PM Browne Responds to Criticism Over Family Vacation
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has pushed back against criticism over a recent family vacation, saying public figures should not be condemned for spending time with their loved ones.
Speaking on his Browne and Browne radio programme on Pointe FM, the Prime Minister said he was surprised by the backlash.
“Recently when I took my family away, I was shocked to see some so-called sensible people in the society making an issue about it,” he said. “So what do they want me to do — take a kip woman to go on vacation?”
Browne said the trip was an opportunity to expose his children to different cultures and experiences.
“I took my family and I want my children to be there to experience things, cultures — because you see we must understand, as adults we’re not necessarily living for ourselves,” he said.
He added: “Our story is their story, or their story is our story. And we can’t be so selfish in which we just want to take care of our own personal consumption and we don’t look after our children.”
The Prime Minister added that investing in children is part of responsible parenting, and said that this sense of sacrifice was more common in previous generations, even under hardship.
“It was not always so, because even when we were poor, our parents used to sacrifice for us,” he said.
He shared a personal example, recalling his mother’s priorities when resources were limited.
“I recall with my mother — I know that she would have loved to probably go to the hairdressing shop and do her nails and so on and fry her hair — but she made sure that the little money she had… she prioritised caring for her children.”
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If he paid for the trip out of his own pocket then why not.
What’s weird is you left the country when a lot of people cant buy food much less save for a ticket to go outside of the region. You’re not understanding the subject of the criticism of when you did it and also posting about it
Fake locks too? Is drag queen B next? At least he has a disguise but don’t forget iris technology. The Russians will still find you.
If he would afford nationals the same opportunity to give their children the same experiences not an ounce of criticism would be passed. When people are in a country where the minimum wage is so small you have to decide weather you can afford to get food or pay a bill. Of course. Essential workers can’t afford to get a home without being married, so on and so forth…Better can be done.
Have no problem with that at all, I would have done the same, let’s rise above petty politics and focus on things national
All these negative comments everyone deserves a vacation all these people that are making the big fuss about the Prime Minister taking his family on a vacation let me ask you a question I am sure you all go on vacation do you worry about who cannot take a vacation or who don’t have food to eat or a place to rest there head no you don’t so yal leave the man to enjoy his life an I am sure he has enough money to pay for it whether it’s his own or the government yal are some bias set a people
I actually do. Government serve the people not the other way around there are homeless people sleeping on the streets and people going to bed hungry because they need that money for something else or straight up don’t have money. when I am on vacation I question what Antigua needs to be better, because I care for the nation I was born in. Government officials are not meant to be individualistic and people who put themself first should not even be throwing distance of the PM office. If Antigua was a jolly place no one would care there is work to be done before you can leave the country
There are thousands in Antigua and Barbuda living from hand to mouth, pay check to pay check who are not able to enjoy life because of the burdens that you put on their backs. Dont you think that they would like their children to experience different cultures as well? The sweet life must be for ALL not just for you and your family.
WHAT THE HELL…! …SO-CALLED SENSIBLE PEOPLE: …SQUABBLE OF LANGUAGE
***
WELL:
Entangle not ‘…THYSELF’ IN NO DARN ‘…VACATION SQUABBLE.’
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ALL SHALL KNOW THAT: ‘…WHERE THERE IS SUNSHINE, THERE SHALL BE ‘…HAY-MAKING.’
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However, when a ‘…PRIME MINISTER,’ known for his ‘…GRASS-ROOT MANNERISM:’
(a) ‘…COMMUNING AND SOCIALIZING WITH THE INDIGENT:
***
(b) …ENDEAVORING TO BRING ‘…SPARKLES OF HOPE AND HAPPINESS ‘ IN THE LIVES OF THE CITIZENRY: then
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(c) …INCENSEDLY AND DAINFULLY LASHED OUT WITH LANGUAGE AGAINST THOSE CONSIDERED ‘…VEXINGLY OPINIONATED: then
(d) …DISPARAGINGLY REFERRED TO THEM AS ‘…SO-CALLED SENSIBLE PEOPLE’ (Paragraph 3), know that:
‘…FOR EVERY INSENSITIVE UTTERANCE, THERE IS AN EQUAL AND ‘…OPPOSITE TROUBLING UTTERANCE.’
