Prime Minister Gaston Browne says his attorneys are urging him to file a defamation lawsuit against Senator Malaka Parker after she allegedly referred to him as a pedophile during a public exchange.

Speaking on the Browne and Browne Show on Saturday, Browne said he has been advised to preserve evidence of the statements and is facing pressure from his legal team to pursue legal action.

“My attorneys have insisted that I sue Malika. They’ve asked me to screenshot everything and to save everything,” Browne said.

While indicating that he has not yet made a final decision, Browne suggested Parker should have known the legal implications of such an allegation.

“Not convinced I should. But I mean, I’m under some pressure from my attorneys to sue her because I feel that she ought to have known better and it is deliberate,” he said.

The Prime Minister made the comments while responding to criticism over a recent social media exchange involving Parker. He said that while public officials must expect criticism and ridicule, there are limits that should not be crossed.

“You can’t escape ridicule in politics. It is part of the game. It happens in every country,” Browne said. “But you have to mature enough to know that when you respond, that you don’t respond with statements that are defamatory.”

According to Browne, Parker’s comments crossed that line.

“That’s precisely what she did by calling me a pedophile,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the allegation was particularly troubling because Parker holds a law degree and should understand the distinction between political criticism and potentially defamatory statements.

“For somebody who did a law degree, she also knows better,” Browne said.

Browne also referenced a previous legal dispute involving similar allegations, noting that he had previously taken legal action against another individual who publicly accused him of being a pedophile.

“The last person who called me a pedophile on radio, I took him to court,” he said.

During the discussion, Browne sought to explain what he described as the difference between making a statement based on established facts and making false allegations that could damage a person’s reputation.

He argued that criticism and political banter are expected parts of public life, but said individuals must be careful not to make claims that could expose them to legal consequences.

“When you become so reckless because somebody criticizes you or they roast you to the extent that your statement is defamatory, then you’re getting yourself in trouble,” he said.

Browne maintained that the allegation against him was false and defamatory.

“By calling an upstanding man like me a pedophile, she would have defamed me,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s remarks came during a broader discussion about political discourse and public commentary. He suggested that politicians, activists and members of the public should exercise caution when engaging in heated political exchanges.

The comments are the latest escalation in an ongoing war of words between Browne and Parker, who have frequently clashed over political issues and government policy.

As of Saturday afternoon, Browne had not confirmed whether he would follow his attorneys’ advice and file a lawsuit. Parker has not responded to Browne’s latest remarks.