Antigua and Barbuda to record over $6B economy by year-end: PM Browne

Antigua and Barbuda: Prime Minister Gaston Browne, during a recent radio show, announced that he is expecting over $6 billion economy by year end. He expressed his unwavering confidence in the economic strength and resilience of the country.

PM Browne gave the statement during a radio station Pointe FM over the weekend. He projected a major milestone of achieving the target by the end of 2024 and said that once achieved it will be a testament to the progress and prosperity of the country.

The optimistic outlook of the prime minister on the nation’s future economic growth is a source of inspiration and hope for the citizens and investors of the country.

PM Gaston Browne outlined that when everyone continued to make the excuses that the international crisis affected the growth and development, his administration acknowledged the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they never used it as an excuse to say that they could not have grown the nation’s economy due to the lingering impact of the pandemic.

PM Browne added that in spite of a heavy blow to Antigua and Barbuda’s economy which resulted in a loss of 18 percent in a single year, the nation was able to bounce back and achieve an average annual growth rate of 8 percent.

He further noted that when one looks at the growth that the country is experiencing now, he contrasts that with what his government inherited when they assumed office back in 2014.

In addition to this, the Antiguan leader remarked that the country had an economy with a size of $3.2 billion and in order to expand the economy to $6 billion in that time, it means the government is talking about almost doubling the economy, which is a phenomenal development for any country, especially a small island nation in the Caribbean. The projects by Prime Minister Browne showcases the island’s continuous growth which is mainly by the thriving tourism sector in Antigua and Barbuda.