View source for Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda

{{Short description|Head of government of Antigua and Barbuda}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{for|a list of office holders|List of prime ministers of Antigua and Barbuda}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Prime Minister
| body = Antigua and Barbuda
| native_name = 
| insignia = Coat of arms of Antigua and Barbuda.svg
| insigniasize = 
| insigniacaption = [[Coat of arms of Antigua and Barbuda]]
| flag = 
| flagsize = 
| flagborder = 
| flagcaption = 
| image = 10 06 2022 Segunda Sessão Plenária da IX Cúpula das Américas (52137201805) (cropped).jpg
| imagesize = 
| alt = 
| incumbent = [[Gaston Browne]]
| acting = 
| incumbentsince = 13 June 2014
| department = 
| style = {{unbulleted list|[[The Right Honourable]]|[[Excellency|His Excellency]] (diplomatic)}}
| type = 
| status = 
| abbreviation = 
| member_of = [[Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda|Cabinet]], [[National Security Council (Antigua and Barbuda)|National Security Council]]
| residence = 
| seat = 
| nominator = 
| appointer = [[Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda|Governor-General]]
| appointer_qualified = Prime minister must have support of the majority of members of the [[House of Representatives (Antigua and Barbuda)|House of Representatives]]
| termlength = Five years
| termlength_qualified = renewable
| constituting_instrument = 
| precursor = 
| formation = 1 November 1981
| first = [[Vere Bird]]
| last = 
| abolished = 
| succession = 
| unofficial_names = 
| deputy = [[Deputy Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda]]
| salary = 150,000 [[Eastern Caribbean dollar]]s/US$ 55,555 annually<ref name="antiguastatute2">{{cite web|url=http://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/a1994-6.pdf|title=The Ministers and Parliamentarians Salaries Act|author=Laws of Antigua and Barbuda|website=laws.gov.ag}}</ref>
| website = https://opm.gov.ag/
}}
{{Politics of Antigua and Barbuda}}

The '''prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda''' is the [[head of government]] of [[Antigua and Barbuda]]. The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda is appointed by the [[Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda|Governor-General]]. The prime minister chairs the [[Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda|Cabinet]], selects its [[Government ministries of Antigua and Barbuda|ministers]], and exercises much of the executive powers afforded to the office under the [[Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda|Constitution]]. The prime minister holds office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the [[House of Representatives (Antigua and Barbuda)|House of Representatives]], of which they must be an elected member of.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Antigua and Barbuda 1981 Constitution - Constitute |url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Antigua_and_Barbuda_1981 |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=www.constituteproject.org |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda |url=http://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-23.pdf}}</ref> 

The power of the prime minister has fluctuated throughout the position's existence. While the [[Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda|Governor-General]] has been described as the ''de facto'' head of state, in whom all executive power is vested in, the prime minister has always been the head of government and has exercised his powers similar in fashion to an [[executive president]] in most [[liberal democracies]]. The prime minister, along with Cabinet, is responsible for proposing new legislation and setting an agenda, usually codified by [[Act of parliament|acts of parliament]] or [[Statutory instrument|statutory instruments]]. 

The history of such an office began in 1872 with [[History of Antigua and Barbuda (1871–1958)|the colonial president]], who oversaw the island in subordination to the island's [[List of colonial governors and administrators of Antigua|governor]]. This office was later superseded by the positions of administrator, chief minister, and premier, each of which gaining more executive power as the islands moved toward independence. Four men have served as prime minister, the first being [[Vere Bird]] taking office on 1 November 1981. The longest serving prime minister was also Vere Bird, who served for 12 years, and the shortest serving was his son Lester, who served for ten years. [[Gaston Browne]] succeeded [[Baldwin Spencer (politician)|Baldwin Spencer]] as prime minister on 13 June 2014, following the [[2014 Antiguan general election|2014 general election]]. 

