PM Browne says no immediate plans to replace Queen as head of state for Antigua and Barbuda

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Prime Minister Gaston Browne says Antigua and Barbuda intends to be a Republic in the future but that there are no immediate plans to do so.

Listen to him here during a special Cabinet meeting to welcome visiting Royals, the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

Antigua and Barbuda’s prime minister has told the Earl and Countess of Wessex his country wants to “one day become a republic.”

Talk of nations in the Caribbean breaking with the monarchy to become a republic has intensified since Barbados replaced the Queen as head of state with a president last year.

And in March, Jamaica’s prime minister Andrew Holness suggested to William and Kate that his country may be the next to become a republic during the couple’s tour of the Caribbean.

It has put added significance on the Wessexes’ tour, as the pair were urged to use their “diplomatic influence” to achieve “reparatory justice” for the island of Antigua and Barbuda.

Gaston Browne, the country’s prime minister, told the earl and countess it is the country’s wish to “one day become a republic”. ITV

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27 COMMENTS

  1. As long as we cannot even agree to change the Privy Council for the CCJ, we don’t even have to think about changing the Queen for the President. And the way things look in this country, it will be a very long time.
    Chronological List for Independence of Caribbean Countries

    Country Date of Independence Previous colony of
    Haiti 01 January 1804 France
    Dominican Republic 27 February 1844 Haiti
    Cuba 20 May 1902 Spain
    Jamaica 06 August 1962 United Kingdom
    Trinidad and Tobago 31 August 1962 United Kingdom
    Guyana 26 May 1966 United Kingdom
    Barbados 30 November 1966 United Kingdom
    The Bahamas 10 July 1973 United Kingdom
    Grenada 07 February 1974 United Kingdom
    Suriname 25 November 1975 The Netherlands
    Dominica 03 November 1978 United Kingdom
    Saint Lucia 22 February 1979 United Kingdom
    St. Vincent & Grenadines 27 October 1979 United Kingdom
    Belize 21 September 1981 United Kingdom
    Antigua and Barbuda 01 November 1981 United Kingdom
    St. Kitts and Nevis 19 September 1983 United Kingdom

    Given the list above, it seems that we were one of the last to be independent from Brittan. So do not expect us to change our relationship with the Queen anytime soon.

  2. FROM THE SIDELINE again what you are saying make no sense by equating the referendum on the CCJ/Privy Council to a Republican status for Antigua and Barbuda. In the referendum I voted for the CCJ to be our final Appeal Court. However, like Dominica this country should not have retained the Queen as our head of state when we got our independence in 1981. In my book the Queen should have been removed even before the Privy Council. And yes the Privy Council has to go. Ideally, both should have been dealt with on the eve of our independence in our new Constitution.

    • Charles, you have your opinion and I have mine. Yet you always call my opinion senseless. To you the Queen should be removed, but yet you say you voted for the Privy Council and added that the Privy Council must go. So why then vote for them? I tell you why. Because you are seeing everything through political eyes. Unless it is not your party in power you will not vote for it. And as a member of the BAR, I think it is shameful for people such as you to vote against an institution that is created with you in mind. A lawyer like you would never be able to go to the Privy Council, but I’ll bet you that you would have been able to go to the CCJ. The Queen and the Privy Council are the last institutions that remind us of our painful past of Slavery and Colonialism. I don’t mind if you have your own opinion and you can support it with your arguments, but so do I.

      • FROM THE SIDELINE please reread my comment. I voted for the Privy Council? Again, in the referendum I voted for the CCJ to be our final Court of Appeal. Can I be any clearer?

      • No he said he supported the CCJ. I too agree we need to do away with both Queen and Privy counsel, but truth just like with the CCJ, the monarchy issue will become a political football. Its no accident that the countries that have moved to the CCJ, have had no referendum. It was a ridiculous requirement which will only impede progress

        • Going the way of a Republic,should be the call of the people not Gaston Browne. Have a referendum and let the people decide,yea or nay. There was a referendum on the CCJ and or Privy Council. The people voted the CCJ down in favor to stay with the Privy Council. In my opinion,the people made a very wise decision then. I do hope for their sake they do the same in the next election and Vote the GBLP(Gaston Browne Labor Party) and them out.

