Opposition MP Richard Lewis says this year’s Throne Speech offered little beyond the usual government overview and that the real scrutiny will begin when the national budget is presented in December.
Reacting shortly after the Governor General delivered the address, Lewis said the speech largely repeated what the public has come to expect and focused heavily on the government’s preferred time periods.
He noted that while the speech highlighted developments since 2020, it did not adequately reflect the contributions made between 2004 and 2014, which he described as “significant achievements… that contributed to the development of Antigua and Barbuda.”
Lewis said he does not place much weight on the Throne Speech itself, stressing that the upcoming budget will be the true measure of the government’s priorities in the year ahead.
He made his position clear: he is “looking forward to [the] budget presentation so we can have a discussion on that.”
The MP added that the budget debate will allow for more substantive examination of issues such as lingering water shortages, the government’s approach to closing the wealth gap, and ongoing concerns relating to roads and education infrastructure—matters he said require clear answers and concrete plans.
