An election is thought to be very near in Antigua and Barbuda, and politicians are making their presence felt, often through charity and donations to those in need. But there is a line to be drawn, as a voter should never be influenced by handouts from candidates. In this episode, we ask: When should "charity" be considered voter bribery or inducement?

The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:

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Political patronage is the practice of dispensing state resources as a reward for political and electoral support. State resources can include public sector contracts or a positions and jobs in the public service. Clientelism or client politics is the exchange of goods and services for political support, often involving an implicit or explicit quid-pro-quo. The fact that politicians across the Caribbean do this is no secret. 

"Helping" your constituents has long become the norm. These days, few even question whether it is right for politicians to lavish potential voters with material and monetary assistance, or fund sports teams, IT centres, and community projects in their own name and from their own pockets. But what is the point of an election then? To see which party is willing to spend more? Why don't we simplify the process and just let politicians bid openly on seats in Parliament? 

Yet, in the chronically poverty stricken communities of the region, many people welcome the "good will" of whoever may arrive in their community to fund sports, buy schoolbags, pay medical bills, help with funeral costs, or secure them a job through exerting political influence. Nonetheless, it is clear that such actions skew our democratic electoral process by influencing the support of some voters by spending money. That means that some votes in an election can simply be bought in some way or another. 

This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on December 5th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.

World AIDS Day 2021 is being observed under the theme “end inequalities. End AIDS.” When it comes to a disease which has so radically impacted Caribbean society and public health, we find ourselves asking: How far has the Caribbean come in combatting AIDS and the spread of HIV, and what is essential to build on that progress in this decade?

The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:

This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on December 5th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.

There are some who are eager to see Antigua and Barbuda follow the lead of Barbados in ending the official reign of the British monarchy and adopting a non-executive president to lead a Republic. Simple enough, right? Others are not enthusiastic, and think that partisan ramblings along those lines are merely a distraction from the bread-and-butter issues of the day. But does that mean that it should not happen? In this episode, we ask: What appetite is there for republicanism in Antigua and Barbuda, and could it ever get passed a referendum?

The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:

More on this episode: 

What does a republicanism even mean for us? Properly, a republic is a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch. For us, being a "parliamentary constitutional monarchy" means that we already ostensibly treat the people (through democracy) and our elected representatives as the supreme power. It's not as if either the monarch Elizabeth II, or the Governor General Sir Rodney Williams, actually govern Antigua and Barbuda in any way. We elect MPs for that. 

We have long been a monarchy only in title, but in practice a republic. So for us, republicanism becomes merely an official name change and the amending of the constitution to expunge the things like "monarchy" and "heirs and successors". But some don't much like the simplicity of that. They was "republicanism" to mean far more - a serious introspection on how our political institutions function with the aim of arriving at more impactful reforms that make the system more accountable, more representative, and more just. 

This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on December 5th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.

As it marks 55 years of independence since 1966, Barbados is replacing the British monarchy with a non-executive presidency in a move well received in that country and across the Caribbean, but considered long overdue. In this episode, we ask: Why has Barbados and the rest of the English-speaking Caribbean, including Antigua and Barbuda, been so indifferent on the question of abandoning the monarchy for the last 60 years?

The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:

This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 28th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.

The cost of food seems to be rising in Antigua and Barbuda, amidst a harsh recession caused by Covid-19. In this episode we ask: What is causing the price hike? How seriously is it affecting consumers? And is there really an immediate solution?

The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:

(The title is a reference to the lyrics of the song Gold Rush by calypsonian King Obstinate)

This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 28th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.

Three former United Progressive Party (UPP) ministers who were accused of corruption and tried for conversion and embezzlement over the allegation that they appropriated government owned buses, have been declared not guilty by a judge who found the evidence in the case was too weak. In this episode, we ask: What lead to the ‘no case’ verdict? Was the investigation merely “a political witch hunt” as one of the acquitted, former Education minister Dr. Jacqui Quinn said? And were ethical wrongs committed, despite the not guilty verdict?

The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:

More about this episode:

The case was always controversial. It was a criminal action brought against former UPP officials after the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) won the government in 2014. So, it was billed as a witch hunt by the UPP. It was thrown out once, before trial, for lack of evidence. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) appealed. It was reinstated, then sent to trial. Now, after the trial, it has been dismissed, again, for lack of evidence, again. But still, that doesn't tell a complete story. This trial has provided the most detailed look yet at what evidence there was against the trio of Quinn, Lovell and Daniel. 

As a former prosecutor who joined this panel noted, it appears that the prosecution's case simply fell apart. Many things seemed to have gone wrong with this prosecution. A key witness who is now deceased was never interviewed. The DPP Anthony Armstrong recused himself at the last moment and handed the case over to the DPP from Montserrat to prosecute instead. The charges on the case were amended just before the trial. And a key prosecution witness pretty much exonerated the former ministers. 

This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 28th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.

Scandal accused Labour MP Asot Michael has again secured an injunction against the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), this time to stop the party from replacing him as the candidate in St. Peter and from excluding him from meetings of the executive. In this episode, we ask: What will the battle for the red candidacy mean for the ABLP in St. Peter in the next election? And why has the Labour Party failed so miserably thus far, to rid itself of its most controversial member? 

The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:

This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 21st, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.

The fiercely debated school vaccine mandate that would have barred unvaccinated students from school, and which inspired hundreds to protest outside the Ministry of Education on Tuesday, has been reversed after one week. It came with the announcement that the impending enforcement of the policy on Monday, November 22, 2021, had caused parents to rapidly get their children inoculated. It was announced that 80 percent of students in the target group had gotten vaccinated by Thursday, November 18, 2021. In this episode we ask: Was the controversial policy a success in driving up vaccination? Or was it ill conceived? And was it necessary at all?

The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:

This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 21st, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.

For many, it comes as a very sudden shift in policy, though others say that it was inevitable once you were paying attention. Recently, the government announced that the state of emergency was being called off, promising to do so next month. The public sector vaccine mandate - which had been fiercely resisted by many - is being rolled back to mandatory testing for those public sector workers who still remain unvaccinated, allowing them to return to work. Meanwhile, private businesses are being told that they too can go the route of reverting to mandatory testing for their unvaccinated employees once 80 percent of overall employees are already immunized. In this episode, we ask: What’s behind the shift in policy? And is this the return to normalcy that many have been hoping for?

The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:

This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 21st, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.

Antigua and Barbuda this month celebrated 40 years of independence, and we are looking back on our development since 1981. In this episode we ask: What have we achieved and what have we not achieved over the last 40 years?

The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:

This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 14th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.