PM Responds To Calls To Give Up His Salary

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Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the equivalent of two months of his prime ministerial salary has been donated to a food programme run by his ruling Antigua & Barbuda Labour Party.

He made that disclosure after being asked to react to the decision of the Nevis Premier Mark Brantley to give us his salary and the decision by the St. Lucia Cabinet to take a pay cut.

Prime Minister Browne says his colleagues have been making personal contributions to constituents during the COVID-19 crisis.

“I can tell you that all of my colleagues, they are making contributions, we are not looking any publicity.I know that my colleague Daryl Matthew, a few days ago have out about 400 food packages funded out of this pocket.”

Browne said he gave a commitment weeks ago to donate his own salary.

“In my case, I have said to my colleagues as far back as six weeks ago, I will donate my salary, every month to the food programme of the Antigua & Barbuda Labout Party.

“In fact I was down there up to today literally observing the operations and I have to tell you it is one impressive operation in which in the first week.”

Browne said, “I paid Christos 25 thousand dollars from my personal resources and that represents two months pay.”

The prime minister said his basic pay is 12 thousand dollars a month.

He said the idea behind the initiative is to “ensure that no one goes hungry.”

“Let your actions count, Let us be our brothers keeper,” he added.

There have been calls on social media for members of the Antigua Cabinet to follow the example of St. Lucia and take a salary cut.

The ABLP leader says he’s also asked members of the business community and wealthy individuals to make equal contributions to the main opposition United Progressive Party to support its food programme.

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31 COMMENTS

  1. There are a lot of small businesses in Antigua and Barbuda who have raked in millions of dollars over years of their operations and they have never give back nothing especially in country crisis. Most of them sent their profits back to their country of birth to bank and to their families. Then they would turn around and want whoever government (ABLP or UPP) in power to give them concessions here and there.

    • So, here I am. Investing over a million ec in a business in this country, employing a dozen Antiguans, pay them good salary along with their fees for social security, education levy and medical benefits. Then paying 10 000 ec every year for a work permit that is required for me to work in the business that I own. Further more, my company pays more than 10 000 ec every month in ABST to Inland Revenue. If my company makes a profit, we also pay 25% of that in tax. So far, I haven’t sent a cent to my old country. How much do you contribute to this country yourself, my dear Wadadli?

  2. Gaston Browne,it would have been best in my opinion.If you had given the money to an independent organization like the Salvation Army.They are very good at doing such things.By doing so you would not inject the Partisan echoes.You gave to the Antigua and Barbuda Labor Party.Now you see the political angles.Did they only give food packages to the supporters of the Labor Party?

    • Exactly!! And that’s exactly what happened in Graysfarm. Only Labour homes got packages, some getting 4 and 7 bags, while others got NONE!!! Even those that don’t support any party, like myself. And I live 3 houses away from the individual that was in charge. I never even saw any activity and this is the height of BS. Not on a time of crisis, cause God don’t discriminate when he shows mercy on our land. Pack ah DUNCES!!! THAT’S WHY I DON’T SUPPORT POLITICS!!!

  3. Mr PM, according to the article above you said “I can tell you that all of my colleagues, are making their contributions”. If this is true, then our representative in the rural west constituency has his chosen sets to offer assistance/contributions to because there are some less fortunate persons on lower Federation Road who have not recieved, heard, seen or smell him in the area. Furthermore, It is now going on to three weeks and requests were made to NODS for some packages and to this day no one has recieved or heard anything…….. This certainly leaves an extremely bad taste in ones mouth and forces one to think that these very persons on Federation Road are been side line……

  4. So ABLP IS ANTIGUA? SO UPP, DNA, BPM IS NOT PART OF A&B? WHY OTHER CITIZENS SHOP AT THESE SUPERMARKETS WHO ARE MAKING MONEYTARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO ABLP INITIATIVE? POOR A&B. A PM OF A COUNTRY IS PUSHING THIS INITIATIVE. NEVER IN THE OECS I’VE HEARD OF ANYTHING NEAR TO THIS. SHAME SHAME A&B PRIME MINISTER. YOU SHOULD BURY YOUR HEAD IN YOUR DODO.

    • More shame on top of that. Sounds like Donald Trump and Mich McConnel to me. Time Antiguans vote for a party who cares about the country and not self interest. Citizens should give these parties one term until they understand that the people have the power not the politicians.

  5. Where is all the CIP money?
    When they fly first class transworld and transatlantic, who pays?
    When their croonies on 6-8different boards dont attend half the board meetings, why do they still get a cheque?
    Who gets the big contracts now and over the last 6years?
    Its time to shell out the stashed away dough!!

  6. Thank you PM for what you are doing behind the scenes. Had you came and said so without being prompted they would have described your actions as trying to score political points. Now that you have mentioned that you have given up your salary let’s hear what they will ask for next. I personally just want a few of your garden”s produce.