== History ==
Since colonial times, various officials have acted as the head of government in Antigua and Barbuda. In 1872, the position of colonial president was established, which was the first time that executive functions were fully separated from the archipelago's governor. The president of Antigua essentially exercised the same functions that the governor of Antigua had prior to being assigned responsibility over the entire [[British Leeward Islands]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 3, 1890 |title=Leeward Islands Gazette |url=https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00076863/00343/citation |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=ufdc.ufl.edu}}</ref> Following the abolition of the presidency, the position of administrator was established, who took up residence in [[Government House, St. John's|Government House]] and eventually had a major power expansion in the 1959 constitutional amendment. The position of administrator still remained more akin to a subordinated governor rather than that of the modern day prime minister.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Digital Library of the Caribbean |url=https://dloc.com/UF00076853/00202/images/0 |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=dloc.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Digital Library of the Caribbean |url=https://dloc.com/UF00076853/00198/images/2 |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=dloc.com}}</ref>

On 1 January 1960, the position of chief minister was established, the inaugural holder being Vere Bird. The chief minister was appointed by the administrator and was the member of the now-elected Legislative Council who could command the support of the majority of members. The chief minister was also granted the ability to form an Executive Council, which has since been replaced by the Cabinet.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Digital Library of the Caribbean |url=https://dloc.com/UF00076853/00217/images/9 |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=dloc.com}}</ref> The direct precursor to the position of prime minister was that of premier, which was first proposed during the 1966 Antigua Constitutional Conference in the prelude to associated statehood. On 27 February 1967, the position of administrator was abolished and the island's head of government became once again directly subordinated to the now fully-local governor. Legally, the position of premier was nearly identical to that of the prime minister today– the premier was appointed by the governor and a [[Westminster system]] was established.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ANTIGUA (Hansard, 3 May 1966) |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1966/may/03/antigua |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=api.parliament.uk}}</ref> The creation of the office of premier also coincided with the start of presidentialisation in Antiguan and Barbudan politics, with Antiguans and Barbudans beginning to feel that they themselves elected their premier and that their premier was the ''de facto'' figurehead of the emerging nation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Facts About Antigua And Barbuda |url=https://www.anbanet.com/wadadliantigua/antigua-barbuda.html |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=www.anbanet.com}}</ref> During the [[1971 Antiguan general election|1971 general election]] that put [[George Walter]] into power, candidates for the premiership began to directly accuse each other of corruption and responsibility for their party's actions, introducing the premier as the new leader of Antiguan and Barbudan society. This continued until the [[Independence of Antigua and Barbuda|independence process of Antigua and Barbuda]] starting in the late 1970s.<ref>https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/28042/1/Gascoigne_206049269_Thesis%20%281%29.pdf</ref>

The position of prime minister was for the most part legally identical to that of the premier. The prime minister was now appointed by a governor-general and similarly required the confidence of the House of Representatives in order to be appointed to the role. In the [[History of Antigua and Barbuda (1981–1994)|1980s and early 1990s]], Vere Bird, with the support of Parliament, began to consolidate power in a manner that established him as the "father of the nation" and essentially gave him complete control of the [[Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force|military]] and economy.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Schanche |first=Don a |date=1989-04-19 |title=Millionaire Sons Maneuver to Rule : Now Playing in Antigua: Real-Life Dynasty Drama |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-04-19-mn-2059-story.html |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> The Bird family's grip on power continued throughout the [[History of Antigua and Barbuda (1994–2004)|1990s and early 2000s]] with the rise of Lester Bird to the premiership. Lester Bird used his control of the security forces and media to aid the expansion of prime ministerial powers, along with falsified elections that created a political dynasty and ended Antigua and Barbuda's status as a full democracy.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=Freedom in the World 1998-1999 |url=https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2020-02/Freedom_in_the_World_1993-1994_complete_book.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=East |first1=Roger |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mz-fXRsedPMC |title=Profiles of People in Power: The World's Government Leaders |last2=Thomas |first2=Richard |date=2003 |publisher=Psychology Press |isbn=978-1-85743-126-1 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":03">{{Cite web |title=The Failings of Governance in Antigua |url=https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/legacy_files/files/media/csis/pubs/ppa%26b99elections%5B1%5D.pdf}}</ref> However, reforms in 2001 caused a reduction of the prime minister's unofficial hard power and the start of the modern Antiguan and Barbudan political system.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About us |url=http://www.abec.gov.ag/about-us/history.php |access-date=2024-12-24 |website=www.abec.gov.ag}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Antigua and Barbuda General Election 2004 Report |url=https://aceproject.org/regions-en/countries-and-territories/AG/reports/antigua-and-barbuda-general-election-2004-report}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Antigua Barbuda JAR |url=https://aei.pitt.edu/44954/1/Antigua.Barbuda.JAR.2004.pdf}}</ref>

