Prime Minister Gaston Browne has stated that no official Cabinet decision has been made regarding the banning of skin-lightening products in Antigua and Barbuda, despite recent public suggestions to the contrary.
Responding to a listener’s question during his Pointe FM radio programme, Browne said he was not aware of any formal policy commitment to outlaw such products. “I believe it was a government official who made that statement, but I can say there is no official policy decision to that effect,” he said.
The clarification follows public remarks made by a government representative suggesting legislation was being drafted to ban certain cosmetics containing skin-lightening chemicals, citing potential health risks.
However, the Prime Minister’s remarks indicate that while discussions may be ongoing within certain departments, the issue has not yet reached the level of formal government action.
Critics have argued that such a ban would amount to government overreach, pointing to other harmful products such as cigarettes that remain legally available. Some have called for the introduction of warning labels rather than outright prohibition.
The matter remains under public scrutiny, with Browne’s statement suggesting that further internal deliberation is likely before any policy is finalised.
