Caption: Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne
Summary
- Prime Minister Gaston Browne says general elections will be held within 90 days.
- He is urging ABLP supporters and candidates to begin mobilisation and voter registration efforts.
- The announcement comes as analysts point to growing momentum for the ruling party following a strong by-election win.
PRIME Minister Gaston Browne has announced that general elections in Antigua and Barbuda will be held within the next 90 days, urging supporters of the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) to begin preparations.
Speaking on his weekly radio programme, Browne called on party candidates to ramp up mobilisation efforts, including door-to-door outreach and voter re-registration.
“I am asking all Labour Party candidates to use the coming weeks to engage supporters and ensure they are properly registered and ready to vote,” he said, while also encouraging citizens to complete the re-registration process.
Browne, the country’s first prime minister to win three consecutive terms, indicated that the polls could be called sooner rather than later.
“I would say within 90 days, and the earlier you get your voter card, the better,” he added.
The announcement comes amid what analysts describe as growing momentum for the ABLP. Regional pollster Peter Wickham recently suggested that the prime minister consider an early election to capitalise on the party’s strengthened position.
That boost follows the ABLP’s decisive by-election victory in St Philip North, where candidate Randy Baltimore secured nearly 70 per cent of the vote, significantly improving on the party’s narrow win in the 2023 general election.
Wickham also pointed to challenges within the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), suggesting its leadership may need to be reviewed following recent electoral setbacks and internal concerns.
In the last general election, held in January 2023, the ABLP won nine of the 17 seats, while the UPP secured six. The remaining seats went to the Barbuda People’s Movement and an independent candidate. (CMC)
