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STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA On Cooperation with the United States Regarding Third-Country Nationals
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda considers it appropriate to clarify the facts regarding its engagement with the United States on the possible acceptance of a very limited number of third-country nationals, including refugees.
In the interest of accuracy, transparency, and public confidence, the Government sets out below the relevant facts and context.
No secret or binding agreement
Antigua and Barbuda has not entered into any binding agreement with the United States to accept deportees or refugees.
What exists is a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding proposed by the United States, as part of its global efforts to share responsibility for refugees already present in its territory. Antigua and Barbuda was approached by the United States, along with more than one hundred governments worldwide, including several within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), to consider this non-binding arrangement.
The United States is today the country that hosts the largest number of refugees from across the world—individuals who cannot be returned to their countries of origin because doing so would expose them to serious harm, persecution, or grave reprisals. In response to this humanitarian reality, the United States has sought the cooperation of other governments to share the burden, by accepting such non-criminal refugees as they are able to do so safely and lawfully. Many countries have already agreed to this non-binding understanding.
This Understanding:
- creates no legal obligation on Antigua and Barbuda;
- commits the Government to no quotas or automatic acceptance of any persons; and
- may be terminated at any time, at Antigua and Barbuda’s sole discretion.
Claims that Antigua and Barbuda has been bound by a secret or coercive agreement are incorrect and misleading.
Full national control is retained
Under this non-binding Understanding:
- Antigua and Barbuda retains the absolute right to reject any individual proposed by the United States;
- all cases would be considered strictly on a case-by-case basis;
- no person with a criminal record would be accepted; and
- any consideration would be strictly limited, including an upper ceiling of no more than ten (10) persons per year, subject entirely to the Government’s discretion.
There is no surrender of sovereignty, no transfer of authority, and no loss of control over borders or national security.
This does not involve “importing deportees”
Antigua and Barbuda is not agreeing to accept deportees, nor to serve as a repository for individuals rejected by other countries.
The Understanding relates only to lawfully screened third-country nationals, including refugees already present in the United States, and only where Antigua and Barbuda is fully satisfied—on the basis of intelligence vetting and national security assessments—that acceptance would pose no risk to the country or its people.
A good-faith diplomatic step
The Prime Minister and the Attorney General authorised consideration of this Understanding as an act of good faith, reflecting Antigua and Barbuda’s willingness to cooperate with international partners where it is safe, lawful, and consistent with national interests.
This was not a concession, nor an attempt to trade people or curry favour. It was a measured diplomatic gesture, taken alongside many other responsible states, while preserving Antigua and Barbuda’s full discretion and control.
The wider context
Antigua and Barbuda is currently engaged in discussions with the United States on matters affecting:
- the restoration of normal visa issuance and renewals for Antiguan and Barbudan nationals; and
- technical issues relating to biometric standards and international identity assurance.
Good-faith cooperation across a range of issues is a normal feature of international relations. It does not mean compromising national security, sovereignty, or values.
A call for responsible discourse
Antigua and Barbuda remains a sovereign state, fully in control of its decisions and its borders. The Government will continue to act prudently, transparently, and in the best interests of the people of Antigua and Barbuda.
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If there’s no secrecy involved, then reveal to the citizens of Antigua & Barbuda (who pay your renumerations by our heard earned wages) how you came to this controversial decision?
That’s all WE the voters ask of our public servants
Laughing my ass off.
The fact that this arrangement was inked over 90 days ago and it took that long to inform the citizens of Antigua and Barbuda is troubling. And we were not even informed about it in Parliament. It took a conversation on a private radio station to inform citizens of this very egregious act. Not good enough by any standard. Antigua and Dominica – two governments in exactly the same position and they are negotiating with the US…..refugee for Visa!
You hear lie, well that is lie this man lies gonna take him down,he just too lie for a man and he’s so childish with his lies murder lies to kill
Me believe ya lie
This extrovert Gaston just contradict himself over and over.
This is a sad day, but not surprising. If it’s not binding, publish the text, so we can see for ourselves, but I will not hold my breath. The very fact that the US doesn’t want to accept these people means they are “rejects”. And this government has no ability to independently vet any deportee, so they would have to accept the word of the US government. This is even more galling given the fact that the US is now only accepting white south Africans. Thus, the party that facilitated the sale of arms to apartheid south Africa is now facilitating america’s white south African only refugee policy. Do bird people have any self-respect?
I don’t care if it’s binding or not.
What I do know is that this man is capable of making deals behind your backs, then later come back to say he was “Duped” or caught off guard.