***
FIRSTly OBSERVED AS:
(i) ‘…CAMEL-RIDING TALIBAN : and today,
(ii) …DRESSED SMARTLY-LOCKSILLY: …IRILlY: and …RASTALY’ (coined).
***
NOW:
‘…Weh de ‘ell eis de ‘…Rasta Sistren: and
…Weh de Chel-lece…? (Jamaican vernacular).
***
RIDE GOOD: …CHALICE GOOD: …TALK GOOD.
***
BLESSED SUNDAY.
***
SHENAYNAY Martin Lawerence is looking for shim replacement. Gaston please have garfield and ernamae produce hitler in drag so you can strike your pose in style.
Pose boi pose. Turn with your hands on your hips and sashay like Shay Shay.
It is ok for you to frolic at tax payers expense .
However when Hon. Kelvin Shuggy Simon travels with the youths you and your choir members are offended.
Show your level of interest in the youths.
You interest is in you and your wife at our expense.
The youths are left abandoned.
Good leadership!!!!
You know what’s even more interesting.
Those egging you on in the studio have not boarded a plane since whenever except on duty.
Yet just to kiss your donkey they give a seal of approval to you using taxpayers money as you wish for your personal benefit.
The president of France is unable to take part in the next elections because she used government’s money to foot her personal bill.
You on the other hand think it is ok to walk with an umlimited government credit card to shop for you and your entourage.
I wast want to have enough to do the same as you
The PM Browne might be confused again. I do not believe or could reasonably conclude folks inquiring or upset about your family being with you (that is a good thing) but the amount of money being spent on the vacation (while numerous locals suffer financially) and who is paying for it (locals will all believe it is them, the people’s money).
Focus on the issue PM Browne, give the people evidence you are ethical and fair, and not just about yourself and your family, while telling Antiguans I can not help you by simply writing a letter, and executing an executive order stating an endeavor serves national interest so applications can be decided in a timely manner as nothing in Antigua is and never based on merit. For once, be about others, and not yourself. EMPATHIZE PM Browne.
The people have a right to criticize dummy. They put you in office to fulfill their needs, not yours.
If you don’t want to do the job or be there for the needs of the people, well get to hell out of politics, joker.
This is another clue that this man just doesn’t get it.
You are a ” Public Servant” joker.
The needs of the people comes first, always,and period!
So us ” sensible people” are very sorry that we offend your little sensibilities, great one.
You took flight in the heat of the battle Gatson, that’s the issue here.
So let me use one of your new found favorite words, you ” Abandon” the people again.
Some irony ain’t?
I realize that people will put themselves up for public office where they endure scrutiny, criticism, accusations, propaganda spreading, misinformation spreading, and the like. When these said people enjoy the benefits of this life-changing job, when not only they but their immediate family are harassed daily, it becomes a problem?
What I hate to hear is that poor people should enjoy the same benefits as politicians. So you are telling me that those who sit and wait for handouts should enjoy the same benefits as those whose lives are scrutinized and criticized daily?
My only regret is that the Prime Minister responded.
Alpha Nero money come in sweet. Your long term in hell fire will come. I will live to see you fall. Cruel man Gaston Browne
People in this country very bad minded with petty jealousy. What is wrong for the man to take his family on vacation ? So many things to talk about and just here talking none sense. Nearly every body in this country living from hand to mouth but does that prevent someone to go on a cruise or vacation with their family ? Hardship everywhere. Cost of living high every where. No Government of any country in the Caribbean is responsible for the high cost of living in their country. The great American people are crying blood. Thou shall not covet. Thou shall not be envious against thy neighbor. Stop them petty jealousy and get a life.