary vendors waited months to be paid.
“These big players even have their own people in the Treasury—public servants who they pay to prioritize their payments,” he said.
“Sometimes a little supplier who can’t get paid for bread or prison supplies has to wait, while the big players go every week and collect their checks.”
To curb such manipulation, Browne said his administration had introduced a validation step at the Ministry of Finance, requiring all Treasury disbursements to be approved through Finance before payments are processed.
“We have changed that,” he said. “Now payments must go through Finance for validation, even before the Treasury can issue checks. We are cleaning it up.”
Browne described the reset not just as a bureaucratic reform but as a moral one — a break from what he called a culture of entitlement among certain business elites who “saw the state as their ATM.”
He accused some members of the private sector of financing political parties to maintain preferential access to government contracts and payments.
“Those who have been involved in this issue, we already told them — the Labour Party does not want their money. Gaston Browne does not want their money,” he declared.
“They can go and fund the opposition if they wish, because this government will not be compromised.”
The prime minister said his stance had caused discomfort among some political and business allies but insisted that genuine reform requires courage.
“I know some of my own colleagues thought I should have dealt with it quietly,” he said. “But leadership is not about appeasing people — it’s about protecting the public trust.”
Browne also revealed that the investigation had exposed broader weaknesses in the Public Works Department, particularly around record-keeping and vehicle registration.
Reports suggested that some government-owned vehicles had been re-plated with private numbers, making them difficult to trace.
“We’ve heard claims that vehicles registered as government property were later assigned private plates,” Browne said. “If that’s true, it means somebody is trying to cover tracks.
I’m telling everyone involved: hand over those vehicles. If you know you have a government vehicle with a private plate, return it.”
He warned that anyone found to have converted public assets to private use would face consequences.
The prime minister also instructed auditors to cross-check vehicle identification numbers (VINs) to ensure accountability.
“We will trace every VIN number,” he said. “We’re not accepting excuses.”
Browne’s phrase — “never waste a crisis” — has since become shorthand for what government insiders describe as a broader anti-corruption and governance renewal drive. During the program, he portrayed the scandal as a catalyst for institutional reform rather than a liability.
He emphasized that the government’s credibility depended on confronting wrongdoing directly. “At some point, nothing lasts forever,” Browne said. “If it takes my administration to bring this to an end, then now is the right time.”
The prime minister said his “national reset” vision would focus on five priorities: tightening procurement rules, digitizing financial oversight, strengthening audits, promoting ethical leadership, and restoring trust through transparency and restitution.
“This is not about shaming people,” Browne said. “It’s about fixing a system that has failed the people for too long.”
Browne rejected claims that he had unfairly targeted any minister, particularly his wife and colleague, Works Minister Maria Browne.
He said Maria Browne was the one who had alerted him to the problem after spotting two new Broncos at the Langfords Police Station.
“If she were involved, she would never have called it in on herself,” he said, noting that she had previously led the call to strengthen the vehicle procurement policy.
Browne also criticized opposition figures for “clandestinely circulating videos and propaganda” about an investigation that had not yet begun, calling their actions “a form of obfuscation designed to protect campaign financiers.”
Browne framed the reset as part of a larger nation-building agenda — one that links economic growth with ethical governance.
He said his government’s goal was not only to modernize Antigua and Barbuda’s infrastructure but also to elevate public standards and civic responsibility.
“When we said we would transform Antigua and Barbuda into an economic powerhouse, many scoffed,” he said. “But transformation is not just about buildings or GDP. It’s about building a society where honesty and accountability become our way of life.”
He cited progress in education, health care, and entrepreneurship as examples of how integrity and development are intertwined.
“We are fighting to move the people forward using housing, education, and entrepreneurship,” Browne said.
“We want Antiguans and Barbudans to enjoy living standards second to none.”
On air, Browne received visible support from his studio panel — including Senator Lamin Newton, who described the moment as “a total reset.” Host Colin O’Neal praised Browne’s “guts” in confronting an issue that others might have ignored.
Political observers note that Browne’s approach carries both risk and reward.
His no-nonsense stance could strengthen his image as a reformer but might also alienate long-time supporters in business circles accustomed to access and influence.
Yet Browne appeared unfazed. “Whoever is offended, that’s their problem,” he said. “We’re doing what’s right for the country.”
The prime minister’s declaration of a “national reset” represents one of the most forceful anti-corruption positions by any sitting Caribbean leader in recent years.
By framing the scandal as an inflection point rather than an embarrassment, Browne signaled that the coming months could bring a series of concrete reforms — from audits and prosecutions to new legislation on public procurement.
While critics remain skeptical about whether such change will endure, Browne insisted that Antigua and Barbuda’s governance must evolve. “We are not perfect,” he said, “but we will never tolerate willful neglect or deception in managing the people’s business.”
The road to national renewal, he suggested, begins with facing uncomfortable truths.
“This is a good opportunity for a reset,” he said.
“We must stamp out corruption once and for all and start anew — for the sake of our country, our people, and our future.”
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I’m in agreeance with the reset. I have nothing to gain or lose from this move, but I think it gives one a chance to clean up the mess they cause. Jus’ ge back de money that you stole, and you can’t be seen to be doing business for 2 years.
It is time we the people get justice for all the corruption going on. This is tax payers monies. The finance minister should also resign. All this bypass he ? Reset isn’t the answer. We need to make an example out of these corrupt people and send a message this would not be tolerated by us.
ANR..stop calling it “a controversy”, this is no damn controversy, this is down right theif of the peoples money..highway robbery.
Once again, this man continues to prove that he is as soft as they come on crime.
Pursue and jail the bastards if you want to be seen as the no nonsense PM that you are trying to portray yourself to be, with that Hitler moustache.
Persons are placed in certain position because they are qualified to do the job. I hope that this is the case. If qualified persons are without loyalty and integrity then it makes no sense they hold a position. I am in agreement with the P.M. 100%. I won’t judge the man and accuse him of any wrong doing as I have no facts. If the persons that be are manipulating the system for their greed then certainly this should be put to a stop immediately. This is more that a little leaven. This is steeling shamelessly and covering it up. This must stop immediately.