PM Browne Criticizes Opposition Leader’s Lack of Educational Qualifications
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has questioned the credibility of the Leader of the Opposition, criticizing his lack of a university degree while thousands of Antiguans with higher education qualifications are being asked to support his leadership.
Speaking a recent interview on Pointe FM , Browne noted the importance of education and training for effective governance.
“You need the training and the education to run a country properly,” Browne stated.
He pointed out that Antigua and Barbuda has invested heavily in education, including providing millions of dollars annually in scholarships and funding the University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus. Despite these opportunities, he expressed frustration at individuals who fail to pursue personal development yet aspire to lead.
“Our government spends about $24 million a year on UWI Five Islands alone, and we’ve provided scholarships for thousands of Antiguans and Barbudans,” Browne said. “How fair is it to the thousands of people who earned their degrees that they should be asked to walk behind a man who doesn’t have the discipline to develop himself?”
The Prime Minister contrasted the opposition’s approach to leadership with the qualifications of members of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP). He highlighted the example of Daryll Matthew, Minister of Education, Sports, and Creative Industries, who holds a master’s degree in finance, as a testament to the party’s emphasis on competence and preparation.
Browne underscored the need for leaders to set an example, particularly in a country that has made substantial investments in education. “If these individuals were deprived of opportunities to develop themselves because we didn’t have a university, I could understand,” he said. “But in this case, there are opportunities, and they’re refusing to develop themselves.”
The Prime Minister urged the public to reflect on the implications of such leadership, questioning how someone without the necessary qualifications could effectively run the country. “A bunch of DUNCES [unqualified individuals] cannot run a country properly,” Browne said firmly.
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I prefer to be led by a man who has a good character than one who is a vagabond.
Gaston, in my opinion, you are way less of a person when compared to Mr. Pringle.
You are despicable Gaston, in my eyes.
There are many ways to improve your knowledge especially in this generation without attending university. The greatest leader we ever had was VC Bird.
No degree AND no improvement over 6 years. The failure to improve is 100X worse than the no degree part.
No degree was required for the basic “upgrades” Pringle needed to apply to himself in order to not be a laughing stock. He clearly lacks either the will or capacity for improvement, whether through school or otherwise. That is the main issue. He has decided “I was there the longest. Harold gone. So no tell me nuttin”.
You walk the streets of Antigua and keep hearing “I can’t see Pringle representing me anywhere”. It’s mostly people with “no degrees” saying that. Lots of youth. Is that surprising? Of course not. Even if I didnt finish high school I would still want people in difficult jobs which affect my life (like being PM) to be qualified or have proven capacity. Today that is a dirty thing to say in the failed opposition party.
How could the UPP go from pushing education and scholarships etc in government to defending Pringles mediocrity, negligence and incapacity?
UPP leaders talking about “VC didnt have no education.” VC was 10 times what Pringle is and more importantly he was equipped and credible for his time.
Pringle is like an “Antiguan Amish”. Trying to live by the standards of a bygone age while expecting to lead our nation in an increasingly complex and multipolar world.
Hon.Gaston Browne is correct. Educate yourself if you want to lead a Country. The Leaders of UPP need to EDUCATE Themselves before coming forward to run Country. Stop cursing Hon.Gaston Browne and EDUCATE yourself. Why you Guys are against education? It drives me crazy.
Look at how D GISEL ISAAC has JAMALE PRINGLE has PUPPET, because She is educated and He is NOT.
I am surprised that BRIXTONIAN would not ENCOURAGE His UPP to EDUCATE the MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT and others.
Can the top dog produce his degrees? What an elitist
The useful idiot does not seem to know what is the meaning of despicable a man that has been so successful in his leadership that shows stability and economic growth every year a man that has resurrected Liat and other failing institutions a man that is blessed by God so sad that he is filled such hatred for our dear PM any one that curses anyone that is blessed by God is of the devil.
Did our most decorated and treasured leader, Papa Bird possess what our goodly PM now speaks of?
His name will forever hang in the annals of history, did he possess à degree?
The better question is do thy want a BABY DADDY LEADING UPP?
Lord have mercy. From the ridiculous, to the sublime. Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate? Levels of Education? Ok, let’s see now. How many people I know with doctorates in the ALP? Is there a Doctor Gaston Browne? Ok, let’s see. Dr. Papa Bird? Dr. Lester Bird? Dr. Chet Green? Dr. Jackie Quinn? Dr. D Giselle Isaac? Dr. Donald Trump? Dr. ??? Oh Lord, meh tyaaad.
