January 15, 1964 – in the village of Liberta, St. Paul’s, Everly Paul ‘EP’ Chet Greene was born to Joseph and Averil Greene, into a community where sport, discipline, faith, and public life were tightly woven together. From an early age, he displayed the qualities that would later define him: quiet competitiveness, organisational instinct, and loyalty to people and place.
He was educated at Liberta Primary School and All Saints Secondary School before earning a master’s degree in Sports Administration from the Université de Poitiers in France.
His earliest lessons came not from textbooks, but from the cricket field and the community yard, where patience, teamwork, and resilience are learned the hard way.
Chet began playing first-class cricket at twelve for his community club in Liberta, an extraordinary feat for a boy who was initially afraid of the hard ball. That fear, once confronted and conquered, became one of his defining traits. As a fast bowler, he earned a place in the starting eleven, and as a batsman, he became known for calmly closing out innings under pressure.
Those same qualities would later define his approach to leadership.
He moved into the middle order and briefly captained the Parish League Liberta Cricket team, during which his ability to read situations, motivate teammates, and think strategically became evident. Recognising that his greatest value lay not in individual performance but in building systems, he stepped away from competitive cricket to pursue administration.
EP served as Secretary of Liberta Football Club and Liberta Cricket Club, then became the third President of the Liberta Sports Club, after the two merged into a single entity. Known for his meticulous organisation, calm temperament, and fairness, he soon moved onto the national stage.
- At the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association, he served as Assistant Secretary and then General Secretary for fourteen years, helping to modernise football administration and professionalise governance. During his tenure as General Secretary, Antigua and Barbuda expanded its influence in regional football governance, and the national team gained momentum.
He also served as Commissioner of Sports, Government of Antigua and Barbuda.
His influence in sports spread regionally and internationally:
- Vice President, Antigua and Barbuda Olympic Association (2002)
- President, Antigua and Barbuda Olympic Association (from 2006)
At FIFA, CONCACAF, and CFU, Greene became known as a steady, diplomatic presence, serving on FIFA’s Futsal and Beach Football Commissions, CONCACAF’s Administration and Disciplinary Committees, and as a FIFA and CFU Match Commissioner.
From Sports to Statecraft
Chet Greene’s political life followed a similar arc to his sporting one: persistence, recalibration, and eventual leadership.
After beginning in the United Progressive Party and losing the St Paul’s candidacy to Elson Adams, he refused to retreat. Instead, he recalibrated.
Joining the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, Greene rose rapidly to become Party Chairman and was selected as the candidate for the St Paul Constituency. In 2014, he defeated Adams in the General Elections, overturning the earlier defeat. He was appointed Minister of Trade, Commerce and Industry, and of Sports, Culture and Community Services.
On retaining his seat in 2018, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Immigration, placing him at the centre of Antigua and Barbuda’s global diplomacy and the development of the country’s MICE industry (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) within the expanding tourism product.
Fluent in Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese, and now working on Mandarin, Greene is uniquely equipped to engage across cultures. He has represented Antigua and Barbuda at CARICOM, CELAC, OECS, ACS, COTED, OAS, ECLAC, the United Nations, and in Cuba–CARICOM and CARICOM–China summits.
He continues to serve as President of the Antigua and Barbuda Olympic Association, maintaining a rare dual role linking sport and statecraft.
Community Before Everything
For Chet Greene, public service begins at home. From the community playgrounds to caring for the vulnerable, to improving the quality of life for his constituents, it is his life’s work.
At the heart of this is the privately financed, largely from his personal resources Ya-SoSo Community Hub, a living centre of village life that houses:
- His constituency office
- WTP Radio
- A Computer and IT Centre
- A Recording studio
- Restaurant and laundromat
- Apartments
From that Hub, there are regular elderly exercise classes and related activities, steelpan sessions, youth technology programmes and academic support programmes, cultural workshops, health outreach programmes, and continuous engagement opportunities for all ages. The centre is a general safe space for community interaction. The Ya-So-So Hub is a place where generations meet and learn together.
The elderly of St Paul occupy a special place in EP’s DNA with companionship initiatives and practical assistance.
Greene also maintains a strong and active relationship with the religious community across St Paul’s, working closely with churches to support families, provide counselling pathways, and strengthen moral and social bonds.
The Calypsonian at Heart
Beyond politics and sport, Chet Greene is an avid songwriter, working mainly in calypso and soca, while also composing in other genres. An active supporter of The Arts, he uses his pen to express social commentary, cultural memory, and humour. For Greene, songwriting is another way of listening to people and giving their experiences a voice.
On some days, increasingly frequent in recent times, he fancies himself as a singer.
Time Capsule Reflection
Chet Greene’s story is not about sudden success. It is about consistent service. From cricket field to Cabinet, from penning calypso to international diplomacy, from Ya-So-So block to United Nations halls. His life shows that leadership is not a ladder to climb, but a circle that must always return to the people.
And in St Paul, that circle remains unbroken.