ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Prime Minister Gaston Browne has called for a new national mindset centred on financial literacy, savings discipline and inclusive wealth-building, declaring that wealth management must not be viewed as a service reserved only for a privileged few. Speaking at the launch of the ACB Invest Programme/Unit, the prime minister said the new wealth management unit is designed to accelerate and broaden wealth creation across the society, offering investment opportunities beyond traditional banking deposits.
The prime minister explained that while wealth management is often associated with investment planning for high-net-worth individuals, its true value lies in empowering everyday citizens to make smarter financial decisions that safeguard income, generate financial security, and create resilience against economic shocks. He said this approach strengthens not only personal well-being, but national development, as citizens become active participants in growth rather than observers of it.
Prime Minister Browne stressed that Antigua and Barbuda must actively pursue intergenerational prosperity, noting that national progress is incomplete if present generations build only for themselves while leaving future citizens to struggle without opportunity.
“Investments—whether in financial instruments, business ventures, or personal assets—form part of a long-term strategy to ensure that families can leave a legacy of stability and prosperity for generations to come,” prime minister Browne reiterated. “ Society built exclusively on poverty cannot be successful, and that inclusive wealth creation is essential for national advancement.”
The prime minister encouraged the public to pursue learning and awareness in the financial sphere, noting that in the 21st century, ignorance cannot build wealth and citizens must be willing to gain the skills necessary to save and invest responsibly.
Prime Minister Browne welcomed ACB’s investment initiative as a strategic complement to the government’s wider empowerment agenda and expressed confidence that the ACB Invest Programme will help more Antiguans and Barbudans convert savings into investment, investment into growth, and growth into shared prosperity.