Since when we get into this habit of demonizing and demeaning others simply because they do not have a degree? Whilst education is important and useful, a degree by itself means almost nothing if you are not applying the diligence, the discipline, the knowledge and common sense that you would have learned and apply it to every day living. Our founding fathers V.C Bird, Ernest Williams and others were no college graduates but they proved to be quite able. In fact, they presided over our fair land amicably for years. We must cease this habit of berating, castigating, scolding and belittling people without a college degree. It sends the wrong message that only college educated people are able and capable of esteeming to high office. A college degree doesn’t make you better than anyone else. Some of the greatest fools are highly educated.
Wow…
CRASS ELITISM, Gaston Forte is always to try and belittle others V.C. Bird did not have a degree and you could never rise to his status. I am not a Pringle person but I would bet all I have he is much more of a man than you, Lennox Weston once said people in the opposition can’t thief because you must have brains to thief, sorry Asot isn’t around to say how you got your money
@Talking Truth December 2, 2024 At 2:51 am
Something must be wrong with your eyes. If you chose a man that charge the government for picking up dead dogs for over one million dollars, which everyone can smell the dead rat in there, whereas up to today not one of you can come up with any credible evidence of corruption. So much so that anyone that accuses him of corruption will have to answer in court. Like Ivena and now Pearl. And none of them can bring any evidence in court. The will twist things and say the Labour party is corrupt but they will not accuse the Prime Minister of corruption directly and openly. They will cast doubt over certain transactions, but that is all they can do. But showing the invoices from Pringle in public it seems that each invoice was a simple copy of the previous one and someone in NSWM just approving them without questioning how come the street have on dead dogs every week. And now he claim the government owing him millions of dollars. Give me an aspirin. Even the way they mislead Baldwin Spencer in letting him think they would vote for him to be speaker of the house is shameful to say it mildly. It shows you that he Pringle has no character to do something like that in our highest court. And this will go down in history books of the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda
I will not doubt having a degree is not paramount and a masters and doctorate phenomenal. However there a score of people amount us and around the world that are brilliant in their chosen field and can spin tops around many university graduates. In Antigua most of the very successful businesses men are those without degrees. I personally do not think you have to have a degree to become a politician or political leader. The best degree is honesty, integrity, love for people , Rooted in community activism and nation building. Jesus grew in stature with God and Man. Respect for your fellow men is the most import degree one needs to have to become a politician and leader.
Dr. Dave Ray
Doctor D. Ray
Dave Ray, PhD
D. G. Ray, MD, MA, MPBA
Doctor Dr. Ray, D
Dr. Dave “Hairdo’ Ray
Mr. PM my good friend you can borrow mine anytime. Just don’t show them in public.
How many degrees did Sir Vere have? How many does the PM’s dumb wife have (phoenix doesn’t count)? I’m on record that to stand as a MP, with limited exceptions, you should be university educated. Unfortunately, neither party has that requirement, so this is just more nonsensical drivel from the PM.
Political Science is a waste of a degree. I don’t see someone with a political science degree eligible to run a ministry. Engineering, mathematics, science, economics, and a few others are substantial degrees.
Let me get this straight .. are we taking about needing a degree to run country, yes I do believe being highly educated is important, but character means more to me, it is sad how low we can go and are very selective with words to deceive .. as far as i see this is a political smokescreen, while using there “degrees” to “TRY” outsmart the people of Antigua and barbuda, we have millionaires in this country that dont have a degree .. what about the people that have a job in government that have a boss without a degree … we pick and choose too much … it is a scam, “CHARACTER” is #1 to me.. … remember !!!after this guys and girls ladies and gents .. “NO DEGREE CAN SAVE YOU FROM WHATS COMING.. so drink up!! But I wont touch that kool-Aid…
This is presented as “news” originating from a weekly political broadcast that primarily just a cesspool of hate and human degradation.
One can argue with merit that three of the most successful individuals in the world ” Larry “second richest man in the world” Ellison, Mark Zuckerburg and Bill Gates has no college degree.
Most of the degreed individuals in Antigua and Barbuda are credentialed by diploma mills and correspondence schools. They are hired and have currency only because they possess a piece of paper mostly from mediocre schools viewed as trash in other places.
The acceptance of diploma mill credentials seldom takes place elsewhere. This is shown by the significant number of Antiguans in the US with doctorate who are unemployed or underemployed as PHD holding individuals.
Jamal Pringle got the political party leadership by default and should have been immediately replaced when there were others who could carry out the role. Gaston being a political animal is exploiting Pringles limited intellect and learning.
Gaston is toying with calling an election. My guess is that he will not do so when his party is safely secured by a weak opposition for the remainder of its term; and at which time he’ll secure another five years.
Like Donald Trump, Gaston Brown is a master of insults, and degrading of his opponents. He is better at degrading and attacking his opponents that policy execution as a national leader.
