Prime Minister Gaston Browne has called on the Barbuda Council to use revenue generated from the Peace Love and Happiness (PLH) development project to settle outstanding payments owed to public workers and pensioners, rather than focusing on infrastructure projects.
Browne revealed that PLH has contributed approximately $1.3 million inAntigua and Barbuda Sales Tax (ABST) payments on membership dues alone, yet the Council continues to claim financial strain. He questioned why the Council has not prioritized using these funds to address overdue salaries and pension payments.
“The Barbuda Council has collected millions from PLH, yet they still refuse to pay workers what they’re owed,” Browne said. “Instead of making sure pensioners and public servants are taken care of, they want to build roads, likely to secure kickbacks.”
The Prime Minister accused the Council of mismanaging public funds and suggested that its financial struggles are self-inflicted. He pointed out that by the end of this year, the Council would have collected at least $6 million from PLH, in addition to the central government’s subsidies, making it unreasonable for them to continue claiming financial hardship.
Browne also criticized the Council for its stance on PLH, arguing that while it publicly opposes the project, it continues to benefit from its revenue.
“They claim they have no money, but they’re not sending back the checks,” he remarked. “They are resisting investment and development while taking the money. How do you rationalize that?”
The Prime Minister urged Barbuda residents to demand transparency from their local representatives, stating that the central government will continue to monitor the situation closely.
