During the Cabinet weekly press briefing on Thursday, Lionel Max Hurst, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister, made it clear that the Governor General (GG) does not possess the authority to initiate a public inquiry.
He emphasized that the decision to conduct an inquiry lies solely with the Cabinet, which advises the Governor General accordingly to facilitate the necessary documentation.
Hurst dismissed the Opposition UPP’s attempt to present a petition to the Governor General, highlighting their awareness of the GG’s limitations in calling an inquiry.
He explained that the authority and financial resources required for such an undertaking rest with the Cabinet, rather than the Governor General.
Hurst regarded the petition delivery as a mere public relations campaign, lacking substance and serving only as a display of showmanship and politics.
He reiterated that the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda holds the rightful authority to address the matter at hand. The petition, signed by thousands of residents, sought an inquiry to clear the country’s name, as the issue involving Antigua Airways has garnered regional and worldwide attention.
Antigua Airways had previously operated chartered flights to Antigua and Barbuda under a government arrangement.
However, this relationship is presently under review and has been deemed “defunct” by Prime Minister Gaston Browne. The situation arose when Antigua Airways and another flight from Lagos left hundreds of West Africans stranded on the island after duplicating the route. Consequently, many of the stranded individuals, primarily through illegal means, have been leaving the island in their quest to reach the United States.
Tragically, one of these illegal escape attempts resulted in the capsizing of a small fishing boat just off the coast of St Kitts, claiming the lives of over a dozen individuals.
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Who’s going to listen to you Mr Lionel Hurst after your recent disastrous conference meeting regarding the airline/African smuggling fiasco, where you, the Immigration Officer Katrina Yearwood, commissioner Rodney had left the journalists and critical thinking Antiguans none the wiser.
WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO FOOL? YOURSELF?
Certainly he cannot fool you. But I’m surprise that you who claim to be so educated doesn’t know these things. What do you really know then. I know you are a Browne hater and that blurs your mind and your intellect. You cannot think straight at all. All sense and sensibility has left you.
Poor you. And I guess the UPP leadership is to blame, cause they know how it works. They were in power for ten years, and the Labour Party called for many inquiries, but none were held. Because they are the ones that are calling the shots. This is not like Turks and Caicos where the governor can call an investigation into the government. They are still dependent on Britain. Antigua and Barbuda is a Unitary Independent State
As per normal, I always respond to the article(s) at hand; and this one pertains to Lionel Max Hurst wayward views. However, I’m happy that you make it about Brixtonian (again).
FILL YOUR BOOTS @ SIDELINE 😁
I can’t recall smuggling any Africans into the country; I can’t remember when I reneged on public sector wages; come to think of it, I can’t even recall being made accountable for the CIP and NAMCO funds.
But guess who has?
And Lionel Hurst supports all of the above – who would have thought that?
I’m so use as the messenger of TRUTH being attacked, because that’s all the ABLP acolytes have got. No problem, I enjoy it!
One day, you’ll respond to what I’ve actually said.
KEEP DEFLECTING … NO PROBLEM!
Calling your make up stories truth doesn’t make it so. One day you will wake up from your sleep and slumber. Until then sleep well.
Sadly it seems that you are suffering from DUNNING-KRUGER effect, but you just don’t recognise it.
You have a limited knowledge or competence, and you continually overestimate your intellectual abilities, especially when dealing with Antiguan politics, current affairs, and – well anything really!
The thing is @ From The Sideline, nobody can help you unless you understand that you have the DUNNING-KRUGER symptoms.
But don’t worry my friend, the DUNNING-KRUGER effect is all about the illusion of you thinking and believing that you are smarter than you really are.
ALWAYS REMEMBER, WHEN BRIXTONIAN WRITES THE ABLP ACOLYTES TAKES FLIGHT … 🛫
If your hands are clean show it! If it is dirty hide it!
What we are witnessing is lies and deception right here, the reluctance shows alot. Anti corruption we stand for but don’t want to prove and call an inquiry. A guilty man who wants to appear innocent will never call police on himself. If alot of members are involved would they ask for an inquiry? We have alot of dishonest people leading the country. One day alot will be unfold.
