Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne has warned people issuing death threats against him and his family not to “test” him because he is prepared to defend himself and his loved ones.

His government is facing criticism over its move to mandate either COVID-19 vaccination or regularly testing for some public sector workers, and several protests have been staged in the twin-island nation.

The issue of mandatory vaccination has been the cause of demonstrations in other parts of the Caribbean, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, and Guyana.

Speaking on local radio, the tough-talking Antigua leader said he was “not afraid”.

“Stop the foolish rhetoric….If you come close to me talking about you are threatening me, you will get hurt….Could you not test me?

“I’m not promoting any violence here, but I want y’all to understand that I’m very spontaneous when it comes to people who bring violence to me. I’m going to defend myself always….Those of you who are sending these messages, who are posting these things on social media, I’m asking you to cease because if y’all come close to me and threaten me, ya will get hurt,” the Prime Minister said on Pointe FM, where the host read a graphic post in which one individual threatened to kill Browne, his wife, his son and his 10-month-old daughter.

“You see like how they chop Comrade Ralph [Gonsalves] in his head? The same stone that they throw at Ralph, if they throw it at me they got it back in their face,” Browne added, referring to the August 5th incident in which a protestor outside Parliament in Kingstown threw a stone that hit the Vincentian Prime Minister in the head, resulting from a concussion.

Prime Minister Browne accused opposition forces of encouraging people to act violently against him.