Maria Bird-Browne has formally written to the executive of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party outlining her interest in contesting the St John’s Rural East seat.
Since last week it was being bandied about that Bird Browne was being pursued by the constituency branch to run in the area. Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Bird-Browne’s husband, said the current MP, Sir Lester Bird, because of health issues will not be contesting the seat during the upcoming general election.
Bird-Browne will, however, come up against two other females during a primary, including the Senate President Alincia Grant.
Her husband, Prime Minister Gaston Browne during an interview on his radio station, Point FM, yesterday confirmed that his wife will be throwing her hat into the political arena.
“Maria has now written to the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party executive confirming that she is interested in contesting the Rural East seat, that letter went in yesterday (Friday). As I said to her when you are doing these things tell your husband, because I was, up to last night, telling people that she is considering and next thing I there listening and a beautiful letter came from her confirming that she is definitely interested in contesting. So there is no if or but about it now,” Browne said.
Browne said Maria, who is “naturally bright and very articulate”, was pushed into running for public office after allegations were made about her charity, Share Inc.
He noted that his wife is of the opinion that she has a contribution to make to the nation coming from a public service family, with her grandfather being father of the nation, national hero and former premier and prime minister Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Sr.
“So as far as I am concerned, now she is fair game. When you enter into the political arena, male or female, you are fair game . However, prior to that she was just First Lady, keeping her head down, was not involved in any politics, just trying to be a beautiful mother, a nice mother raising our child.
“And when you have a situation where people are fabricating stories to say that I took $5 million of government’s money to put into her charity, I mean there is no way I could not defend it, I felt too that in the context of being first lady and not being involved in politics at the time they went too far. However, they inspired her…” the prime minister said.
PM Browne said his wife has the capability to run for public office, adding that if he thought she did not have what it takes he would tell her “don’t embarrass our family”.
While he is proud of his wife, who has been around politics all her life, Browne said he is nervous about her contesting because he knows the strain that can be placed on the family life.
“The truth is I have some little butterflies in my stomach, you know about my wife going into politics, I’m being straight up. And I am not encouraging her because I recognise it could impact on our family life.
“I want to tell you I have a beautiful family, for me that is a priority other than the people of Antigua and Barbuda and representing them, that is my first priority to uplift them. The secondary thing is to keep my family together. I know the strains of politics so I understand the personal risks so there are some butterflies,” PM Browne concluded.
