Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister, Gaston Browne said he is extremely disappointed after a referendum failed to get the support needed to change the country’s final court of appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice.
In a two-minute statement shortly after the nation learned of the outcome, the country’s leader said he accepts the result and there’s nothing he could do about it.
The prime minister is blaming the opposition for the failed effort, accusing them of allegedly backing out of a commitment to pursue a joint position.
“We knew that getting 67% of the votes was an extremely daunting task. Practically unachievable without the support of the main opposition,” he said.
The prime minister says the opposition succeeded in undermining his desire to move away from the Privy Council.
He also accused them of telling lies and spreading fear which he said persuaded people to reject the move.
Browne says the result is that nobody won. “Even though disappointing, it was not surprising. It is unlikely that my government will persuade any further constitutional reform in the near future, “he added.
In yesterday’s referendum, 52-point 4 percent of the voter turnout said no to a move to the CCJ while, 47 point nine six voted yes.
The referendum however, required a 67 percent support to succeed.
Meantime, the Leader of the United Progressive Party, Harold Lovell, says the people have spoken.
However, he said there was too much politics surrounding the referendum.
“This was a referendum about the prime minister and he was not able to bring out 8000 from his troops to vote, yes,” Lovell said.
“The politics should have been removed from the referendum “and maybe there would be a different outcome,” he added.
What’s that thing under his nose?
A caterpillar?
THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN- simple
Antigua Government shows Dominica and other’s how democracy work’s ; the poeple should decide on their future
I am a child of 79 year of political revolution worldwide. Our Caribbean leaders and organizations such as Caricom has failed carribbean people. After 50 years we are yet to get full integration so it is no wonder carribbean people don’t trust carribbean court. It has already displayed its vulnerability to be influenced by politicians. The carribbean is ripe for revolution especially Dominica. Antiguans and Grenadians do darn right. We need to see the development and meaningful changes thats needed on a regional level.
An uneducated people voting against their own interests because opposition parties want to have any kind of win against incumbent parties.
Democracy at work !!!!!
We have a PM who lies and thinks that leadership means doing what he wants,but we good Dominicans want no dictator. .No wonder Dominica’s economy is the weakest in the region. Skerrit does not have it people!!!Not at all,and he will never!!!
Skerrit Must Go
Skerrit Must Go
LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now
Get a life %, don’t you get tired of a old lyrics, do you have anything new to offer? Does anything positive come out off your lying 🤥 mouth 👄 There are Homes 🏡 for the aged, different youths organization, domestic women’s group, and different cancer groups can’t you % make a difference to society? You keep running 🏃♀️ to funerals just to be seen, please be a contributing member of society instead of being an obstructionist.
Amen and amen
He is just uneducated
What a donkey
Good job Antiguans,this law is just to protect those in power and not the poor man.
Good job clinging to colonialism and the dependency on the white man!
The track record of the CCJ is very telling, it is a biassed court I agree 100% stay with the Privy council, the judges there don’t know your uncle or or aunt or who you are. No BIASNESS. Which CCJ judge will rule agains a sitting PM, NONE!
The people have spoken. Clearly, they put more trust in Privy Council than the CCJ. Very telling!
Bob Marley’s dying plea was for black people to emancipate themselves from mental slavery. Obviously if you vote to allow white overlords in the old colonial power to continue to judge you Bob’s cry has fallen on deaf ears. Slavery may have been abolished but it lives on in the minds of sections of the so called Caribbean civilization.
though I think we should be able to be totally liberated from the colonial influences, it is going to take some time for reeducation so that we may need some of. Giving the people a chance to choose what they are ready for is perhaps better that what Prime Minister Skerrit told the people of Grenada in a townhall meeting promoting the CCJ in that he would have loved to be the Prime Minister of Grenada so that he would do as Dominica and join the CCJ. Fortunately Dr. Mitchell wasn’t Skerrit, for that matter Skerrit should take some leadership lessons from Dr. Mitchell.