February 9, 1967 – Gaston Alfonso Browne was born on to Harold Browne (Grays Farm) and Patricia Richards (Bishopgate Street). His formative years spanned Potters, Grays Farm and Bishopgate Street, where his single parent household eventually settled.
His early years, though challenging, were never designed to be the parameters of his impact on his community and nation. Raised initially by his 84-year-old blind grandmother he did not benefit from pre-school education. As a result of the health challenges afflicting the head of the household his mom, he and his sister Blondell were largely left on their own and prime beneficiaries of their neighbours generosity, a village concept which served many communities across the length and breadth of the twin-island.
His natural aptitude served him well through his primary and secondary education at the Villa Primary School and the Princess Margaret School. He commenced his tertiary education at the Antigua State College, then the City Banking College (UK) – BSc Banking and Finance, culminating with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), majoring in Banking and Finance from the University of Manchester (UK).
From his earliest working days, Browne always had an entrepreneurial spirit. While on the nine-to-five as a banker, he tried his hand at a car dealership, import-export and early real estate. He would also lend support to close colleagues in their business expansion efforts. His support for business development combined with his on-the-job experience, professional development, and excellent work ethic landed him in the position of Commercial Banking Manager at the Swiss American National Bank overseeing just over a billion dollars (EC$) loans portfolio in the domestic space.
Outside business, he was a regular on the ‘bloc’ at Baker’s Corner in the Point where he became a minor Warri legend.  He fancied himself as a baller, representing his community for some years with the Point Westham Football Club, but mostly earning his stripes in the community leagues.
He was also a frequent contributor to many philanthropic ventures in the Point & Villa community in particular those benefiting the young people, including the feeding program at the Villa Primary School and scholarship initiatives to support secondary and tertiary education for scores of youths in the community.
His political foray began in 1997 in St. John’s City West when the Antigua Labour Party’s (ALP) search for a replacement for the then parliamentary representative Henderson Simon ensued. As part of this process, he was instrumental in solidifying Team City West, a community development unit, and the Dredge Bay Community Group which was responsible for the fencing of the Dredge Bay playfield and the second major feeding program at the Villa Primary School. He was also integral in the construction of a wing at the Villa Primary School dedicated to exposing the youths of the school and the general community to music (playing and production).
As the Constituency Representative for St. John’s City West in 1999, he unveiled the City West 2010 Plan, which was a visionary look at the future of the Point and Villa Communities to include many of the infrastructural upgrades visible today, including the fisheries complex, the Covehead Housing Development and the upgrading main seaport facility located in the constituency. During his early years as Member of Parliament, he also secured the most important ‘concreting’ of the walkways in the Booby Alley area. This was a most significant achievement not only providing entrepreneurial opportunities for the community but also permanently resolving the issues related to muddy and unsanitary public walking areas in the community. He also secured financing outside the central government’s resources to upgrade the basic education services in the community through significant improvements to the physical plant of the Vila Primary School.
By 2021 work commenced on the overhaul and upgrading of the housing and infrastructure of the Booby/Boos Alley Area, another key component in the constituency development plan he revealed at the start of his political stewardship. By 2023 the area was cleared and awaiting the construction phase  and the eventual repopulation by the majority of the original residents of the area.
Browne served in the Sir Lester Bird led ALP Administration as Minister of Planning, Implementation and Public Service Affairs (March 1999 –  June 2003) then Minister of Public Service, Trade, Planning and Implementation (June 2003 – March 2004)  and Trade. During that period, he also served as director of Liat (1974) Ltd and the Antigua Pier Group. His constituents returned him to Parliament for the two terms his party was the main opposition.
In November 2012 Browne was elected as leader of the ALP his second challenge to Sir Lester Bird.  He was appointed Leader of the Opposition in the Lower House in December 2012. He set about rebranding the party which included officially amending the party’s name to include Barbuda. A noteworthy element of his journey to leadership in politics was his strong views on policies that should influence national development which would occasionally put him at odds with his party hierarchy and official stance.  He is on the record endorsing measures implemented by the government while in opposition in support of his philosophical outlook that ‘I would rather be an ordinary citizen in a successful nation than the leader of a failed state‘.
In June 2014 he reaped ultimate success defeating the United Progressive Party (UPP). Voter turnout increased ten percent (10%) from the previous election and his party won fourteen (14) of the seventeen (17) seats to include  Barbuda. He was sworn in as Prime Minister on June 13.
He has since mounted two successful defenses of his party’s stewardship, retaining governance in the 2018 and 2023 general elections.  He is the only post-independence political leader to have won three successive terms from the electorate.  He has served as Minister of Finance throughout his tenure as Prime Minister to date.
He has embraced an untraditional mix of policies that has generally served the nation well while remaining at the ‘centre’ of discussions for his style of leadership. Since leading his ABLP to a successful election in 2014 and again in 2018 and 2023, serving three (3) terms as Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Browne has embraced an untraditional mix of policies that has generally served his country well, while remaining at the ‘center’ of discussion for his style of leadership. Landmark successes under his stewardship include: ensuring the expansion of domestic ownership in the important financial services sector and the expansion of affordable, quality, internationally recognised education options at the tertiary level with the introduction of the 4th landed campus of the University of West Indies in Antigua and Barbuda.
His foray into the international and regional governance forums and institutions has been considered by many as brash but has redounded to the benefit of the national economy.
Browne’s indelible entrepreneurial spirit has sparked endless controversy locally. Many concerns are raised openly and quietly in terms of the line of separation between his personal pursuits and national development opportunities but this has not resulted in any major fallout to impact his status as a Member of Parliament or Prime Minister. His general outlook and continuous encouragement, even active guidance offered to citizens and residents to pursue business development is a distinguished feature.
Hon. Prime Minister Gaston A. Browne remains a driven, fierce competitor, driven to high standards, determined to lead his country of Antigua and Barbuda to the next level of socio-economic development. His work continues!