Lovell Calls for Transparency as U.S. Visa Bond Raises Alarm in Antigua and Barbuda
Opposition politician, former finance minister and United Progressive Party candidate for All Saints West Harold Lovell on Wednesday sharply criticized the government’s handling of new U.S. visa bond requirements, accusing the administration of secrecy, poor communication and a failure to treat the issue as a national priority.
Speaking on Observer AM, Lovell said the requirement for Antiguans and Barbudans to post bonds of between US$5,000 and US$15,000 to obtain U.S. visitor visas affects every passport holder and should have been fully disclosed and debated in Parliament.
“This is a matter that affects all Antiguans and Barbudans. Once you hold an Antiguan and Barbudan passport, this affects you,” Lovell said. “The way it has been handled, it’s not as though it is a national issue. It’s being handled under a cloak of secrecy and silence, and the information is being released in drips and drabs, which does not build confidence for the people.”
Lovell said the government failed to adequately warn the public, despite earlier indications that Antigua and Barbuda could face U.S. entry restrictions. He argued that official responses at the time created a false sense of security.
“If we go back, we can see that early last year there was talk that Antigua could face some restrictions as far as entry into the U.S. is concerned,” he said. “Instead of addressing the matter seriously, the Prime Minister decided that he would beat his chest and say that nothing like this could ever happen, and he led the population into a false sense of security.”
Lovell said later explanations suggested that special arrangements had been secured, only for it to become clear that Antigua and Barbuda was subject to the same conditions as other countries on the U.S. list.
“There was nothing special that was arranged, and again a false narrative was created,” he said.
He questioned why the issue was never raised during the recently concluded budget debate and why details emerged only after public disclosures.
“We just concluded both in the Senate and in the House, and at no time did we hear any mention of any of these difficulties,” Lovell said. “People really want to be sure that things are being handled in a way that will build confidence, and right now there is clearly a lack of trust and confidence.”
Lovell also criticized the manner in which the matter was communicated, saying it required structured diplomatic engagement rather than informal explanations.
“This is a major foreign affairs issue,” he said. “Diplomacy doesn’t happen in a way that on a weekend you happen to pass by and you hear something. That’s not the way it works.”
He said the public was left uncertain as to whether officials were unaware of the impending U.S. action or aware but unwilling to share details.
“It’s either they don’t know or they know and they’re not telling us,” Lovell said. “Either way, it’s unacceptable.”
Lovell warned that the visa bond requirement could have serious consequences for citizens, particularly students, medical patients and business travelers, and said the cost alone would deter many people.
“If you’re applying, you have to place a bond of between $5,000 and $15,000, and that in itself will be a serious deterrent for persons and will be a major issue for most Antiguans and Barbudans,” he said.
He rejected partisan framing of the issue, describing it as a matter of national importance.
“This is a national issue. This is not a blue and white, blue and yellow, or red and white issue,” Lovell said. “The people have a right to know. We are a parliamentary democracy.”
Lovell said the government must provide full disclosure, outline how it intends to mitigate the impact on citizens and restore public confidence.
“The time has come really for the government to treat this matter seriously,” he said. “Let the people know exactly what is happening.”
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What answers bro the PM already made it clear… We taking deportees and refugees and we must likely gonna have to slow down with China 🇨🇳…..
It is no coincidence since the re-entry into Antiguans political arena the Honourable Harold Lovell, the elevation of the UPP continues upwards, whilst the misfortunes of the ABLP hits rock bottom.
Mr Lovell is absolutely correct in asking why the Visa Bond (US $15,000 dollars) is extortionately high for the man on the street and loose change for politicians and their like.
This unfair charge will harm students, businesses, visiting relatives and loved ones.
Mr Lovell is right mention this isn’t about political allegiance. This unjust ruling just doesn’t sit right with innocent and hardworking Antiguans.
Welcome back into Antiguan politics sir 👏🏾
MAY THE LORD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU 🙏🏾
Well Lovell, for the next 3 years you will have way more questions for this administration, way more.
For me, my questions have been already answered, so good luck with that.
My best advice for you, is for you not to seek answers from this PM (because you will not get the truth) but to honker down and get your people on board for the next faze in Antigua’s history.
And that is a Government that really looks out for its people. One who consults with its people, and not only informs them, but collaborates with them.
I know other countries have a lot of say in Antigua’s politics right now, you name it, from the Chinese to the Dominican Republic.
So how are your people going to have a voice again about their own affairs,the Antiguan people, is for you to figure out going forward.
