Prime Minister Gaston Browne pledged a “zero tolerance” approach to crime as he highlighted his administration’s record on public safety during the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party’s manifesto launch, positioning security as a key issue ahead of the April 30 general election.

Browne told supporters that his government had already made significant progress in reducing crime, contrasting current conditions with those prior to 2014. He described that earlier period as one marked by “high unemployment, crime and violence, including rampant rapes and disorder in general.”

He said his administration had since moved to stabilize the situation, stating that it was able to “bring crime and violence under control.”

Browne added that these improvements were achieved “using local talent,” and argued that Antigua and Barbuda now enjoys “one of the safest environments in the region and beyond.”

The Prime Minister did not outline detailed policing strategies during that portion of his address, but framed crime and security within his broader message of stability and leadership.

He urged voters to consider who is best equipped to govern in uncertain global conditions, asking, “Which leader and team is strong enough, steady enough to see our country through?”

Browne also warned against changing leadership, saying, “Do not take a risk on a leader and a team that’s just not ready.”

He closed with a direct appeal for continuity, telling voters, “Let’s keep Antigua and Barbuda in strong and safe hands.”

The comments come as campaigning intensifies in the final days before the April 30 general election.