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Browne Defends Integrity, Dismisses $10M Alfa Nero Allegations as ‘Fabricated Nonsense’

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has launched a robust defence of his administration’s handling of the Alfa Nero yacht sale, rejecting as “utter rubbish” allegations that US$10 million went missing from the transaction.

Speaking during a lengthy interview on Browne and Browne, the Prime Minister outlined the full history of the sale, the flow of funds, and the political context he says gave rise to the accusations. He accused opposition figures of colluding with foreign actors to fabricate corruption claims in an attempt to destabilise the government and tarnish the country’s reputation abroad.

Browne stated that the Alfa Nero was sold for US$40 million and emphasised that the entire sum was paid directly into the government’s Treasury. A full reconciliation, he said, was prepared by the Financial Secretary, documenting the receipt of funds, their allocation, and the associated bank transfers.

“Every single cent is accounted for,” Browne said. “The funds went into the Treasury, not into the pockets of any individual, and no credible evidence has been presented to suggest otherwise.”

The Prime Minister described the shifting allegations as a sign of desperation by his political opponents. Initially, he noted, the opposition claimed that US$10 million was missing from the US$40 million sale price. When that was publicly disproved through official financial documentation, he said, critics then alleged that the original payment was US$50 million — an assertion for which, Browne insisted, they have produced no contractual evidence.

“First they said 10 million out of 40 was missing. When the Treasury’s full reconciliation was made public, and it showed 40 million accounted for, they shifted the story to claim that 50 million was paid,” he said. “Yet they cannot show any contract, any document, any proof to back up that claim.”

Browne said the Financial Secretary, who he praised as a person of unimpeachable integrity, had verified all the transactions. He further defended other senior officials implicated in the controversy, warning that continued attacks on career public servants were damaging the country’s institutional credibility.

“This reckless behaviour affects not just me,” he said. “It harms the very people who keep our government functioning — hardworking, honest public servants — and it damages our international reputation.”

The Prime Minister also accused the opposition of feeding misinformation to foreign litigants involved in ongoing lawsuits over the Alfa Nero yacht. He alleged that they provided fabricated claims about his personal finances, including false reports of him allegedly being worth US$700 million and owning undisclosed assets abroad.

“They listed 29 fabricated allegations of corruption — from selling Venezuelan oil to owning oil companies and real estate in North America and Europe,” Browne said. “It is complete fantasy, yet it has been weaponised against Antigua and Barbuda.”

Browne said he intended to pursue legal action against those responsible, both foreign and domestic, warning that the disinformation campaign not only threatened his personal reputation but risked damaging the country’s relationships with key partners, including the United States.

He pointed to social media posts by foreign attorneys suggesting that Antigua and Barbuda’s visa privileges could be at risk, describing such comments as dangerous and irresponsible.

“When you peddle lies internationally, you put tourism, investment, and even our visa access in jeopardy,” Browne said. “This is not just petty politics. It is reckless sabotage of the nation’s interests.”

Browne insisted he would not be intimidated by what he described as a coordinated attempt to discredit him, reaffirming his commitment to transparency and national service.

“I have stood firm for 25 years in politics,” he said. “I have nothing to hide. I have always stood in the truth, and no amount of fabrication or foreign interference will break me.”

The Prime Minister concluded by calling on citizens to reject the politics of misinformation and to defend the integrity and reputation of Antigua and Barbuda on the world stage.

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