US TOUGH LOVE AND THE ANTIGUAN DILEMMA
………By Audley Phillip
I would be the first to admit that I am no big fan of Donald Trump or his hench and chainsaw man Elon Musk. But it is obvious that they see tremendous waste in government departments and they are hell bent on taking steps to correct them.
With such a mandate given to him by the American population last November, the President is forging ahead with changes, many of which seem disruptive and uncomfortable, but he is full speed ahead nonetheless.
Change is always painful and one can argue that the way the US has gone about things has been both regrettable and painful but hopefully when all is said and done and when the dust is settled, the US government would be lean, productive, profitable and efficient.
The bottom line is, the government must be run like a business and all waste must be cut out and eliminated.
The days of reckless spending in government must end. It is always the taxpayers who feel the pain and that is why we must insist that the government be more fiscally responsible with the monies they hold in trust for us as taxes.
Antigua and Barbuda is by no means a poor nation. It is a poorly governed one and unless we change the way we do things, we are in for some rude awakening in the
years ahead. It is time for all stakeholders to get together, in order to map a new way forward.
President Trump’s rapid and ruthless dismantling of USAID and the recent “Yellow Listing ” of Antigua and Barbuda as well as threats against us for utilizing Cuban Nurses and Doctors in our Healthcare sector, is enough to wake us up from our slumber.
The US has literally thrown a salvo at us by attacking the one facet of our revenue stream that keeps our economic wheels of state spinning for years now – our Citizen By Investment Program (CIP). If this is not worrying, then I don’t know what is.
While initial outrage against President Trump may dominate headlines, it is an opportunity for us here in Antigua and Barbuda to gird your loins and try to be self-sufficient and economical with the little resources that we have because tough days are on the horizon.
Trump is a disruptor and a reshaper of the US global priorities. We have no control over what he does. Our focus must be on the people who make our decisions; those who hold our purse and the keys to our treasury.
I am not afraid to say it and it is my view that successive governments have placed us in a precarious position financially and I hope the citizens see this.
Every year, the Comptroller of Customs and Inland Revenue Department boasts about record collection of taxes. More taxes is not what we need. We already pay a lot in taxes.
What we need is improved governance, enhanced productivity, economic stability and sustained growth. Mismanagement and misplaced priorities have suffocated productivity, fueling hardships for many of our people.
Our leaders have prioritized fun and frolic over essential services like security, health, reliable water and electricity services, infrastructure and education. The very poor and dilapidated state of our roads recently came into focus, forcing the government to “ride on the backs” of taxpayers with an unfortunate infrastructure bill that was rammed through Parliament, and of course the “eyes have it.”
Now the government seems to have a severe cash flow problem, with the latest report suggesting that businessman Sir George Ryan had to lock out several government departments over the non-payment of over $8 million in rent. It is regrettable that local debtors are not given the same priority and urgency of payment as foreign debtors. I am sure that Sir George is not the only local supplier that is owed huge sums of money by the government
Honestly, we need to stop outsourcing our fight for good governance to others and actively demand more from our government. No way should local suppliers be owed such huge sums of monies and knowing Sir George Ryan, it took much demanding and pleading for him to eventually pull the plug and lock out the government.
Perhaps it’s time that we set up and implement our own version of “DOGE” – Department Of Government Efficiency, in order to bring some sensibility and direction to our government.
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Well said Audley. However, DOGE was reckless, heartless, ruthless and irresponsible for how it was carried out. The state of affairs in Antigua definitely needs revamping but in a different way. Contracts are given to cronies and they are overpaid. It is my understanding that many citizens of Antigua and Barbuda who are honest workers received pittance from the government for services performed are bribed by treasury employees; having to pay extra to receive their money. It is my opinion that the Ministers of Government, and those in high positions are the most corrupted and wasteful. Therefore, Antigua’s version of DOGE should start from the top and about 80 percent of the wasteful spending would be eliminated. While we’re on the subject, there should be transparency. Audley, how do concerned citizens get information on the financial earnings of the PM and sources of income? Am hoping that you respond. I know you are resourceful.
Are you suggesting a forensic inquiry into the National Budget?
That will never, ever happen.
“Enrich yourself creatively” was once said by someone in government. Do you kno what that means?
