Prime Minister Gaston Browne has many gifts. He is decisive, has a clear sense of the direction that he wishes to take the country in and he strategic. His actions after the passage of Hurricane Irma, the handling of the Scotiabank issue and the establishment of the 4th landed campus of The University of the West Indies come to mind as highlights of his leadership. Whether or not citizens agree with how these issues were handled, the fact remains that the gentleman has mounted 3 successful general election campaigns.

One area that stands out to me as an area where he might want to pay closer attention to is how he chooses to address dissent. It is a trend has been developing for some time & that is of concern of many, including those in his own party and I dare say his own cabinet.

On Saturday the 1st of November, our Nations Independence Day, it was drawn to my attention by many persons that I was the subject of what can only be described as an attack on me, my love and fidelity to this country. Excerpts of the relevant sections were shared and I listened in disbelief. Among other things, I was accused of “trying to tear down the government & the country”. I categorically & absolutely reject any such assertion. Quite frankly I was disappointed that the Hon. Prime Minister chose to use his program on our day of Independence to attack a fellow citizen for simply expressing views that he may not be comfortable with. In my humble opinion, Independence is a time for National Unity and reconciliation, not acrimony and controversy.

On Thursday October 23rd, 2025 Calistra Farrier – the Host of The Narrative out of Grenada and aired regionally reached out to me seeking my perspective on the scandal involving the improper procurement of vehicles. The interview was conducted on the following day, Friday the 24th. The interview was not conducted at WTP studios, no reference was made to WTP FM by either the host or myself. WTP had absolutely nothing to do with the interview. Any suggestion to the contrary is disingenuous at best, ‘intellectually dishonest’ at worst – to borrow a term.

In my interview, I made every effort to recall what has been put out in the public domain – ironically by the Hon. Prime Minister himself. This is why this situation is so baffling to me. To my mind, the main degree of separation between myself and what has been disclosed publicly, is that I believe that an independent investigation would be best for all concerned – especially the taxpayers and voters. That is my view. Maybe I am wrong. And so what if I am? I am human. I have been wrong before; I will be wrong again. Persuade me and those like me. Respond to my open invitations, (most recent one in September – which was ignored) to come on my program and persuade me that I am wrong. If the Hon. Prime Minister is persuaded by the strength of his argument – any argument, he should be accessible to all media houses to be quizzed accordingly. He should not just to be surrounded by a cast that is highly unlikely to challenge him in any meaningful way. Speaking of this cast, members of this same cast tried to encourage me to be a part of their broadcast house. I shudder to think what my fate would have been had I chosen to accept. Clearly, in this instance – I made the correct decision. That aside, my professional integrity in reporting and interviewing is my stock in trade. I have no interest in trying to destroy any one, any institution and certainly not to bring any harm to the reputation of my country. In this instance, I called it as I see it.

The interview was very well received from a wide cross-section of those who watched it. The near unanimous consensus was that I was fair, balanced and respectful. Any suggestion that I was misleading is nonsense and comes from a corner that either didn’t watch the interview or is simply projecting.

Sunday November 2nd was International Day to end impunity for Crimes against journalists. It was held under the theme “When journalists are silenced, we all lose our voice.” Antonio Guterres called for the protection of media professionals worldwide so that they can safely carry out their essential work. He warned of the growing dangers they face in their pursuit of the truth – Including verbal abuse, legal threats, physical attacks, imprisonment, torture and even death. The Sec Gen declared “Let us stand together to defend press freedom, demand accountability and ensure that speak truth to power can do so without fear”.

I perceived what happened on Saturday to be a threat and is deeply regrettable.

The Constitution of our fair land states in Chapter 2, sections 11-13 speaks to the protection of freedom of conscience, protection of the freedom of expression including the freedom of the press and lastly, the protection of freedom of assembly and association. These were included for good reason by the framers. A healthy democracy is built in part on persons being able to express their views and act in accordance with their conscience. This is a pillar of good governance. Whether they are supportive of the Government in power or not, all citizens benefit from the free flow of ideas and criticisms. It is an important channel between the government and the governed. Have we departed from this?

Many know of my antipathy towards autocracy and autocratic leaders. Certain leaders on the global stage are objects of my attention, simply because I fundamentally believe that democracy holds the best prospects for raising the standard of living of its citizens. If, as I want to believe, the Hon. Prime Minster upholds the essential tenets of democracy, he should have no difficulty with the free flow of ideas – especially those with which he fundamentally disagrees. Also, not everything needs to be responded to. Ignoring things has its place. There is a certain dignity, in silence. The sole living National Hero should be able to share his opinion on any matter without being the subject of an attack or the threat of one. Privilege comes with responsibility, the Hon. Prime Minster must understand that when he comes on his program every Saturday and attacks civil servants, business people, journalists, even the chairman of his own party, etc. it has a chilling effect. Further, any suggestion that criticism of the leader or the government is ipso facto an act of hatred of country or trying to destroy it should be rejected at every turn. It is inconsistent with the democratic traditions that we seek to uphold.

As we move on from our 44th Anniversary of Political Independence may we all strive for a healthier democracy, from the highest to the lowest citizen. We ALL want Antigua & Barbuda to be a model SIDS….to be that economic powerhouse that we aspire to become. A good place to start is to learn and practice the art of agreeing to disagree, agreeably. Civility in the public discourse. I encourage the Hon. Prime Minister to lead by example – it will do wonders for his legacy.

God Bless Antigua & Barbuda

DMW

Citizen