Stop ‘Ghettoising’ the Place with Pallet Structures and Roadside Mechanic Shops, PM Browne Warns
St. John’s, Antigua – Prime Minister Gaston Browne has issued a stern warning to vendors and roadside mechanics, urging them to clean up their surroundings and stop “ghettoising” the country with pallet structures and abandoned vehicles.
Speaking on his Pointe FM program, Browne emphasized the need for national pride and cleanliness, particularly in areas where makeshift structures and derelict vehicles are becoming eyesores.
Addressing vendors, the prime minister acknowledged their right to earn a living but insisted that this should not come at the expense of the country’s aesthetics and tourism appeal.
He specifically pointed to vendors in the Woods area and the south side of the pond, where he observed the accumulation of pallets and even an old vehicle.
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“I’m personally going to tell them—clean up the place, man! You can’t be ghettoising the country like that,” Browne declared. “It’s not about depriving anyone of an opportunity to make a living; it’s about ensuring we have a beautiful country. We should not allow anyone to trample on our national pride and our desire to maintain a clean and attractive environment.”
Browne contrasted Antigua and Barbuda’s situation with other regional countries, noting that even less wealthy nations manage to keep their surroundings cleaner.
He lamented that many of the worst cases of indiscriminate dumping and poor maintenance appear to be in lower-income communities.
“I don’t know since when poor people lack pride,” he remarked. “I grew up among the poorest of the poor, and I had to clean the backyard and sweep the public gutter. Even though my mother was mentally ill, she knew the importance of keeping our space clean.”
The prime minister also expressed frustration with roadside mechanic shops that leave vehicles in public spaces, obstructing traffic and creating hazardous conditions.
He singled out a mechanic operating on Rohan Henry Street, known as Bryson, who was previously given two acres of land at Painters to relocate his business but has continued using public roads as a workspace.
“Bryson, either you act voluntarily and clean up the place, or we will clean it up for you. And if we clean it up for you, you’re not going to like it,” Browne warned.
Authorities, he said, have already started marking abandoned vehicles for removal, particularly in Swetes, where one individual has lined the street with multiple non-functional cars. Browne stressed that vehicle owners will be held responsible for removal costs.
“We need enforcement,” he said. “Too many people feel they have a God-given right to violate the laws and disrupt public spaces. We cannot continue to allow this.”
He also took aim at community wardens, accusing them of failing to issue citations or take meaningful action to curb the problem. He suggested they should be placed on a commission-based pay structure to incentivize them to enforce the laws.
As Antigua and Barbuda continue to push for tourism and economic growth, Browne reiterated that maintaining a clean and orderly environment is a national priority. “We need to stop normalizing disorder and filth. It’s time for accountability.”
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I totally agree with the PM. Lower Market street and arouund Woods pond are unsightly. Where is DCA to step in and remove these pallet structures the same way the swiftly removed billboards?
The PM should clean up the govt. land at Long Bay which has a huge pile of garbage, leaves and sand since he sold his sons beach restaurant to a Chinese couple.
Be responsible and respectful Mr. PM, the beaches are the beginning.
This isn’t an overnight problem. It is going on for years in front of your eyes . Just a talking point . You will never act ,because these people are a big voting block for you guys. Just like the squatters that supporting the ABLP.
I agree with the Pm on this one. Antigua has been looking a bit untidy for some time and i think that the people who build this lil shops to sell needs to be charged as well for the untidiness. Also Mr. PM the people who cut the grass on the side of the road they need to do it more often and clean the gutters and also the Minister of Sports needs to take a drive around and look at how some of the fields and surroundings look. DO the JOB THAT WE TAX PAYERS PAY YOU ALL TO DO AND FIX THE ROADS PLEASE!!!!!!IT IS TAKING TO LONG TO FIX ROADS IN ANTIGUA!!!!!
Right opposite my home on Lower Dickenson Bay Street (Back Street) is a revolving dumpster for household appliances. No matter how many times National Solid Waste Management is called, and comes, and clears away the waste in two or three days, DAYS, time it begins to accumulate again.
