Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s Famous Clapbacks May Be a Thing of the Past
Prime Minister Gaston Browne revealed over the weekend on Pointe FM that his famous sharp retorts and clapbacks at the opposition might soon be a thing of the past.
Reflecting on his political journey, Browne acknowledged that engaging his political opponents in low-level politics, even as a form of embracing them or genuine friendship, may not have served his or the country’s best interests.
“Perhaps I engaged my political opponents in low-level politics as a form of embracing them, maybe out of genuine friendship,” Browne said. “Even though my responses were strident, it was not out of any form of hatred but just to be strident and sometimes even entertaining.”
Browne admitted that he has grown out of this approach, realizing that such engagements often backfired.
“I found myself literally growing out of that space, not wanting to engage them in that level of politics,” he explained.
“In the past, especially in my first few years, I would have seen that maybe as all concerned that people seeing it as being snobbish, not engaging, but what I found was that whereas they were operating in the same space, when I clapped back at them, they would then use it against me.”
He expressed regret for descending to that level, taking responsibility for the fallout.
“Maybe I should not have descended. I take responsibility and considering how they try to use it against me, I really don’t have an interest in that space. So that’s one thing I would have done differently for sure,” Browne stated.
Addressing the perception of being snobbish, Browne clarified, “I’m not being snobbish now. It was my way to kind of interact with them, but I don’t think it has really served my purpose.
“In fact, I was probably going down to their level, and again, I’m not saying this in any snobbish way. I don’t think I’m better than anybody. There’s nobody better than me, but I find that they really lack the capacity to engage in constructive debate and perhaps I was playing their game.”
The Prime Minister highlighted his shift towards more elevated and constructive debates and his growing disinterest in the opposition’s vitriolic rhetoric.
“I’ve gotten so turned off by the vitriolic rhetoric that I don’t even listen to them anymore. I’ve reached a stage where I don’t want to hear them, unfortunately. I’m hoping there will be some alignment or realignments in their approach to politics.”
He criticized the opposition for turning every issue into a partisan matter, including the recent SIDS conference, which he felt was an unnecessary embarrassment to the country on an international stage. Browne mentioned that even supporters of the opposition, like taxi drivers, were dismayed by their behavior during the conference.
While Browne acknowledged this change in his approach, he stood by the decisions made by his administration, noting that many of their actions, though initially criticized, have proven to be the best choices in hindsight. “There were many areas in which I was second-guessed and ridiculed, and with the effluxion of time, I think people have come to the reality that myself and my colleagues made the optimal decisions.”
As the Prime Minister looks forward to a more constructive political dialogue, he emphasized his commitment to engaging in more meaningful and elevated discussions moving forward.
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A leopard can not change its spots, UPP will always make you slip up and be the fool that you are because its in your arrogrant nature and you care nothing about the people of Antigua and Barbuda. Just wait and see.
Gaston, this is a start but you can take more responsibility. You called Dr. Jacquii Quinn ugly inside out. You could not stick to the issue. You are low- level politics, don’t blame the opposition but again, a start.
“He [Gaston Browne] expressed regret for descending to that level, taking responsibility for the fallout …”
“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time” ~ Maya Angelou
CAN’T DISAGREE WITH THE LATE GREAT MAYA ANGELOU … R.I.P 🙏🏽
Sounds good but as recent as yesterday and the day before…..
Michelle Obama once demonstrated that she does not undertsand either politics or human nature when she said when they go low we go high. Sounds good but that is all. As Trump has proven that people love ugly, and the uglier the better.
I stand to be corrected but every single time Gaston Browne has gone low, it has been in response to someone who attacked him first. He has never initiated any of these low blows. He is just better at debate and counter punching than all those who threw the first punch. He has nothing to apologise for. But what he should do, is not respond to all the attacks. Pick the ones that definitely cannot be allowed to pass and ignore the rest.
@ OTTO quote:
“I stand to be corrected but every single time Gaston Browne has gone low, it has been in response to to someone who attacked him first …”
However @ OTTO, I can recall 2-3 incidents off the top of my head when the Prime Minister has gone lower than a snakes belly.
The first was when Asot Michael was canvassing for votes and Gaston Browne threatened to tump him up.
Secondly – and arguably the worse -, was when a young Antiguan man lost his life during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the PM suggested that his death was because he wasn’t vaccinated – I mean how damn low can you go OTTO?
And also never forget when he called out the Barbudan’s as “deracinated imbeciles”, or words to that effect.
I suggest OTTO, that you are being very SELECTIVE in your recollections of Gaston Browne’s loathsome behaviour towards others.
YOU STAND CORRECTED OTTO … 👍🏾
Oh plz u can’t hear ppl chat n hush u may turn crazy n u ain’t to far from it……..so my dear plz do continue show ya true colors don’t bother hide who u r
In my opinion, gaston is a…. The people have finally seen who he is. His own people have been telling he is not cultured and he always replies “I am more cultured than them”.
Get out of town gaston. You are an embarrassment (to put it mildly).
Sound like recognition of the vissitude of time pointing to political exit from Antiguan political landscape of significance, and yeah it play the sympathy card too, because the political omens due to Robin circumstances show that dramatic political changes to the landscape of government is about to happen, so to ride on this approaching wave of somber mood in a sympathetic manner can wip up support as humble men to get the votes to retain office, then he will return to his usual boisterous form.
All what he has said is gunk. He perhaps has woken up to the reality that with all the money thrown against Shugy, he still hammered his a**. Also that real and non-transactional love was shown to Shugy. A love that he has craved all of his political life but just cannot get. In order to get a little like, he has to put down a thousand dollar for a hand of bananas, or purportedly offer giveaways. So don’t try that Gaston Brown. You are still dealing in non reality if you say that you have reached out to the opposition only to be rebuffed. That King Charles inauguration was a chance to show political maturity and you failed. Going slowly on the Alpha Nargo was another. These “vanity projects, have cost us much and will continue to for some time.
Perhaps Robin’s health situation has made you realized that all that glitter is not goal and you can’t take an ounce of the “self enrichment” with you. Whatever it was, don’t expect any sympathy from right thinking individuals. The damage: four trees and 15grams; super influx of immigrants making life harder for everybody; purported unfair enrichment of family and friends; over a score of unfulfilled projects; bull-headedness in matters such as the Alpha Nargo, LIAT.
I could go on and on but the point is, we could have maintained our development edge against countries like St Kitts if you really were a good leader. Instead we have fallen behind .
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