Editor’s Note: We have added the recording of the complete statement for its full context. As well as a statement below from Prime Minister Browne. We accept that the quotations used in our early report may not have conveyed clearly and accurately what the PM said.
The quote should have read; “Andrew called me up, quite skeptical, concerned about financial viability. He said, ‘Gaston, I hope you can pay your bills because Jamaicans are NOT paying your bills.’ We apologise for the misquotation.
Here is the statement from PM Browne. Also listen to the attached video recording below:
“Andrew having initially expressed concerns about our capacity to fund the campus, eventually concurred after I provided him with the details of the funding infrastructure that we had established.
I would have indicated that his was reasonable and was prompted by the chronic and ballooning arrears of Antigua & Barbuda to UWI.
Eventually a decision was made by the University Council that all of the arrears had to be cleared, as a condition precedent, in order to get the approval for the fourth landed campus. We not only cleared the $20M, but paid an additional $15M for the first year of operations.
The initial statement was not made with any acrimony or any intention to impugn. I fact, reiterated the strong collegial relationship with Andrew. It was merely a recount of the challenges we had in establishing the campus.
I reiterate that the above is a true and factual account of what transpired and stand by my statement.
Kindly note that, At no point did I say in the video that Jamaica was funding Antigua.
I even asked you to review the video to satisfy yourself that no such comment was ever made.
I trust that the same courtesy will be extended in publishing my response and that the original article would be amended to reflect precisely what was said.”
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