Today, the prime minister continues to be considered by the public as the face of Antiguan and Barbudan politics as well as the leader of the country. The prime minister is a public figure who makes binding decisions on the central government's agenda<ref>{{Cite web |title=IPU PARLINE database: ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA (House of Representatives), ELECTIONS IN 2014 |url=http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2009_14.htm |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=archive.ipu.org}}</ref> and tends to face little obstacles from the governing party and Parliament.<ref name="flybynight">[https://www.cnbc.com/2009/02/18/stanford-financial-chief-tried-to-flee-country-source.html "Stanford Financial Chief Tried to Flee Country: Source"], CNBC, February 18, 2009.</ref> As all prime ministers have been the leaders of their respective parties, the prime minister also tends to have influence over the party's candidate slate and ideology.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-04-15 |title=Antigua and Barbuda General Election Results 2018 |url=http://caribbeanelections.com/ag/elections/ag_results_2018.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415235024/http://caribbeanelections.com/ag/elections/ag_results_2018.asp |archive-date=15 April 2021 |access-date=2024-12-26}}</ref>

== Selection process ==
The Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda regulates that the prime minister must be a member of the House of Representatives who is the leader in the House of the political party that has the support of the majority of members of the House of Representatives. If there is no party that has an undisputed leader, or no party that maintains the support of the majority of the House of Representatives, the Governor-General may appoint a member that is most likely to maintain the support of the majority of the members, and who is willing to hold the role of prime minister.

As an elected member of the House of Representatives, the prime minister must also:

* be a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda at least 21 years of age;
* reside in Antigua and Barbuda for at least twelve months prior to election;
* and be able to speak and read English, unless incapacitated by blindness, with sufficient proficiency to participate in House proceedings.

[[File:Office of the Prime Minister, St. John's.jpg|thumb|261x261px|The Office of the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda is located in Botanical Gardens. It however is not the official residence. V.C. Bird used Tomlinson House as his official residence. Funds to build an official residence for the prime minister were instead used to build the [[Sir Vivian Richards Stadium]].]]
If a prime minister must be appointed while Parliament is dissolved, then, a person who was a member of the House of Representatives immediately before the dissolution may be appointed as prime minister.<ref name=":1" />

All prime ministers have been the leader of their political party, thus, a prospective prime minister must first be elected as party leader during the party convention that is usually held biennially.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Editor |date=2024-04-21 |title=BREAKING NEWS: Jamale Pringle Remains as Leader of United Progressive Party |url=https://antiguanewsroom.com/breaking-news-jamale-pringle-remains-as-leader-of-united-progressive-party/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=Antigua News Room |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Acting prime minister ===
The Governor-General may authorize another member of the Cabinet to perform those functions (other than the functions conferred by section 74(2) of the constitution) when the Prime Minister is not present in Antigua and Barbuda or is unable to do so due to illness or because of the restrictions of section 73(4) of this Constitution. That member may perform those functions until the Governor-General revokes his authority.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

==Responsibilities==
The prime minister advises the Governor-General on appointments to the [[Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda]]. Only the Prime Minister or, in his absence, the Minister the Prime Minister appoints in that regard, may call the Cabinet to order.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Under section 73 of the constitution, the Governor-General must dismiss the Prime Minister or dissolve parliament in the event of a successful vote of no confidence.<ref name=":1" /> 

==List==
{{Main articles|List of prime ministers of Antigua and Barbuda}}

This is a [[Bar chart|graphical]] lifespan timeline of the prime ministers of Antigua and Barbuda. They are listed in order of first assuming office.

