These words surface as I watch this latest attempt to destroy Antigua and Barbuda through another attack on its leader, Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne.

It is his fault. His bold, astute, fearless leadership has seen the country through difficult times, such as pulling the economy back from the ruinous 10 years under UPP and successfully weathering the fiscal challenges of COVID-19; lesser men who desire to take over leadership would be frustrated at his continue, astute leadership.

And so, over and over, from dying embers, colluding with external forces fuelled by greed and their own selfish agenda, fairy tales spring to mirror reality and drag the Prime Minister into a negative spiral in hopes that he would lose focus on the bigger picture, continuing to lead Antigua and Barbuda and its people to higher heights.

Take a moment to reflect on the lead-up to the last elections. We were told a plane landed with US$2 billion to buy off every citizen, that the PM was of interest to the US and would be unable to visit for fear of being detained, and that the treasury had been plundered. The PM and his party, the ABLP, weathered the storm and emerged victorious, though Antigua and Barbuda’s reputation was tarnished.

Unable to hold themselves together after a creditable performance at the last polls, the main opposition has jumped on this bandwagon, deciding that our country’s goodwill can be sacrificed on the table of political expediency and has again sought to offer PM Browne as the lamb. A business transaction akin to many across the globe, as part of the punitive measures against Russia, is the latest ruse to return our nation to the chopping block.

Notwithstanding the information made available and the due process outlined, the attacks are unrelenting. Precious, scarce resources will have to be spent to mount a defence to protect Antigua and Barbuda’s sovereign rights. And it is our rights that are at stake. Another country demanding that any of us open our financials, from our country to their laws and jurisdiction, while we could never dare to thing to make a similar request.

Whichever side of the political divide you stand, to champion any cause that lessens your citizenship is to decide that you are ready to cede all your rights and privileges because there is no half cause, ‘take him/them, but not us’. We cannot desire political power to the extent that we are willing to sacrifice our collective rights as a nation.

The Prime Minister will continue his leadership and prosperous stewardship of our beloved Antigua and Barbuda while this current ember burns.

I spare a moment to shed a tear for those among us who prefer to burn our country to the ground for political power, for whom ruling over ashes could be more desirable than seeing the country’s continued social and economic progress.