Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced a shift in Antiguan economic policy from a minimum wage framework to a liveable wage model at a joint rally of the Antigua Trades and Labour Union and the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, with a pledge to continue increasing salaries routinely. Speaking days after the ABLP took 15 of 17 seats in the April 30 general election, Browne framed his administration’s new term as “a renaissance for the working class” and said his leadership team are all “products of the working class.”
Browne issued a stern call to the private sector, particularly the hotel industry, to share profits more equitably with workers. He also warned foreign managers operating in the country that disrespecting Antiguan and Barbudan workers would result in deportation, asserting that the days of such management style “are long over.” Senior public servants were directed to finalise documentation for workers affected by previous COVID-19 vaccine mandates, with Browne stating clearly that “the money is in the Treasury and all back pay must be processed.”
The package extends beyond wages. Browne committed to a Second Chance Program and an “opportunity ecosystem” aimed at moving more citizens into the middle class, with a long-term goal that every adult holds either a university degree or a certified trade. Land will be made available at $3 per square foot in some categories. Youth will be given seats on state boards and in Parliament. For Antiguan and Barbudan workers in the UK, the United States, and Canada — and for returnees considering Antigua’s hotel sector — the policy shift signals a sustained labour push rather than a one-cycle announcement.
Sources: Antigua Observer, May 5, 2026; antigua.news.