Hon. Gaston Browne
Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda

Many thanks for accessing the country page of Antigua and Barbuda on the website of the Commonwealth of Nations. Antigua and Barbuda deems the Commonwealth to be a very useful institution from which springs a spirit of community, spread through several continents and islands. The Commonwealth has a long history of acting to secure freedom, justice and equality for the downtrodden. Its relevance in the struggle against racial injustice, fighting the trampling underfoot of small states, and promoting the development of states—especially following natural disasters—is exemplary.

Multilateral institutions can be frequently accused of wide diffraction of their objectives, so that they sometimes lose focus. The Commonwealth has been narrowly focused on delivering measurable gains; its deliverables are guided, its leadership extremely intelligent, and the results of its efforts are impactful.

As I conclude my first 20 months of a 60-month elected term, I give the Commonwealth the assurances that my Government will continue to work closely with it to achieve the noble objectives of this outstanding institution. The attempt to make the Commonwealth responsive to each of its member states’ interests; is to ensure its relevance.

The Commonwealth’s role in the monitoring of elections, in redefining security as pertains to small states, in modernizing and strengthening administrative processes in large and small states, and in fostering camaraderie among the leaders of our 53 member-states, makes the Commonwealth a special institution.

For those who wish to experience the value of multilateralism, I invite you to come visit Antigua and Barbuda. Our warm and friendly people, our bright and sunny disposition, our beauteous Caribbean island, and our natural magnificence will have you returning again and again. Come visit the heart of the Caribbean and experience the same beauty that brings visitors, numbering ten times our population size, to the fountain of beauty and charm.

Honourable Gaston Browne
9th Feb 2016

Antigua and Barbuda in the Commonwealth

did you know?

• Antigua and Barbuda joined the Commonwealth in 1981
• Antigua and Barbuda became an independent country on the 1st of November 1981
• Antigua and Barbuda has participated in the Commonwealth Games since 1966
• Sir Vivian Richards, born in St John’s in 1952, was Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World in 1976, 1978 and 1980
• Curtly Ambrose, born in Swetes, St Paul, Antigua, in 1963, received the same accolade in 1991
• Jamaica Kincaid, born Elaine Potter Richardson in St John’s in 1949, has been heralded as the ‘most important West Indian woman writing today’
• Antigua alone has about 365 beaches – one for every day of the year!

Commonwealth Projects

Improving Capacity for Public Sector for ICT Development (2007/08)
The Commonwealth Secretariat commissioned a project that featured the development of a national information and communications technology strategy. Advice was also provided to the National ICT Task Force and the Ministry of Information Broadcasting and Telecommunications to develop and implement a Strategy and Action Plan.

Tourism Master Plan for Antigua and Barbuda (2007/08)
This project was funded by the Commonwealth and was aimed at designing a tourism master plan through consultative process in order to set realistically sustainable goals and targets given the need to balance environmental, social and economic interests of the various stakeholders.

Voter Registration in Antigua and Barbuda (2003 – ongoing)
This was a project commissioned by the Commonwealth Secretariat aimed at advancing, under the ongoing programme, the democratic ethic. An expert team undertook an assessment of the credibility of the voter registration process. The team was present for the voter registration process and reviewed the factors impinging on its credibility which could determine whether it would provide a sound basis for continued preparations for the general elections.

Export Promotion for Small Scale Garment Manufacture (1997/8 – 2001/2)
The Commonwealth’s aim for this project was to develop an export-orientated, high-quality, small-scale manufacturing industry in Antigua. This project has now been successfully completed.

Capacity Building in Legislative Drafting (1997/8 – ongoing)
This project is funded by the Commonwealth which set out to assist the government in focussing on fiscal reform and economical structural adjustment. Given the high demand for legislative re-drafting and the preparation of new legislation, this project is funded on an ongoing basis whilst local legislative drafter counterparts are trained.