The Government is the people and the people is the Government. It is time that we take pride in our surroundings and stop waiting on our Government. Also, we don’t need to get in our feelings about what PM Browne is telling us. It is better that he tells us than a stranger tells us. He is one of us. Cleanliness is next to Godlines. We do not need to live and work in nastiness and untidiness. All of us should pay attention and take our surroundings to the next level of Cleanliness and Tidiness.
Mr. PM, I was once a supporter of yours, not any more, but I agree with you on this issue. The problem is not only in St. John’s but islandwide, it might even be worse in the country districts. I am a resident of Bolans and I know of 3 mechanic shops very close to each other, there might even be more, but the 3 I know about have turned those streets into virtually one way streets, some people have a challenge parking in front their own properties, another serious problem is the irresponsible way drivers park, they keep utilizing the sidewalks so pedestrians have to walk in traffic, someone is going to be killed or get seriously injured, this is something I’m quite sure your Caretaker has witnessed many times these are the things we need addressed soonest
Until I see it I will believe it.
The problem at Longbay is garbage thrown on the side of the road mainly by taxis , there are 4 large garbage barrels and it takes no time
to walk over and dump the plastic waste from lunch
The first image at Longbay is not our beautiful beach but piles of trash . We all own this , every morning when i walk i take a small white trash bag and pick up cans and bottles ;
let’s
keep Antigua beautiful !!
What Prime Minister Browne said might not be very popular but he was right. Many of us contribute to the unsightly situation in the country by our own doing. We can and should do better. I have seen elsewhere some beautiful roadside shops that are quaint, clean and pleasant. We could have a successful cottage industry for the manufacture of beautiful uniformed stalls with conveniences. We could have competitions for the best designed and maintained set of informal shops but they must he lawfully situated where they are not breaking the law. Many of these roadside foodstalls are unhygienic. Many seem to be mushrooming near schools. It is an area that we need to pay close attention to because they are really becoming a national eye sore.
One hundred percent agree
Lands should not be provided for residential purposes only in our communities but there should be lands where ” garage complexes ” can be created for those persons who do have lands of their own.
In addition each community should now have a plot of land to used as a car park….
Both projects can be govt & a small fee be charged
The PM is right but doesn’t the DCA have the power to carry out enforcement actions to deal with this? If not and if the PM really wants this addressed, a law should be written to specifically clean up/remove certain structures, roadside mechanic shops, etc. Just talking about it on the radio with have no effect. Actions not words.
It’s time some body took the bull by the horn home owners invest their monies into twenty year mortgages in these communities only to find some of the irresponsible home owners setting up mechanic shops with cars and trucks parked on the streets and in their yards lots of Ratta Condominiums and some how ignoring the rules Paynters East and West , Pigotts and so on let these officials do their job Mr PM and relocate these mechanic shops that are affecting our health
Browne has been in governance for over ten years now. He has had more than enough time to create better housing infrastructures and an abundance of resolute business startups and enterprise.
Here’s a fun fact/equation for the Gastonites:
If on average it takes 9-10 months to build ONE Antiguan home, how many quality and affordable homes could the ABLP have built under this man’s 10 years tutelage?
Here’s another fun fact/equation for the ABLP acolytes to pontificate on:
If as Prime Minister Browne opines, that “ghettoising” (BTW, is that even a word?) Is damaging Antigua & Barbuda’s image of beauty; then why oh why didn’t he – after 10 years of wotless governance – give business startup concessions to indigenous and hardworking Antiguans?
Just imagine the amount of legitimate and STRUCTURALLY sound businesses that could have taken off during that decade.
Once again, the Prime Minister is not blameless in this “ghettoising” as he puts it. Gaston Browne’s DACTYLOGRAM is all over these issues.
One fine day he’ll take responsibility for the above, but don’t count on it …
SHARON PATRIOT, I do not think anyone has an issue with what the PM said, people have been pointing this out to the government over the years the were just frustrated that it wasn’t dealt with a long time ago
What’s interesting here is rather than creating policies laws and regulation and then enforce those policies.
The PM throws scatter shots blaming individuals or groups for distasteful activities.
