A few days after Gaston Browne was sworn in as prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda last week, he and Governor General Dame Louise Lake-Tack had a serious disagreement. Ms. Lake-Tack reportedly refused his request to swear in members of the cabinet at the Antigua Recreational Centre Ground so that hundreds of Antiguans could witness the ceremony.

 

Instead, the GG administered the oath at Government House, and the PM made arrangements for the ceremony to be televised and shown at the cricket ground in order to accommodate the public.

This suggests that there will be problems between the Queen’s representative and the head of government. Dame Louise is an attorney and served as magistrate in the United Kingdom for a number of years before returning to her homeland to take up her current position.

She is known to be a strong supporter of the former prime minister, Baldwin Spencer, and reportedly had a disagreement with the chairman of the country’s election commission, Sir Gerald Watts QC.

There is speculation that Mr. Browne will take steps to remove Dame Louise as governor general.

Back in power

As of last Thursday’s election, the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party is back in power after ten years.

The electorate fired Mr. Spencer’s United Progressive Party and returned the ABLP under the new leadership of the 47-year-old Mr. Browne. It was a landslide victory of 14-3: Only Mr. Spencer, his former deputy Wilworth Daniel, and newcomer Joanne Massiah won their seats.

Mr. Spencer was known to be a leftist leader and was associated with Cuba’s Fidel Castro and the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. He was also closely associated with St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, and the two leaders were closely affiliated with ALBA, a movement started by Messrs. Castro and Chavez, which later was joined by Dominica and St. Lucia.

Before coming to power, Mr. Spencer fought vigorously to remove the ABLP from office, organising several demonstrations and strikes. He even went on a hunger strike to change the electoral system. But after two terms under his leadership the electorate decided to have a change and elect Mr. Browne, who two years ago defeated Lester Bird as leader of the ABLP.

Meanwhile, Mr. Browne has announced that Mr. Bird, who reportedly is ill, will serve as a senior minister of the government.

‘Uphill task’

The twin-island state is encountering severe economic problems, and Mr. Browne and his administration will have an uphill task to bring the country back to the booming business it once enjoyed. Tourism is the major revenue earner, and the country is world famous for its beautiful beaches. It is said that there are 365 of them.

Cricket is the number one sport, and the country boasts four cricketing knights in

Sir Vivian Richards, known as “Master Blaster” for his aggressive batting; Sir Richie

Richardson, another hard-hitting batsman; and pace bowlers Sir Andy Roberts and Sir Curtley Ambrose.

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