Remember the Antigua Airways Debacle, where he dressed up that conundrum as ” Rich investors”?
He accepted refugees before, and he will do it again. So I don’t care if it’s binding or not, I know what this man is capable of, and that is to do things on his own and for his own selfish reasons.
Something is in this for GB, so he is contemplating this option the US presented to him.
The Airpeace deal was the same, and all the other deals he have made over the years.
They are all the same..all about his pockets.
And don’t forget his proposal for the Jolly Beach deal, he was deep in bed with a CIP recipient with that deal, and it’s all about his pockets.
Because how the hell you can come to the idea that you want to use social security monies to invest in some failed hotel?
Because there is something in it for him folks!
Think people, think.
This man is right in front of y’all, he’s right there, showing who he is, so why are y’all looking for someone else?
Stop being delusional Antiguan’s, trust me it’s not going to get better with him.
I must be dreaming…..
Lies
Lies
And more Lies…
I don’t believe a word .
Gaston brown I don’t believe you.
WHAT THE HELL…! …CONTENTIOUS ISSUE: …REFUGEE MIGRATION REQUEST
A BLUNDEROUS DIPLOMATIC MEDIA RELEASE:
***
THE CONTENTIOUS ISSUES:
FIRST:
(a) ‘…CLAIMING NO EXPERTISE IN ‘…INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY:
(b) … POSSESS NO COMPARABLE INTELLECT: to
(c) …MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: and
(d) …MINISTER OF DIPLOMACY, E. P. ‘Chet’ GREEN: nor that of
(e) …ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA US-BASED DIPLOMAT, SIR RONALD ‘Ron’ SAUNDERS: but
***
(f) …GUIDED: by
(i) …CERTAIN PROFESSIONAL TRAINING: and
(ii) …THE SPIRIT OF PERCEPTION: this response
(iii) …REASONABLY SUSPECTED TO HAVE BEEN PROVIDED: to
(a) …THE GOVERNMENT OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA: and
(b) …ITS WARY PEOPLE: mixing
(i) …REFUGEE MIGRATION REQUEST: with
(ii) …RESTORATION OF NORMAL VISA ISSUANCE:’ speaks to
(iii) …A ‘…BLUNDEROUS DIPLOMATIC MEDIA RELEASE.’
***
MINISTERIAL TRIO:
The ‘…MINISTERIAL TRIO: of
(i) ‘…PRIME MINISTER GASTON BROWNE:
(ii) …PRINCIPAL LEGAL ADVISER TO GOVERNMENT, SIR STEADROY ‘Cutie’ BENJAMIN: and
(iii) …FOREIGN MINISTER, E. PAUL ‘Chet’ GREENE.’
***
They shall be concerned with certain members of the ‘…DIPLOMATIC CORP.’
***
DIPLOMATIC MIXERS: ORANGES AND MANGOES:
Some darn ‘…DIPLOMATS’ seemed to have ‘
(a) ‘…MIXED ORANGES (Refugees): with
(b) …MANGOES (Issuance of Visas).’
[Paragraph 15: Wider Context].
***
WHAT THE HELL…!
***
Something is in this for Gaston. What $$$$? I wonder?
Why wasn’t the Nation informed 90 days ago?
Why we didn’t know this before
Sovereign nation? Refuse to accept a US deportee and see what happens.
Only the Lord Jesus could convince me of that. Antiguans do not really trust you, not even your supporters but because they support Labour they will side with you just because we are that divided in this country
What a ting gb wa u mean u wid no know about these people u lie how u know a 90 days ago when it sign off read an overstand before you sign anything.
Gaston is not you say you have expert negotiating skills and our visas will be safe?
Why you a peddle back now? Is it the big dog lost all he teeth and nothing but bark now? Or world boss now realised how disillusioned she has been all this time.
Look how Air Peace come to bite her in she ass. All them African come here and dissappeared just so. Plenty were smuggled out.
And the latest Air Peace drop off people in Barbados because they didn’t have the proper visas to go Jamaica. All the airlines check to make sure every passenger has the proper documents to travel before even letting them board the flight. All airlines that is except Air Peace. Damn scamps. The same scamps the PM in bed with.
We do not need any more outsiders here… we have enough of the vermin of the Caribbean here plus the expats, Chinese and Syrians.
hmmmmmmmm Interesting developments
Whether ten or one, the key issue is trust. Clear communication builds confidence
Some political actors deliberately misled the public for fear and clicks. This statement sets the record straight