It’s not going to be overnight, but if we are a sovereign nation as we claim, the people of Antigua must get back their voices. Not to show-off and shame other nations, but for the very love of their islands that they were born with.
Yes we can always reached out and help others, but that cannot be over the help of your own people.
I leave it at that.
@Brixtonia. Ha Ha Ha!
Where in high Heaven’s is Faithful National #1, I know how you hate Lovell so I expect this will bring you from hiding or are you you ashamed of your Leader’s handling of the issue
US$5,000 to US$15,000 is easy-peasy for Antiguans. We are the powerhouse nation with $60,000 per capita income.
Yeah no, this isn’t something we can debate on or influence it’s a foreign policy that we have no influence on a not something you can blame this government on because this is a policy that been planned on for a while by the US and Trump administration base on his hatred for non-white countries it’s been blanket applied to African, Latin American and Asian nations. The same places he been calling shithole countries and places he said belongs to US and and their oil.
@Faithful National #2, ever since ANR commentators called him out for his blatant and unpalatable “black boy” comments against the Honourable Jamal Pringle, National #1 has gone underground and into hiding.
Ah good! He was another ABLP supporter that couldn’t string two words together anyway.
Enjoy your day 👍🏾
@ Young Antiguan Communist
It’s idiotic to think and write this is not something you can blame this government on because this is a policy that been planned on for a while by the US and Trump administration base on his hatred for non-white countries.
It’s universally known if not accepted, thst Trump and his MAGA supporters are racist. That is primarily the reason he was elected twice.
Gaston Browne and his Government has tried to be slick with his “friends of all and enemies of none” BS.
You can’t be a SIDS and think that you are going to get away with something like that.
Think about it; on hand you declare you are on your way to being a economic powerhouse but at the same time you go begging as a SIDS
Gaston has played footsie with China as the US looked on waiting for the right moment to put a peach in his mouth and a stick up his rear ended
That’s why Antigua and Barbuda is being crushed.
It’s always the small man and woman who feels the pain.
You, me and others are here for we do not have a robust media to inform and educate the masses.
For 75 years since the emergence of the Antigua Labor Party we have practiced being a society of character assassination.
Gaston Browne is a master of the practice of Degrade, disfigure and destroy.
Soon Max “Mongoose” Hurst will be responding to Lovell with his version of lies to reinforce Gaston which is the ABLP norm.
@ Brixtonian, and Faithful National #2,
Don’t you know the drill?
When it’s hot in the kitchen; Tenman and Faithful National #1 hit and run. Sometimes tgry don’t even hit; they just keep running
They high tail it and go cool out til things cool down.
That’s the pattern. This is one where they have to stay in hiding for awhile.
@ Brixtonian
Wow!! Faithful National #1 used a “black boy” comment about Pringle
People that were close to Lester Bird have told me that’s a derogatory term he used privately with frequency.
As many like @Islanman26 already knows we have a disdain for our own people.
People ,please pause and think. St.kitts and Nevis, st. Lucia and Grenada also have a CIP program. The bond wasn’t place on them. Why it was placed on Antigua and Dominca? Our former economic envoy Alex Saab turned informant for the CIA, after he was held in Cape Verde by the US enroute to Iran. He was released in 2023 for exchanged of 10 Americans that was in jail in Venezuela. Now,from news outlets we are hearing allegations of Caribbean politicians complicit in allowing to pay a blind eye in drug trafficking through our waters to North America. This is very strange !
Anyone running on the Trump is a racist card is a DUNCE…Trump not racist Trmp has alot of black friends who he’s very close to but they’re rich blacks people….Trump doesn’t care about ur race he cares about if you have enough money to be in his orbit….
In some ways we are a confused nation.
We object to Gaston Browne secretly agreeing to accept migrants from the US who are likely to have criminal backgrounds.
On the other hand we accept and love the migrant grifters from North America and Europe who arrive to our shores smiling while calling themselves “expatriate”.
Some of whom have well documented criminal history.
We open our arms to them and expedite their needs.
Black peoples of African descent are forced to live with all form of stifling Government regulations
that’s kept in place as part of the corruption machine.
Rather than having open borders for all; it’s time to institute initiatives and policies that enables people of African descent to take Antigua and Barbuda back into their own.
I’m against your CIP program, and by doing so am safeguarding the US from possible terrorists and other criminal elements, on the other hand, I demand you take these Refugees off my hand, of which some may have terrorists intent and a criminal mind, but who knows, just make sure you no ge them no passport.