{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:21
PlotArea  = top:10 bottom:80 right:150 left:20
AlignBars = late

Define $today = {{#time:d/m/Y}}

Colors =
  id:ablp value:rgb(0.93,0.2,0.13) legend:Antigua_and_Barbuda_Labour_Party
  id:plm value:rgb(0,0.45,0.78) legend:Progressive_Labour_Movement
  id:upp value:rgb(0,0.06,0.44) legend:United_Progressive_Party

  id:gray1  value:gray(0.85)
  id:gray2  value:gray(0.95)

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period     = from:01/01/1960 till:31/12/{{#expr:{{#time:Y}}+1}}
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:gray1 unit:year increment:5 start:1960
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:gray2 unit:year increment:1 start:1960

Legend     = columns:1 left:150 top:50 columnwidth:170

TextData =
  pos:(25,55) textcolor:black fontsize:M
  text:"Political party:"

BarData =
 bar:VBird
 bar:Walter
 bar:LBird
 bar:Spencer
 bar:Browne

PlotData =
  width:5 align:left fontsize:9 shift:(5,-4) anchor:till

 bar:VBird
  from: 01/01/1960 till: 14/02/1971 color:ablp
  from: 19/02/1976 till: 09/03/1994 color:ablp text:"[[Vere Bird]]"
 bar:Walter
  from: 14/02/1971 till: 19/02/1976 color:plm text:"[[George Walter]]"
 bar:LBird
  from: 09/03/1994 till: 24/03/2004 color:ablp text:"[[Lester Bird]]"
 bar:Spencer
  from: 24/03/2004 till: 13/06/2014 color:upp text:"[[Baldwin Spencer (politician)|Baldwin Spencer]]"
 bar:Browne
  from: 13/06/2014 till: $today     color:ablp text:"[[Gaston Browne]]"

}}

The following chart lists prime ministers by lifespan (living prime ministers on the green line), with the years outside of their premiership in beige.

<div style="overflow:auto">
{{#tag:timeline|
Define $width    = 1000 # 7.69 pixels per year ($end - $start) × 7.69
Define $warning  = 880 # $width - 120
Define $height   = 275 # 5 × 25 + 150
Define $footnote = 600 # $width - 400

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy

Define $dy    = -5         # shift text to button side of bar
Define $start = 01/01/1900 # Just before eldest (Vere Bird) was born
Define $end   = 01/01/2030 # Next 5-year multiple after this year
Define $now   = {{#time:d/m/Y}}

ImageSize = width:$width height:$height
PlotArea  = right:10 left:1 bottom:80 top:60
Period    = from:$start till:$end
TimeAxis  = orientation:horizontal
Legend    = orientation:vertical columns:1 left:0 top:50 columnwidth:500

Colors =
     id:bg        value:white
     id:lightline value:rgb(0.8, 0.8, 0.8)
     id:lighttext value:rgb(0.5, 0.5, 0.5)
     id:LIFESPAN  value:rgb(0.88, 0.90, 0.70) Legend: Lifespan
     id:ABLP      value:rgb(0.93, 0.2, 0.13)  Legend: Antigua_and_Barbuda_Labour_Party
     id:PLM       value:rgb(0, 0.45, 0.78)    Legend: Progressive_Labour_Movement
     id:UPP       value:rgb(0, 0.06, 0.44)    Legend: United_Progressive_Party
     id:NAME      value:rgb(0.15, 0.13, 0.05)
     id:TODAY     value:green

