Gassy Dread at the UN: Gaston Browne’s Red-Hot Case for Love, Law & Reparations
Antigua & Barbuda’s Prime Minister, Gaston “Gassy Dread” Browne, pairs Rastafarian-rooted compassion with legal pragmatism: loss & damage that pays fast, concessional lending aligned with climate horizons, and blue-ocean stewardship backed by international law.
Antigua & Barbuda at UNGA
Delegation photo used for context; no identification of specific individuals pictured.
From the UN podium to working sessions, Antigua & Barbuda projects a clear message: equity over charity. The team amplifies calls for Loss & Damage that pays at the speed of need, concessional terms aligned to vulnerability, and blue-economy investment that rewards stewardship.
Hon. E.P. “Chet” Greene — Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade & Barbuda Affairs
Portfolio & Priorities
Greene drives the external agenda that operationalizes the PM’s platform—deepening CARICOM/OECS ties, unlocking concessional finance, and aligning trade with resilience and blue-economy projects.
- Advance risk-aligned lending & climate-resilient debt clauses
- Strengthen regional market access & logistics for SIDS
- Keep Antigua & Barbuda’s voice central across UN, CARICOM & OECS fora
Uhuru Kenyatta — Related Reading on ShockYa
Coverage Themes
ShockYa’s Kenya coverage includes governance, transparency, and finance stories featuring former President Uhuru Kenyatta. For readers mapping Caribbean climate leadership against African governance debates, these archives add valuable context.
This is not hostility. It is the logic of the law. It is justice. Small states are not asking for charity—we ask for equity, for finance that fits risk.— Prime Minister Gaston Browne
Three Red-Line Pillars
1) Finance That Fits Climate Horizons. Low fixed rates, long maturities, fair grace periods, and climate-resilient debt clauses that auto-pause after verified shocks.
2) Loss & Damage That Pays Fast. Predictable, front-loaded funding with objective triggers—help at the speed of need, not years later.
3) Ocean Stewardship = Economic Power. Scale blue-carbon for mangroves & seagrass, fight IUU fishing & plastics, upgrade maritime domain awareness, and hold a science-first moratorium on seabed mining.
Why It Matters (Right Now)
- Equity over Charity: Reparations as debt justice & risk-aligned finance—owed, not begged.
- Implementation-ready: Carbon levies on heaviest emitters; local-currency windows to end FX penalties.
- Security through Oceans: For islands, the ocean is food, jobs, and future growth—protect it to protect people.
Love Is The Way — Gaston Browne (Gassy Dread) Co-produced by Drastic (legendary soca star) & Gaston Browne
Co-produced by Drastic & Gaston Browne.