Whoever.
Call the inquiry now !
If Max is right and one never knows, for Max needs to lie as we need air to breath.
Let’s be honest with ourselves. I recalled Teflon Don uncle Novell Richards living in a 2 story house surrounded by gardens and fruit trees when most if Liberta lived in thrash houses. Other than their mental challenges grabbing everything of value in sight is a family business. Right now Gaston is like “Teflon Don” with the puppies called Cabinet sitting at the table grabbing the crumbs at the table.
The Governor General is among the puppies. See what happened to Asot? You cross Teflon Don and you are vanquished. Rodney was not going to even say he has no such authorization.
So the question is: How you (we) get rid of Teflon Don?
I Remember the debate re the MBS inquiry where Tim Hector pointed this out. It has come up again and again, yet up to now those who don’t want to accept that fact, still continue to pretend denial. Funny thing is when the UPP was in government, they acknowledged this fact
Another old fart that needs to go and retire..yes you chief of so called staff!!
It’s really sad to hear how you spread so much propaganda on a daily basis..
Don’t worry you get your cumuppence when you go to the great beyond.
It shall be lawful for the Governor-General whenever he shall deem it advisable, to issue a commission to appoint appointing one or more commissioners, and authorizing such;siuns of commissioners, or any quorum of them therein mentioned, to inquire into the conduct or management of any depart- ment of the public service in Antigua and Barbuda, or of any public officer of Antigua and Barbuda, or of any parish or district thereof, or into any matter in which an inquiry would, in the opinion of the Governor-General, be for the public welfare.
The above is from the Commissions of Inquiry Act of Antigua and Barbuda. Max Hurst is nothing but a stinking, dirty liar, to quote from a song. People like Lionel Hurst and others, are nothing but a scourge on this country. The day will come when these voices will be silent. Evil and corruption shall not always reign. Nowhere in the Act does it support anything this idiot claims. But, alas, this clown, claimed that folks on that infamous August 8th had stones in their bags. A judge already ruled that this man IS NOT CREDIBLE. Need I say more?
@Brixtonian May 21, 2023 At 9:52 pm
Not know that the Governor General doesn’t have the power of calling any investigation in the government shows me a lot of where you stand intellectually. This is basic knowledge. You do not need to hear it from Max Hurst. Even past events in our politics would have taught us that. But your intellectual capacity is blinded by the hatred you have for the administration. And then you want to come here and sound intellectual. And I showed you that the Labour Party is the only party that held public inquiries into its own administration. Nor did the PLM nor UPP do such a thing. And not that there were no scandals that needed investigation. The WPP was purchased never worked for more than three months. Antigua lost US$57Million. We never got insight as to how this was possible. Public Works spend one billion dollars on roadworks in St. John’s. The sidewalks were plastered with some sort of marble. The sporting fields were fenced for a ridiculous amount of money. A bathroom was built at JASCO for over $600K. The Labour Party called for inquiries but got none. The GG didn’t even entertain them with a meeting. So, we, all right-thinking individuals, know the GG cannot call an inquiry unless the Prime Minister agrees to it. By the way, which budget head can the GG spend taxpayers’ monies under? Does he have a budget line item for Public Inquiries? Get educated before you speak. Don’t let the UPP lead you down fool’s street.
@Sideline, why do you Labourites always revert back to the past to justify the corruption and incompetence of the current Gaston Browne led ALP mis-administration? It’s like what Cutie Benjamin is doing now. Trying to make right what was wrong yesterday.
Noone has the time to waste “hating” this administration. It’s the devastation and reduction of our country into abject poverty and squalor that we hate; when this incompetent, narcissistic idiot has collected and borrowed what amounts to in excess of 14 billion dollars.
How come with this excess, they are not paying people? This is why garbage has gone uncollected for weeks.
You may not be interested in an inquiry because of what it will unveil, but as a born Antiguan, I want to know. Our future hangs in the balance and we cannot afford to allow one man to tarnish our country.