How about starting with where the biggest wastes are: road construction. Get new management at MoW / PWD and stop giving work to COW. The work can be done at ¼ the amount.
To be real it’s unlikely to come about.
The politicians are about power, and power yields wealth and respect. We call thieves to show this and home able that.
I understand your need to write this. But in my view people vote out of ignorance and selfishness.
In the Caribbean it’s mostly out of ignorance.
You write out of thoughtfulness.
The political philosophy for 69 years has been: “keep them uneducated ignorant and hungry and that’s the way to keep their loyalty”.
Most depend on “the lie machines” to be informed. Others don’t care for they are to busy keeping up with The Jones.
Everyone led by the Political class chooses to conclude that Antigua and Barbuda is in the ” yellow category because of it’s CIP program, when the yellow is also for “small corrupt countries”
USD $700 mm sitting in EU banks, that where the money gone.
I am no fan of Trump either but a doge style dept of govt here would run Riot. How many govt employees are literally sleeping on the job at any one time? How many officials need to be visited to import one item? How long does it take to receive a piece of mail? How many power cuts are there? The government of Antigua and Barbuda are the antithesis of efficiency.
Audley Philip is forever writing some epistle on the Internet. Why don’t you return home to Antigua and see just how much you can contribute instead of running your mouth day in, day out out here?
Growing up to your household back in the day, your mom raised the children to act like they were better than their fellow villagers especially ya nuff sissa and dem.
You wash your mouth on Antigua daily from behind a computer monitor or phone screen while you’re in Jamaica. Let’s tell the masses who or what you’ve been hiding from for so long over there.
School children say you never fed both your children in their younger years and they wouldn’t even look on you now. Apparently you also have a reformed lesbian for a niece selling knock off seamoss and another one wanting to be a man and selling her body parts on the internet.
Study that and lef arwe Antigua, Audley!
@Roxanne Lewis,
To seem to have attended the School of Gaston Browne to “insult and deflect”.
Address the merits of whst the writers opinions are.
I do not agree with his opinions. But I understand why he choose to write on the subject.
I am also suspicious of your objections to his writing.
I’ll keep my suspicion to myself for I’m afraid of you.
Roxanne Lewis, we are living in a democracy and , trying to hit the below his belt with your personal vendetta, is awfully and woefully wrong. Don’t you write what you want, so what? If you’re feeding high off the hog 🐖, the feed and leave the damn man alone. It’s your country as much as it’s his! Well written piece Aubrey, as always. The devil does not attacks who belong to him! Keep writing and heey…don’t respond to nonsensical rhetorics!
I agree with Trump doing what he doing to rid waste money spent and country should be run as a business that how we get money. Trades and 6hit!
I’m waiting on Elon and DOGE to produce one shred of evidence of the fraud and waste in government spending. Now, I do believe their is waste in government spending but, I don believe it is anywhere close to what Elon and his youny “geniuses” have claimed the found. The SS department still uses an old antiquated computer program call COBOL — DOGE’s young geniuses have no idea how to read thst program — so they told a bunch of lies about people being hundreds of years old still receiving SS benefits. SS in the USA has an automatic cut off date at 115. Many of the ontlandish claims they made were QUiETLY walked back to prevent the masses from realizing they don’t know what the hell they’re doing.
Since I only read a fews words in the article before starting to write my comment my input is limited to DOGE.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/us/politics/doge-musk-contracts-wall.html
https://newrepublic.com/post/191973/doge-changes-website-savings-mistakes-lies
https://www.forbes.com/sites/shaharziv/2025/03/03/doge-check-proxy-added-but-more-doge-savings-tracker-errors-spotted/
@Roxanne, please. If is one thing, Audley looked after his children well. I can attest to it. They ere sent to the best educational facility on the island in their young years. Why do U find to attack someone’s opinion. U don’t have to like but respect the man’s writing or U cud have simply stroll along. Chaman. This is what our little 268 is coming to. Slandering n oustering ppl if U don’t like their opinion. Some of U commenting on these platforms like u r paid to just distract from the issues facing our country. Whether red or blue, we r all affected by these damn issues. It shows just how small minded U r n dont understand or ur comprehension skills need to be updated. Well written article Audley. Keep n ding what U love n keep them coming.