By Kieron Murdoch
Prime Minister Gaston Browne was filmed by onlookers passing cash to several people in the Point community in his constituency of St John’s City West on Saturday.
Browne was filmed by different people in at least two locations in Point, passing cash discreetly to persons he encountered. These videos have been circulating on WhatsApp and Facebook since Saturday.
In the first case, Browne is filmed by multiple onlookers having an otherwise cordial though brief interaction with a handful of residents as well as United Progressive Party (UPP) campaigners. He can be seen dancing to music and jovially engaging with the persons around him.
But when one looks closely, there are at least two instances in this case in which Browne, leader of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), is seen handing over cash.
In one onlooker video, a man can be seen with his arm around the Prime Minister’s shoulder and the two are dancing in step. Where this video was posted to Facebook, it received praise from many who appreciated what they characterised as a people-friendly approach by the Labour leader.
However, whilst the man’s back is turned to the camera, the Prime Minister is seen reaching into his front left pocket and withdrawing a quantity of cash which he then thrusts into the man’s hands as he, the Prime Minister, breaks up their dance and heads back to the black SUV in which he arrived.
In another video, the Prime Minister, having now re-entered the black SUV, is seen passing another quantity of cash out the window of the vehicle to a second man whose back is turned to the camera filming the interaction.
The second man is wearing an ABLP campaign shirt, the back of which reads “Safer with Labour”. The Prime Minister thrusts the cash into the man’s cupped hands before the SUV speeds away with the same man and another person seeming to run behind it as it departs.
These two incidents were filmed from multiple angles, and reportedly occurred near the bottom of North Street, Villa, close to a bar and restaurant, on a stretch of roadside not far from the offices of Pointe FM, the ABLP-aligned radio station on which the Labour leader makes weekly appearances.
In a second case, in yet another video being circulated on WhatsApp, the Prime Minister is filmed by a seated bystander walking up to a group of people seated on the pavement at Baker’s Corner in Villa. He is seen on camera discreetly passing cash from his hand into the hands of a seated woman before walking away and down the sidewalk.
The person filming this video is seated next to the woman and another man. The other man then calls out to the Prime Minister saying “Gaston, ah so you pass me?”, prompting Browne to double back.
Browne comes up to the other man, and places cash in his hand. Browne then asks the person filming if he is recording. The man filming and the Prime Minister then disagree about something which is not clear.
The Prime Minister walks away shortly afterwards, but is seen passing cash to another man as he strides away from the man filming the video. There is a police pick-up parked some feet away as he does so.
In a tirade laced with obscenities, the man filming then argues with several people about the issue of the Prime Minister handing out money. Several minutes later in the video, a police officer can be seen not far away from where Browne was doing so.
The issue of corrupt and unethical practices in relation to politics and elections has been a regular political talking point in Antigua and Barbuda for decades. In relation to cash and material gifts, many people simply refer to these as “handouts”.
Neither the Prime Minister nor his Chief of Staff, Lionel “Max” Hurst, immediately answered the questions sent to them via email and WhatsApp. Hurst acknowledged receipt, however. The Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) was asked for comment on the Prime Minister’s actions but had not sent a reply up to press time.
However, ABLP Chairman Chet Greene told Observer the issue was “much ado about nothing”.
“This is not vote buying,” he said. “You can clearly see that money is requested from the Prime Minister and he merely obliges. As those of means, we are expected to give what we have to those who do not have.”
When contacted by Observer via WhatsApp, the Prime Minister responded saying “get a life” and accused the writer of having “an obsession” with him. He did not address his actions any further.
Senior Lecturer in Political Science and International Relations at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill, Dr Kristina Hinds, was also approached for comment. She said “this could be construed as treating” which she said in some jurisdictions was both unethical and illegal.
Dr Hinds, who is also an independent Senator in Barbados, added, “This happens all over the region, but politicians are usually very discreet about how they do it… Now he could argue he was not doing this to entice anyone to vote anyhow, but being generous to those in need. But, given the election and power dynamic, that is a very hollow argument.”
The Representation of the People Act CAP 379, section 40, makes voter bribery and treating (supplying food, drink and entertainment to induce voters) offences.
The section states: “A person shall be guilty of bribery if he, directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, gives any money…to or for any voter, or to or for any other person on behalf of any voter, or to or for any person in order to induce any voter to vote or refrain from voting…”
Section 40, subsection (5) further states that a voter “shall be guilty of bribery if before or during an election, he directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, receives, agrees to or contracts for any money, gift, loan or valuable consideration, office, place or employment for himself or for any other person for voting or agreeing to vote, or for refraining or agreeing to refrain from voting.”
But whether or not Browne’s actions ran afoul of any law will be debated. Observer asked several attorneys for comment in relation to the Prime Minister’s actions on Saturday.
Attorney Charlesworth Tabor said the “optics of the Prime Minister’s action were very bad” but added that he was not certain how concretely they could be considered as an offence under the law. He said he knew many were asking if it could be considered treating.
In Antigua and Barbuda, the Representation of the People Act describes “treating” as corruptly providing “meat, drink, entertainment” in order to induce voters. In some jurisdictions, updated legislative definitions of treating including giving money.
Tabor said that anyone defending the Prime Minister’s actions might likely also make an issue of whether or not an election had been called, which is to say they would argue that since an election has not yet been called, his handing out cash could not be considered as being done in relation to the election.
Senior attorneys Anthony Astaphan SC, who has represented the Prime Minister before, and Justin Simon KC, a former Attorney General, were asked for comment but had not sent a reply up to press time.
Observer also asked officials from all three national political parties for comment.
UPP Chairman Gisele Isaac said, “The UPP has no issue with representatives offering and delivering genuine assistance to persons in genuine need. But where it has the strong taint of quid pro quo – and the quo means votes, then all decent people should look with askance [suspicion or disapproval] at the assistance.”
UPP candidate in St Paul’s Cleon Athill posted to Facebook on Saturday, “It is callous and vulgar how money gets thrown at the electorate at election time, especially. But when this is done in plain view and by the Prime Minister, callous and vulgar do not begin to account for this reprehensible act.”
The Democratic National Alliance’s candidate for St Paul, Gameal Joyce, described the incident as “very unfortunate”.
He added, “Particularly because it seems that people see it as okay and do not see it as a form of bribery. We, particularly in the opposition, need to take voter education more seriously so that people understand that this behaviour is simply wrong. As a nation we have been far too complacent.”
In addition to handouts, some of the most often cited practices reported anecdotally in Antigua and Barbuda, and which are considered to be unethical or simply corrupt, include the false migration of voters from being registered in one area to registering in another; supplying food, drink and entertainment to voters to curry favour or induce voter support (treating); paying people to surrender their voter’s ID cards and or not to vote; and accelerating citizenship applications prior to an election with a view to registering new voters.
Antigua and Barbuda is preparing for a general election due by March of 2023, but which could be called before then at any time. All candidates, including the Prime Minister, have been campaigning in some form or another for months.