Where are the rational zoning laws that determine what activity that can be carried out of redtructed uses.
where are the sanitary laws that determines show the establishment is to be kept free of debris if contained in approved containers
where are the safety regulations the restricts dangerous volatile materials being used in residential zones
The PM does his ghetto chatter in order to be seen as bring concerned
He is so out of touch that he wants to demolish the old century old structures many representing our heritage that when restored becomes a tourist attraction .
@ Audley Phillip
I know you follow Cabinet Briefings
The plan is to demolish the old building they think is unsightly.
Dockyards would have been demolished if the Americans and Canadians did not offer to get the funding for restoration.
So the quaintness that attract tourists all over the Caribbean and the world for that matter is not in the cards, for we have beaches galore.
I’m just afraid that the lowbrow culture that is prevalent in Antigua, shown in a previous article listing the various Greasy spoons dies allowing us to appreciate the history and understand the value of preserving our past
@SHARON PATRIOT,
Don’t think for me. I’m not an immigrant or grifter. I have big problems with many if what Gaston Brown says.
He uses the word “ghettoizing”. He is the “Chief Gehttorizer” in many ways.
He is the Chief enabler in his failure to bring laws and regulation to govern the natural and built environment.
His use of words are emblemic of the gutter counter in which he wallows.
He is very articulate. He does this deliberately thinking it brings attention to the issue and he is to be blamed.
People think they can do what they like here . Time to clean up the place. Clean this country up in every sense of the word, make Antigua great again
Agreed the place should be kept clean and those car parked on the roads being the mechanic shop is going to block access to emergency vehicle and fire trucks, and while at it the Burma road need to fix along with the road around the airport perimeter, we lately had some.crash landings and if we were to have a plane veering from the runaway with strewn debris and supposedly human being that will need ambulance making the shortest and quickest run to the hospital or fire trucks access.
#Kaiso_Thyme! Boi! #Boh_Boy!
Some body! Any body! Junee!
Papi! Ah who a jam he! Wannee!?
Ah who?! Ah Fitzroy?! Ah de #Boi_toy?!
Well, U dun kno annah King Zachari
Definitely, not de Monarch! Shorty!
Ah wah U saying? U still praising?
#buss_ah_lime pan dis one!
…‘cause, someone is being a liar!
…due, to what is transpiring in Antigua!
…you can, live in London, Canada or America!
…and, see this coming!
…morning, noon and evening!
…from around #BAKER’S_CORNER!
…so, Papi! Cum blow de Conch Shell pan he!
…’cause! This is plain hypocrisy!
…for, it’s been happening since, the 1990’s
…less we forget! The tourist hardly visited the heart, of your constituency.
…Instead, from the days of Donald Halstead!
…Tourists look at us, as being dead!
…while been taxied! Yes Indeed!
…from De Harbour to beautiful English Harbour!
…so, please! Please! Please!
…Mr. Johnny_ B_Good Prime Minister!
…at times, you’re a very good JESTER!
…as, the rest of the Country has caught!
…DE #GHETTO_DISEASE!
…so, when you sneeze!
…and, it get get caught up, in a west to East Sea Breeze!
…de rest of the Nation!
…is in a #LOCKDOWN!
…trying, not to catch #DE_GHETTO DISEASE!
…dis Ghetto_Disease! Your ghetto_disease!
…now! Please don’t pass de buck, nor responsibility!
…since, some of this #GETTHORISING
…germinated, in your Constituency!
…so, don’t come riding in!
…on your #White Horse!
…’cause, all of Us are not lost!
…how long now! Have u been the Boss’
…since, you won the toss?!
…you’re the only one sitting in the drivers seat!
…bussing Ah lime!
…morning, noon and night!
…so, this view has been in your sights!
…Again, yet Again! It’s plain to see!
…the funk, and filth of St. John’s City
…from Amsterdam, Rio, Ghana and Nigeria!
…growing from, #BAKER’S_CORNER
…to WAPPING LANE and WILKERSON’S CROSS!
…therefore, don’t bear no cross!
…some say Get Lost! we’re not all lost!
…it’s time for a new boss!
…this is too high a cost!
…
Ras Smood aka Jumbee_Picknee
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏾Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
…
…