Last Updated on April 4, 2026, 1:29 PM AST by Anthony Morris
Antigua and Barbuda: The parliament of Antigua and Barbuda was officially dissolved by the Governor-General Sir Rodney Williams on Wednesday, April 1, after the announcement of dissolution on March 27 by Prime Minister Gaston Browne while addressing the Parliament.
This move has officially initiated the process for the upcoming snap elections, which are expected to take place either on April 22 or later in the same week.
During the address, the PM emphasised that the decision is pending before the Governor General whether to issue a Writ of Election on April 1, or within a week thereafter.
The Governor General is now tasked with issuing the Writ of Election, as of April 3, 2026, the Writ of Election has yet not been issued. The officials have stated that the legal process has begun.
The dissolution of the Parliament has officially set the stage for snap elections later this month.
Following the issuance Writ, the general election would likely be held on April 22, adhering to the constitutional requirement for at least 21 days’ notice period after the dissolution. PM Browne further stated that “If the issuance of the writ is delayed by a week, the election could shift to roughly April 29, 2026.”
While talking about the dissolution, he stated that “initially I took a decision of dissolving the parliament sooner, that means on March 27, but some of my colleagues recommended to allow the main opposition, the United Progressive Party, additional time to finalize its slate of candidates and organize its affairs.”
The Prime Minister also indicated that a formal letter will be sent to the Governor General next week following the announcement of the proposed timeline, including the issuance of the Writ, nomination day, and the date for the general election or final polling date.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne during an interview with a radio channel signaled that the general elections would be held within the period of upcoming 90 days.
This announcement also follows weeks of speculation and intense political activity, and the appointment of Randy Baltimore as Deputy Speaker. As the date of dissolution is now set, the nation enters a formal three-week window of high-stakes campaigning for their favourite party. With ABLP candidates beginning to campaign the party has released the list.
ABLP has released the list of 17 candidates for General Elections
• Gaston Browne – St John’s City West
• Sir Steadroy Benjamin – St John’s City South
• E.P. Chet Greene – St Paul
• Charles Max Fernandez – St John’s Rural North
• Melford Nicholas – St John’s City East
• Daryll Matthew – St John’s Rural South
• Maria Browne – St John’s Rural East
• Rawdon Turner – St Peter
• Anthony Smith Jr. – All Saints West
• Randy Baltimore – St Philip North
• Michael Joseph – St John’s Rural West
• Michael Freeland – St George
• Kiz Johnson – St Philip South
• Lamin Newton – All Saints East and St Luke
• Dwayne George – St Mary’s South
• Dr. Philmore Benjamin – St Mary’s North
• Kendra Chamberlain Beazer – Barbuda
The announcement of dissolution of parliament and the date of general elections attracted a mixed reaction from the community of Antigua and Barbuda as many people took to Facebook to express their feelings and reactions.
One of the users commented “I think they should fix election terms. I’m not going to waste my time voting in this election. Gaston has a very unfair advantage here. This is not how democracy is done. There is no viable opposition and giving a month’s notice for them to get ready is crazy. Why are you afraid of going the full 4 year term Gaston? Your party will win, but in the minds of sensible people it will be by default.”
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
