Caribbean News
Government Praises Progress of Antigua Cruise Port Upland Development
St. John’s, Antigua – July 21, 2025 – Antigua Cruise Port (ACP) proudly welcomed a high-level government delegation including Prime
Minister the Hon. Gaston Browne and Minister of Tourism the Hon. Charles Fernandez, to the Upland Development site on July 15, 2025.
The site visit formed part of a scheduled update on the multi-million dollar cruise infrastructure project currently transforming the land-side area along Newgate Street.
During the tour, officials received a comprehensive walkthrough of the first phase of development, which is on track for completion by November 2025.
This phase includes construction of a world-class passenger terminal designed to support the growing demand for home-porting operations. It will also feature a vibrant array of shopping and dining options that showcase the rich culture and appeal of Antigua and Barbuda as a leading cruise destination.
The Hon. Prime Minister Gaston Browne expressed his satisfaction with the pace of construction during the site visit, stating, “I’m very pleased with the progress of the work. When I came here about three months ago for the groundbreaking; I never anticipated that you would have piled o the entire area and that a couple of the buildings would be significantly advanced. It tells me that the pace of work is extremely impressive, and we look forward to the completion of the first phase.
”Reflecting on the transformation, the Prime Minister added: “I recall eleven years ago when we assumed office, this area was littered with
very unsightly sunken barges and boats. I even recall myself and Minister Fernandez actually visiting one of the largest ships at the time that was docked and we felt so embarrassed, when the captain pointed out just how unsightly the area was,” he continued “So what is happening now with the completion of the second phase; this space in essence will be transformed into a beautiful cruise tourism facility.”
Hon. Prime Minister Browne also praised the public-private partnership with Global Ports Holding (GPH): “Today has proven that it was a very good decision to partner with Global Ports Holding, because along with the benefits to the people of Antigua and Barbuda that we have seen including the increased head tax and arrivals, I’ve also seen that this project is catalyzing local investments.”
“For example – I see a three-story building going up here to the north side of the Upland Development build out and I’m told it’s an Airbnb property with pool and so on. This is the kind of transformation that we are so happy about. I’d encourage more entrepreneurs to get involved in the space with the many opportunities being provided; so once again congratulations Global Ports Holding – we are very pleased, and you can be assured you have the continued support of my administration and we’re looking to take our cruise tourism product to new heights. ” the Prime Minister concluded.
By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media
October 14, 2025 – It’s being called political theatre — but for citizens, constitutional watchdogs, and democracy advocates across the Caribbean, it feels far more serious. Within a single week, two national parliaments — in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis — descended into turmoil as opposition members stormed out in protest, accusing their Speakers of bias, overreach, and abuse of parliamentary procedure.
For observers, the walkouts signal a deeper problem: erosion of trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy. When Speakers are viewed as political enforcers instead of neutral referees, parliaments stop functioning as chambers of debate and start performing as stages for power and spectacle — with citizens left wondering who, if anyone, is still accountable.
October 6: St. Kitts Parliament Erupts
The first walkout erupted in Basseterre on October 6, 2025, when Dr. Timothy Harris, former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader,
led his team out of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in a protest that stunned the chamber.
The flashpoint came as the Speaker moved to approve more than three years’ worth of unratified parliamentary minutes in one sitting — covering 27 meetings and three national budgets — without individual review or debate.
Dr. Harris called the move “a flagrant breach of the Constitution and parliamentary tradition,” warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability. “No serious parliament can go years without approving a single set of minutes,” he said after exiting the chamber.
The Speaker defended the decision as administrative housekeeping, but critics were unconvinced, branding the move a “world record disgrace.” The opposition’s walkout triggered renewed calls for the Speaker’s resignation and sparked a wider public discussion about record-keeping, accountability, and respect for parliamentary norms in St. Kitts and Nevis.
October 10: Trinidad Opposition Follows Suit
Four days later, on October 10, 2025, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago staged its own walkout from the House of Representatives in Port of Spain.
The UNC accused the Speaker of partisan bias, claiming she had repeatedly blocked urgent questions, ignored points of order, and allowed government members to breach standing orders without consequence.
“The Speaker has failed in her duty to act impartially,” the Opposition declared in a statement. “Parliament is not the property of any political party or Presiding Officer.”
The dramatic exit was seen as a culmination of months of rising tension and frustration, with opposition MPs arguing that parliamentary rules were being selectively applied to silence dissenting voices.
Political analyst Dr. Marcia Ferdinand described the twin walkouts as “a warning sign that parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean is teetering on the edge of performative politics.”
“When chairs become political shields rather than constitutional referees,” she said, “democracy becomes theatre, not governance.”
A Pattern Emerging
While St. Kitts and Trinidad are very different political environments, both incidents point to the same regional fault line: the perception that Speakers — the guardians of parliamentary order — are no longer impartial.
In Westminster-style systems like those across the Caribbean, the Speaker’s authority depends not on power but on public confidence in fairness. Once that credibility erodes, parliamentary control collapses into confrontation.
Governance experts say the implications are serious: eroded trust between government and opposition, declining public confidence in state institutions, and growing voter cynicism that “rules” are flexible tools of political advantage.
Why It Matters
Parliamentary walkouts are not new in the Caribbean, but what makes these recent events different is their frequency and intensity — and
the regional echo they’ve created. Social media has amplified images of lawmakers storming out, with citizens from Barbados to Belize questioning whether the same erosion of decorum could be happening in their own legislatures.
Analysts warn that if this perception takes hold, it risks diminishing the moral authority of parliamentary democracy itself.
“Once opposition MPs believe the rules are rigged, and once citizens believe Parliament is just performance,” said one Caribbean governance researcher, “you’ve lost the most valuable currency in democracy — trust.”
Restoring Balance
Political reformers across the region are calling for tighter Standing Order enforcement, independent parliamentary service commissions, and training to strengthen Speaker neutrality. Civil society leaders say the public must also play its part by demanding transparency and refusing to normalize partisan manipulation of parliamentary procedure.
Whether these twin walkouts become catalysts for reform — or simply another episode of Caribbean political theatre — will depend on what happens next inside those chambers.
For now, democracy watchers agree on one thing: when opposition leaders feel the only way to be heard is to walk out, the entire democratic house — not just its Speaker — is in danger of collapse.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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