  7. Your colleague Colin James has not given anything to his constituency or not that I’ve seen. I don’t believe you cuz there is NO PROOF of that. Y’all politicians too wicked to poor ppl. Do better man, same ppl y’all want to vote for you when election comes around. I hope ppl will remember this when that time comes around again.

  8. Food program .. I think many of your supporters who are rich does a big contribution to this food program . I would prefer if the cabinet take a 75% pay cut for the next 3 months since all the politicians in Antigua is rich one way or the other

  9. Come on Gaston Browne, PM…this is not about ABLP supporters, this is about ALL the citizens and denizens residing in the Nation.

    Phucking ridiculous statement…”I will donate my salary, every month to the food programme of the Antigua & Barbuda Labour Party.” Phucking ridiculous, coming from the Leader, of the Nation…leader of the Nation…leader of the Nation,
    not just, the Leader of the ABLP.

  10. A nation of artful dodgers or just plain advocates of the devil!. You heard that the PM was/is using his initiative to ensure that deserving nationals are being nourished in these difficult times. You conveniently failed to hear of the same PM’s intercessions on behalf of ALL other political groupings since it is quite obvious that once again they prefer to stand on the sidelines crying like babies instead of getting out there and doing the WORK. Instead they squawk like gutter snipes predicting the extra work that Barnes and Straffie will have soon as Antiguans begin to drop dead like flies. Then and only then will they emerge from their slimy holes and in great pomp and ceremony crown themselves King and Court of the ashes. Thankfully, in God we trust!

    • This should be posted at the doors, to every Preachers Vestry,
      because, ain’t no god coming from under the Universe, above the Universe, flying in from Antarctica to rescue Antigua, Barbuda & Redonda.

  11. Ha! This had to get personal. Our reporters, media, opponents, social media and majority of residents are drama based and will inject politics and responses for some sinister benefit. We are no longer genuine and today,
    seek any and every opportunity to induce politics when it is only seen by those wanting to benefit from the publicity.

  12. PM, time to cut the salary of the Ambassador in Washington DC and other Missions. Also, instead of your partisan contributions, contribute to citizens of Antigua and Barbuda in need. Antiguans and Barbudans have no idea how much of their tax payers dollars are being wasted overseas while they suffer.

  13. Start cutting the salaries of Immigration officers, customs and most of all those Govt. Workers who do not want to go to work but expect a salary. Especially those at the magistrate court.

  14. The suggested call was for the politicians ALL OF THEM to give up their salaries completely (meaning you do not get paid) for 3 months. Politicians are far from poor from the country and can easily afford to do this. Also CANCEL the 2 term full salaries that ex politicians get and at the very least make it 4 terms. Antigua cannot afford to pay out these ridiculous amounts of tax payers monies every month and nobody should be entitled to full pay after working (in a lucrative…get fat… job) for only ten years. This is not a case of doing a photo op, this is a case of a bankrupted country trying to survive this crisis which has brought the hemorrhage spending and corruption against the tax payers into the spotlight.
    While cutting the salary costs the ghost workers and do nothing board members need to be cut at the same time! The savings would be mind boggling and go a long way to helping Antigua and Barbuda survive.

  15. Never tell a man how to spend his money, if he donated to ALP, thats ok but now is a good time for the ALP to show antigua that they care about all and not just thier supporters.

  16. The government should adopt a policy, that all charitable situations will be handled by organizations such as Red Cross and Salvation Army that has the platform and capability to execute professionally.

    The Car dealerships, Cell companies, Whole salers, Construction companies, Hotels, APUA, Banks, Insurance companies, Doctors, Law firms, etc should be made to contribute to this effort.

    I do not think any politician should give up any part of their salary. They have responsibilities to. This kind of thing encourages corruption because the politicians will now be forced to supplement their income creatively.

  17. A&BLP ARE ALL ABOUT HAND OUTS. PUT SOME BEEF IN THEIR PACKAGES AFTER YOU SLAUGHTER THE FAT COWS. ALL LOW LIFERS.

  18. Thought I heard the PM say that Antiguans are proud and don’t want food packets? Why would they go and line up at ABLP headquarters for food? The majority of the people who would go there to fight for food are the same people who go to Fort James on Labour day and fight for food. If the PM really wants to contribute to the crisis, he and his ministers should ask the treasury to without a percentage of their salaries and give it to social security to pay out to people . Don’t they all make over $100,000 per year with the PM $200,000 with benefits. Highly likely a lot of non national labour supporters would not qualify as they don’t want to pay contributions. Ok the food packets are mostly for them.
    There are all kinds of funds, scholarship fund, entrepreneurs fund and more, that have not been accounted for. Why would some people in government use their own funds to provide food packets?

  19. That’s the sickening part of this Island of ours. They bring politics in everything no matter how tragic the situation is.

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