PRIME Minister Dr Andrew Holness on Monday challenged governments to move beyond traditional thinking about development, arguing that the greatest obstacle is not a shortage of money but the failure of States and institutions to deliver efficiently.

Speaking during a leadership conversation with his counterparts at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda, Holness said governments must treat “efficiency as a resource”, becoming more agile and responsive as citizens demand faster, more effective public services.

“The aim of the game now is delivery
— how fast can governments deliver benefits to their electorate,” said Holness, who has repeatedly underscored the importance of greater efficiency in government operations and the need to cut bad bureaucracy.

He pointed to technology and artificial intelligence as tools to improve efficiency, while stressing the need to keep “equity and fairness front and centre in our minds.”

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness meets Commonwealth Secretary General Shirley Botchwey on the opening day of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua. (Photo: Commonwealth Secretariat)

Joining Holness in the leadership conversation looking at how the Commonwealth can be ready for the future were Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, and Samoa’s Deputy Prime Minister Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molio’o.

Kagame argued that “there are investments that have to be made for countries to develop, for young people to find jobs and get skills”, and challenged the perception that investment in developing countries carries greater risks than in the “global north”, arguing that risks exist everywhere and can be mitigated through cooperation and pooled resources.

“I think the Commonwealth can be helpful in this,” he said.

Ale-Molio’o, meanwhile, argued that the Commonwealth’s strength lies in its people, relationships and collective responsibility.

“It’s not the house; it’s not the infrastructure that’s important. It’s the people in the house and the relationship that they have within… I imagine the Commonwealth as a Samoan family, as an extended family, where members take collective responsibility for one another. Our collective strength is our collective advantage,” she said.

The conversation will continue through a series of fora at which delegates will develop recommendations for leaders’ consideration.

Over the coming days, more than 500 delegates will draw on their experience and expertise to share ideas on a range of issues, including business growth, youth employment, skills development, and gender equality.

Official CHOGM deliberations began Monday with a renewed focus on creating bold trade and investment opportunities for member countries.

Commonwealth Secretary General Shirley Botchwey highlighted the importance of ensuring young people and women are heard in Commonwealth decision-making.

“Sixty per cent of Commonwealth citizens are under the age of 30. Half are women and girls. Together, these forums stand for about 80 per cent of our 2.7 billion people, yet their perspectives are still too often excluded from decision-making. That is why these forums matter,” Botchwey said.

She argued that the Commonwealth “cannot rest” while one in three women experiences gender-based violence, or “accept” that closing the economic gap between women and men could take more than a century-and-a-half at the current pace.

“We need to do things differently if we are to change the world,” the secretary general added. “Business as usual will not transform the lives of the majority of our youth and women. We need bold, innovative, ambitious action-oriented responses.”

She urged delegates to speak out boldly and hold leaders to account, stressing that their recommendations would help shape the decisions of Heads of Government.

In his remarks, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne challenged the delegates to turn ambition into practical action, adding “Do not leave these forums with only a declaration. Leave with a partnership. Leave with a commitment. Leave with a practical initiative capable of making a difference in the lives of Commonwealth citizens.

“Let the conversations that begin here in Antigua and Barbuda lead to investments made, opportunities created, and communities strengthened long after CHOGM 2026 has concluded.”

In his keynote address, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for Commonwealth countries to work together to strengthen democracy, build economic and climate resilience, protect free and fair trade, and shape emerging technologies for the benefit of people, as the world faces “considerable pressure”.