The uninformed public including those carrying around degrees from diploma mills, accepts this as leadership; and that’s why he’ll be around for the foreseeable future
LEST WE FORGET, remember Choco once said only people with brains can tief. Chocolate had to know because he is reputed to have a lot of brains, sometimes evidence is gard to come by brainy people know how to hide evidence
These women not looking for love, they’re just as promiscuous as men, so a degree or no degree as long as a man has money, always dressed up in the latest or flossing, popular or have some big status they don’t care. a shallow set of women we have these days. They don’t care that Pringle doesn’t have a degree as long as the money right they open their legs a man cudda ugly like sin 😄 look at some of these entertainers, sound men and so called influencers in Antigua that these women go after ewwww gross 🤢🤮
For any job that you apply for in this world, you need to be qualified. And they tell you what it is you need to be qualified. It seems to me that in the highest job in Antigua and Barbuda, running the country and representing the country on the international stage and negotiating on behalf of the country, some argue that you do not need an education and moreso, they want to argue that you do not need a university degree.
No wonder the country will never progress.
My mom and dad send us to university to better our lifes. Because they did not have that opportunity they ensure their children have it.
And Audley it is not demonizing people with less education. It is the reality, do you have the qualification to be the Prime Minister of this country. And we need to raise the standard and raise it boldly.
You know these days even inmate in our only prison are seeing the need to attend a university education. They are making sure that they are arming themselves with the tools to either be self-employed or to get a good job. But political hacks like Audley would want to convince you that you do not need a university degree in life to get around. You can be a school dropout. And when you check him, he has a university degree. It’s like during Covid, many of the UPP tell their followers you do not need to be vaccinated if you do not want to, but all of them were vacinated. That is what you call dumbing down the people. I guess education is good for them, buit not good for you. That is how they will continue to keep you down. Well massa days are over. And we all are able to get an education, albeit for some only primary or secondary. Now tertiary education is at our doorstep thanks to the Honorable Gaston Alphonso Browne. And who wants to remain ignorant let them be. Many of our people are now carrying titles such as Bsc, Msc, Dr. Phd and soon we will have Professors among our people. I’m looking forward to the first Antiguan Professor. Perhaps he or she is already out there but just has not let it be known. And to know that this country is only celebrating 43 years of political independence. What an achievment. God Bless our Nation. And let us raise the standard and raise it boldly. The 39er did not have university education but they surely paved the way for us. And it would be a shame if we do not lift the standard to a higher height. That someday in order to serve in Public Office the qualification standard would be set at the highest standard. So they, our representative can sit at the table with any other foreign leader as equal in education. Too much dumbing down to much stupidity we are putting in our children’s head. When you represent us on international stage you must be a learned individual. You must be able to speak proper english and pronounce the words and your vocabilary should not be limited. Especially when you sit with the English politicians and media persons. Not for nothing there is the saying “Education is the Key”.
@Visionary December 2, 2024 At 1:33 pm
But also remember without a brain people will give you a six for a nine easily. That is why big people can fool little children very easily. And when you look at the past how these very smart IMF and other engineers were able to fool our politicians because they didn’t had the brain. They saddled them up with loan that we cannot repay until today. A man’s character is what guides him whether he will use the acquired knowledge for good or evil. Pringle has no brain to run the country, but he has brain to fool NSWM to make them pay him every week thousands of dollars for picking up death dogs. The little brian he has he used very good.
G.B needs to apologise to the CITIZENS of ANTIGUA for such disparaging remarks made to the GOVERNMENT CIVIL SERVANTS, DOCK WORKERS,SANITATION WORKERS ET AL.A DEGREE DO NOT MAKE YOU HONEST.THERE IS A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMMON SENSE AND BOOK SENSE.SEVERANCE DUE TO LIAT (1974)LTD WORKERS ,PAYMENT TO BAICO/CLICO POLICY HOLDERS IN ANTIGUA DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE ANTIGUA GOVERNMENT TO REGULATE CLICO/BAICO WILL BE DETERMINE AT THE ELECTION POLLS.
UPP note above.ABLP WON THE ELECTION BY REINSTATING A TAX FREE SALARY as promised during the ELECTION CAMPAIGN.
UPP take note of the above PAY1. LIAT (1974)LTD WORKERS their FULL SEVERANCE 2.BAICO/CLICO POLICY HOLDERS IN ANTIGUA SIMILAR TO WHAT the BARBADOS GOVERNMENT DID in 2018 ,also BARBADOS GOVERNMENT paid the BARBADIAN EMPLOYEES of LIAT (1974)LTD THEIR FULL 100% SEVERANCE and WON THE ELECTION LANDSLIDE VICTORY.ABLP WON THE ELECTION BY REINSTATING TAX FREE SALARY.THE ONLY UNIVERSITY DEGREES THAT ARE RECOGNISE GLOBALLY are STEM science,technology, engineering and mathematics.
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