    • Charles, with all due respect for Her Majesty, the time has come to declare this county a republic. I am of the opinion that whichever party adds this to their manifesto, will pick up a huge number of voters, based on that provision alone. This proposal has wide support among the ordinary citizens. Actually, are there ANY “Monarchists” left in this country? This is not only a sure vote getter, but it is the right thing to do, and actually should have the full support of ALL political leaders in this country, from all three parties. Each of them should include this in their manifestos. The people want it so. After all, this is 2022. LONG LIVE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, fully independent and free. Get it done.

      • CErmle I agree with you totally. I hope FROM THE SIDELINE can appreciate the wisdom in your comment. Their is really no benefit from having the Queen as our head of state. That is the most egregious relic of our colonial history. It should have ended on the eve of our independence just as Dominica did.

        • Charles you really amaze me time and time again. Because you share the opinion of CErmle, my opinion is in your opinion not valid. There is no wisdom in an opinion. It is just that, an opinion.
          Winston Derrick used to say, “difference of opinions makes a horse race”. Please get that in your head. And note I did not cry down CErmle with his opinion. I just pointed out one thing to him that I believe is one our main problem. The Privy Council.

          • FROM THE SIDELINE how do you know CErmle is a man. Is he a comrade that you are acquainted with? Anyway, you did not respond to your erroneous comment that I am pro Privy Council.

      • @CErmle, careful you don’t offend Ivor Ford who is a staunch Monarchists. I believe he is also looking forward to the day when his King Charles will take the crown.

      • You cannot claim to be fully independent when you still have the Privy Council as your ultimate court. These two things is what still shows our attachment to our past.

    • I think if you take a tour around Antigua and ask the public why the majority voted for the Privy Council you will be told that it has everything to do with trust and the guarantee of a fair hearing. That is also the reason my family voted for the PC. There are well known cases that were heard by the PC with very fair results. Using the PC is a choice that we are fortunate to have access to.
      I would not exactly say that Dominica is a successful republic. Word out of Dominica says that the Chinese are controlling Skerrit and the island. The Dominican people are losing their freedom of speech along with their constitutional rights to walk for peace and prosperity. Apparently if a Dominican speaks out against the current regime their electric power is switched off. If memory serves correctly it was the UK military who came in to help after hurricane Maria…the Chinese left the destroyed island like rats off a sinking ship.
      Such vocal racism and anti UK Monarchy comments coming from yourself and others will have the effect of killing tourism (our only industry) and up to now none of the naysayers can give a viable suggestion as to how Antigua will survive financially. The white tourism and/or investment market are NOT going to visit or invest in a destination that keeps spewing racism along with currently 2.9million slave owning China pushing for control which would be much easier for them as a republic.

      • Always so much VERBOSITY from you again jeb, why use so many words when you can easily make your point of view known with less?

        VERY VERY DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW – FROM A PROUD ANTIGUAN PATRIOT 🇦🇬

        Oh, and by the way, people having a different opinion than yours isn’t racist, it’s just that colonialism belongs to the dark ages; and to old dinosaurs like yourself.

        Remember jeb, a fisherman never smells he own basket …

  3. The joker don’t want to replace Elizabeth as head of state but want to replace the privy council. Talk about putting the cart before the horse, that is him.

    On another note , it is rumored that William was sorry he didn’t get this leg of the tour, because antigans are more docile than jamaicans.

  4. @Charles Tabor April 26, 2022 At 4:06 pm
    It’s a bad habit to assume masculinity of a writer. But if he is not, I apologize. And I did respond to you.

  5. Before we dump the Queen and the Privy Counsel we need to put this up FOR A VOTE from the PEOPLE in the form of a REFERENDUM. Before that happens, the proposed CONSTITUTION for the new REPUBLIC needs to be voted for by referendum by ALL of the PEOPLE.

    ALL political power flows from the true sovereign of a republic, which is the people…. NOT FROM A SINGLE PERSON LIKE THE PM.

    THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS – All of this needs to happen BEFORE any actions are taken by any elected government.

    • That is a requirement in our constitution. We must have a referendum. Don’t you remember the referendum to change from Privy Council to CCJ was voted down. And a referendum needs a 2/3. Two third majority to pass. Quite an impossible task in a divided country.

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