PM Browne Says 2026 Will Test Economic Permanence After “Year of Bounty”
— Prime Minister Gaston Browne says Antigua and Barbuda must now focus on converting recent economic gains into lasting stability, describing 2026 as a critical test of permanence following what he called a “year of bounty” in 2025.
In his New Year’s Address to the nation, Browne said the country enters the new year from a position of strength, but warned that success must be sustained through discipline, productivity and national ownership of the development process.
Despite global pressures, including rising costs driven by international trade tensions, Browne said the past year delivered strong economic outcomes. He added, however, that the challenge ahead lies in ensuring those gains endure.
“The year before us offers something even greater—the opportunity to turn success into permanence, if we continue forward together,” Browne said.
The prime minister urged Antiguans and Barbudans to take greater ownership of the economy as the country advances what he described as a stakeholder society, where national progress is driven by local participation alongside foreign investment.
He called on citizens to invest their skills, creativity and resources in entrepreneurship and productive activity, saying the commanding heights of the economy must increasingly rest on the strength and initiative of the country’s own people.
Browne reaffirmed his long-term vision of transforming Antigua and Barbuda into an economic powerhouse, arguing that ambition, resilience and strategic planning remain central to that goal.
He said national development requires more than policy direction, calling instead for a culture of excellence and productivity across all sectors of society.
“Excellence is never an accident; it is the result of intention and effort,” Browne said, urging citizens to embrace discipline, innovation and strong work ethics as the foundation of sustainable growth.
The prime minister said Antigua and Barbuda’s future competitiveness depends on a workforce and business community committed to continuous improvement, adding that shared responsibility and national pride remain essential to securing long-term prosperity.
He urged the country to move into 2026 with purpose and resolve, saying economic strength will be measured not only by growth, but by the ability to preserve and build upon it over time.
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How ? The roads are bad the hospital in a mess, or leader is a mess, we are in trouble with or CIP PROGRAM, plus there is way too much corruption here ..
No! No! No! Not again, Gaston is reaffirming that Antigua will continue to be his economic powerhouse of personal wealth acquirement, he and his family and close friends will continue suck the honey out a this rock.
That’s a dangerous conflation of economics used to fool the people, white investors get passport to sell to raise funds for hotel construction, that steel frame building over jolly beach is example along with the shriek getting land title deed for Morris bay in old road to go look financing, please Gaston leave our country, don’t make Barbuda be used for white people economic powerhouse by using the police to hold the barbudans at gun point to take their lands anymore, these white people don’t mind you doing that, because after they acquire the lands and government changes they will be protected by their foreign countries armies and sanctions .
Go away Gaston , if we don’t jail you some mafia will deal with you abroad in hiding for crimes.
Last year this Prime Minister informed the whole nation that Antigua was ALREADY an economic powerhouse.
What has changed between then and now, when he’s using words like “Antigua is an economic powerhouse” and now the change in phraseology by saying “making Antigua an economic powerhouse?”
Again, a play on words by a Prime Minister who thinks we’ve all forgotten what he told the country at large.
Gaston Browne really does take ALL Antiguans for damn fools.
Never forget, dishonest people can’t remember to keep their stories straight.
This Jackass just like to throw around words and hope that by sounding good he can get support. What economic powerhouse?
Poor roads
Urban decay in the city
Robbery left right and center
A police force that is ill – equipped
A hospital that’s functioning on a thread
General social decay, especially among the youth
Constant power cuts
Constant water cuts
Scandal let right and center
A decay of the national passport
Playing fields not being upkept
Sporadic garbage collection
Drains not being maintained
It just goes on and on
Sir, when you’re off a plane, you wish the very best for the pilot, you’re the country’s pilot and I want you to do well, but almost EVERYDAY you let me down
Your childish behaviour for a man near 60 tweed my mind
Economic powerhouse? That is something I will not believe because you HAVE NOT positioned the government to get to that level
Give me a flipping break, what year of bounty and for who. It certainly wasn’t bountiful for most of the population, it had to be for you and your family, Cabinet members, and the large band of hangers-on who drain our treasury month after month. It is a very dangerous thing when one believes his own fantasy
This is the first day of 2026 and this statement is already on the charts for being the biggest joke of the year, even the decade. Eleven years ago he was going to make Antigua/Barbuda the ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE OF THE CARIBBEAN; the following years, the same thing and from 2020 through 2023, we were an ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE and 2024 through 2026, we are still working towards being what was promised over a decade ago. Something is wrong with guy’s head. Hope when he’s successful, as he thinks he will be, against the Law firm that’s representing Julia Motlocov, the millions that he is expecting will go directly into the treasury because when he challenged the recovery ruling it was we who paid for his defense, claiming that Antigua/Barbuda’s name was tarnished. He’s at it again, except that this time when he’s seeking to collect heavily, we are not mentioned. The guy is really a case to be studied.
I absolutely agree. Each person must do his/ part in keeping Antigua clean and beautiful , contribute to its economic development as well as reap the benefits of doing so. Happy new year to one and all.
Community cleanliness is a shared responsibility. Maybe this is the right time to launch education campaigns alongside enforcement.