Prime Minister Gaston Browne has fulfilled a promise made to political newcomer,
Dwayne George, that he will be appointed to a position in the government
following the By-election held on Tuesday.
George was sworn in on Thursday as a Senator in the Upper House of Parliament
as well as being appointed as a Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance,
Corporate Governance, and Public/Private Partnerships.
In the presence of family and well-wishers, as well as Prime Minister Browne and
other members of the Cabinet and the Senate, Senator George took the three oaths;
the Oath as a Senator, the Oath as Minister of State, and the Oath of Secrecy in a
ceremony presided over by the Governor General Sir Rodney Williams at
Government House.
In brief remarks, Sir Rodney took time to highlight to Sen. George some of the
significance of his appointment.
“I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the values and principles that are
of paramount importance as we embark on this journey of governance.
“First and foremost, I want to stress the crucial role of prudent fiscal management.
Our Ministry of Finance plays a pivotal role in the economic well-being of our
nation. It is responsible for managing the resources that fuel the engine of our
country's growth. We must ensure that our fiscal decisions are guided by sound
financial principles, safeguarding our financial stability for the benefit of future
generations. Senator George, I encourage you to bring your expertise to bear in
ensuring that our fiscal policies are transparent, sustainable, and ultimately in the
best interests of our citizens,” he urged.
Adding his voice to the proceedings, Prime Minister Browne provided the rationale
for the selection of Sen. George to contest the St. Mary’s South constituency seat
on behalf of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party.
He said the party had been conducting tracking polls to determine its viability in
winning the seat. Two leading Caribbean pollsters conducted the polls – Peter
Wickham of Barbados and Don Anderson of Jamaica.
The then ABLP standard bearer was progressively losing the contest based on the
numbers and that is when Sen. George was asked to join the party to become its
candidate.
He said whilst the UPP candidate, at one time led by sixteen points early in the
campaign, that figure was narrowed to 10 percent by the time of the election.
PM Browne emphasized that he is confident that with more time and more work on
the ground, Senator George can win the seat for the ABLP by the next general
elections.
