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Astaphan Backs Use of Public Funds for PM’s Legal Fees in Alfa Nero Case
Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan has defended the Antigua and Barbuda Cabinet’s decision to cover Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s legal fees in the Alfa Nero court battle, insisting the matter stems from official government business.
Astaphan argued that the Prime Minister was targeted specifically in his capacity as head of government, and therefore, public funds should be used to defend the state’s actions.
“An attack on him is an attack on the country,” he said.
However, the move has sparked public concern over the mounting legal costs, with critics questioning whether taxpayers should shoulder the burden of a lawsuit involving powerful foreign interests.
“How are we going to afford this problem brought by people who have more money than our national budget?” a caller asked on a local radio programme.
Astaphan maintains that the government has acted appropriately, stating, “Had he not been Prime Minister, this would never have happened.”
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If the UPP employed him to give a legal position on the matter, what do you think he will tell the UPP?
Whether the fees are justified or not, how did we end up in a lawsuit with people who can bury us financially? What safeguards does our government have in place before jumping into murky international waters?
Only in Antigua and Barbuda can a Prime Minister saddle us with a luxury-yacht legal crisis and expect us to thank him for it. This government is bleeding public funds while citizens struggle with healthcare, housing, and jobs.
Every time something big like this happens, it’s the poor man who ends up paying for the fallout. When will leadership start being financially accountable for their own decisions?
If the PM acted on behalf of the government, then fine, but we need transparency. Was this really government business or a personal overreach disguised as such? The people deserve to see the documents before footing the bill.
“Had he not been Prime Minister, this would never have happened.”
Seems like this do not understand, had he not been Prime Minister, what is happening now would never have happened (l.o.l.).
We will see what happen in the Courts.
I suspect that if a certain person is not successful, charges of malfeasance in public office will come in the future.
🤔 I don’t normally comment on political stuffs but, I’m just wondering why? U know it’s just a question. Don’t badge me. Did the public also pay for that defamation case in Grenada, where the Pm. Lost and had to pay millions to the other party? I’m just asking, because I just want to know if the PM CANNOT AFFORD HIS OWN LEGAL FEES. God is watching. I’m not judging and I don’t know how the government set up. I’m just asking. U know life is hard while ministers get everything free. Light water gas phone cars food at friends restaurants free drinks, and still public paying for stuffs. Where is u all conscience. Have some mercy on poor people. We have to pay for everything that just keep rising in prices. People God is watching. Pm I voted for you and will vote for you again because I’ve always admire your leadership ways long before you were PM. Bur just please watch yourself with God.
Once a matter come up illegally and it of national concern,the government have to do whatever it’s takes to protect the economy of the country….
If the UPP, really did love Antigua and Barbuda,And the Leader as well…
Everything would have been okay
Honestly speaking having a opposition party that doesn’t care about good governance,that party will never see the good of the government….
I have said it many times and I will say it again. The level of ignorance and stupidity in this country is unprecendented for a country that has had free education for all, for decades. Secondly read, research and understand the issues before you open your mouth. Alfa Nero was sanctioned by the mighty USA. We are a tiny country very dependent on the USA. Under the sanction, anyone or country that did business with a sanctioned entity was also liable to sanction. Alfa Nero was abandoned. Staff was not being paid, local suppliers were owed. Since it was sanctioned and without fuel to move or staff, it could not be moved. It was a danger to the yachting industry as if a hurricane came and God forbid, it sank in Falmouth Harbour that would have been the end of the yachting industry which employs hundreds and contributes millions to the economy. There is no salvage company in the Caribbean that could raise a sunk vessel of this size. Ask St. Maarten what happened to their yachting industry in 2017 after boats sank at marinas during the hurricances. Quite a few times the government had to buy fuel to move Alfa Nero during storms and also had to pay to maintain a skeleton crew for just these emergencies. All of this well before the yacht was nationalised. And all of this time there was no owner and no one taking responsibility. The government did what any responsible government had to do. This is a superyacht that takes 75,000 gallons of fuel with a crew of 25 to operate. This is not a small sail boat.
@Reds, good history lesson but as you can see from some comments, there are those who prefer to avoid these truths. Saw a post in another forum where someone suggested we should have just gone after the maintenance cost. Funny thing is many of them, when we were paying for maintenance insisted we stop since there was no end in sight.
What if the ruling goes against him after spending our money on legal fees? He hasn’t even been charged with anything so what is the real issue?
Must back that since he is on the payroll
@Reds – [educated] fuckery. Nuff said!
REDS, you just deposited one load of bullshit, I am of the opinion that the government could have a avoided all this just get the yacht out of our territory and into open waters and problem over. Now when it comes to Astaphan I do not expect to hear anything better, remember he is collecting his handsome fee, it is also my opinion that the money gluts in office saw an opportunity and decided to make a grab. Where is Faithful National # 1 on this hope his head is still not up the Top Dawg behind you’ll see nutten but feaces
The action is against him as PM and some other public officials. If public officials have to pay the legal cost for actions they took in their official capacity, they would take no action. The only other option is for the public to provide (pay) them indemnity insurance
I realize that the Reds doesn’t understand what’s happening. The sale of the boat is secondary to the sale price. The MAN said that he received US$40mil but the buyer said that he paid US$50 mil so we need to know about the US$ 10 mil. Can you help?
Astaphan, Harry Potter, you do not give one crap.As long as your arse gets paid.Could you tell the people of Antigua and Barbuda. How much money you have made defending the Labor Party Operatives over the past decade.I am fully aware, you are into the Bird family by marriage . Antigua is not willed to you or to them.
@Reds. You are a fool if you think your sympathetic argument can pass the smell test before a impartial judge that this case is now before!
Yes yes yes to many of the things you said, but to every action, there has to be a reaction, and you must plan for the reaction, which this PM didn’t do. He didn’t dot all his I’s and cross all his T’s, and that’s where this PM keep coming up short, and keep failing Antiguan’s.
You can pick any case in the pass 3 years, and you will see the same outcome in his actions. Responsible actions, are actions which ways the pros and the cons, and this Administration is terrible at it.
Just look at this case, the Antigua Airways debacle, the Air Peace deal with Lait2020, the hurricane funds, the Shuggy case, him playing favorite farther to his sons rental deals. All of them have the same MO, his way or no one else.
So while your details of this case may be on point and could be certainly true, this man continues to get himself in some messy stuff, and why?
Nothing that this PM have done was inevitable as you may eloquently try to potray, they were choices he made, and many of them were bad choices.
Good intentions alone does not cut it in court..and though you might give the PM credit for his so-called good intentions, his choices are flawed with his contempt for his peers and for his pigheadedness to not listen to anyone else.
The “dunning kruger effect” is what this man suffers from.
another clown, just look at him smh!!
Sorry. (Weigh)