BackgroundColors = canvas:bg
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightline unit:year increment:1 start:$start
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:lighttext unit:year increment:10 start:1900

LineData=
   at:$now color:TODAY width:0.1

PlotData=
  bar:1 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:09/12/1909 till:01/01/1960 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Vere Bird]]
    color:ABLP
    from:01/01/1960 till:14/02/1971
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:14/02/1971 till:19/02/1976
    color:ABLP
    from:19/02/1976 till:09/03/1994
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:09/03/1994 till:28/06/1999

  bar:2 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:08/09/1928 till:14/02/1971 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[George Walter]]
    color:PLM
    from:14/02/1971 till:19/02/1976
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:19/02/1976 till:04/03/2008

  bar:3 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:21/02/1938 till:09/03/1994 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Lester Bird]]
    color:ABLP
    from:09/03/1994 till:24/03/2004
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:24/03/2004 till:09/08/2021

  bar:4 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:08/10/1948 till:24/03/2004 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Baldwin Spencer (politician)|Baldwin Spencer]]
    color:UPP
    from:24/03/2004 till:13/06/2014
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:13/06/2014 till:$now

  bar:5 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:09/02/1967 till:13/06/2014 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Gaston Browne]]
    color:ABLP
    from:13/06/2014 till:$now

TextData =
  fontsize:M
  textcolor:green
  pos:($warning,30)
  text:Updated {{CURRENTMONTH}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}

TextData =
  pos:(340,$height)
  fontsize:L
  textcolor:black
  text:"Lifespan of each Antiguan and Barbudan prime minister"
}}</div>

The following chart shows prime ministers by their age (living prime ministers in green), with the years of their premiership in blue.

{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:1000 height:100
PlotArea  = width:900 height:70 left:80 bottom:30
AlignBars = justify

Colors =
  id:pre   value:rgb(0.7,0.7,0.7) # grey
  id:prem  value:rgb(0,0,1) # blue
  id:post  value:rgb(0.7,0.7,0.7) # grey
  id:alive value:rgb(0.5,0.8,0.5) # green

Period     = from:0 till:90
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:black unit:year increment:10 start:0
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1  start:0

PlotData=
  align:center   width:8 shift:(0,-0)

  bar:Vere{{sp}}Bird color:pre from:0  till:50.06
  bar:Vere{{sp}}Bird color:prem from:50.04  till:61.18
  bar:Vere{{sp}}Bird color:post from:61.18  till:66.2
  bar:Vere{{sp}}Bird color:prem from:66.2  till:84.25
  bar:Vere{{sp}}Bird color:post from:84.25  till:89.55

  bar:Walter color:pre from:0  till:42.44
  bar:Walter color:prem from:42.44  till:47.45
  bar:Walter color:post from:47.45  till:79.49

  bar:Lester{{sp}}Bird color:pre from:0  till:56.04
  bar:Lester{{sp}}Bird color:prem from:56.04  till:66.09
  bar:Lester{{sp}}Bird color:post from:66.09  till:83.46

  bar:Spencer color:alive from:0  till:55.46
  bar:Spencer color:prem from:55.46  till:65.68
  bar:Spencer color:alive from:65.68  till:{{a.y|suffix=|1948|10|8}}

  bar:Browne color:alive from:0  till:47.34
  bar:Browne color:prem from:47.34  till:{{a.y|suffix=|1967|2|9}}

}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Government of Antigua and Barbuda works}}

==See also==
* [[Politics of Antigua and Barbuda]]
* [[Prime Minister of the West Indies Federation]]
* [[Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda]]

{{Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda}}
{{Antigua and Barbuda topics}}
{{Heads of state and government of North America}}
{{Prime Minister}}

[[Category:Prime ministers of Antigua and Barbuda| ]]
[[Category:1981 establishments in Antigua and Barbuda]]