Opposition calls for dismissal of senior government minister

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The main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) has called on Prime Minister Gaston Browne to dismiss his Investment and Trade Minister, Asot Michael, who has been implicated among Caribbean politicians for allegedly receiving bribes from a British investor.

Michael has denied the accusation that unfolded in a British High Court last Friday in a matter involving Peter Virdee, whose telephone conversations with his business partner, Dieter Trutschler, in 2016, had been recorded by German authorities.

According to the transcript of the document revealed in the High Court, Virdee alleges that Michael had asked him for two million dollars, as well as to buy a car for his mother.

UPP political leader Harold Lovell said that Michael should either step down or for Prime Minister Browne to relive him of his portfolio.

“This once again drags the name of Antigua and Barbuda into the mud and Antigua and Barbuda cannot take any more of this bad publicity.

“It is absolutely important that Mr. Michael should do the right thing and he should resign immediately. Failing an immediate resignation Prime Minister Gaston Browne ought to relive him immediately of his responsibilities,” Lovell said on Observer Radio.

He said it is not fair to the country for the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) government to be constantly be dragging us through the mud scandal after scandal. Antigua and Barbuda can take no more”.

Late last year, Michael was dismissed as tourism and investment minister after he was detained by the Metropolitan Police in London.

…the arrest itself is sufficient for me to revoke immediately his appointment as a Cabinet member and to relieve him of all Ministerial portfolios until this matter is resolved,” Browne said then.

But Michael contested the March 21 general elections on an ABLP ticket.

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22 COMMENTS

  2. wait! Hold up! Let me get this straight. When the report of Asot’s detainment first surface last year and the PM fired him from his Cabinet, the UPP said he was too swift in his decision. Fast forward today, they are saying he is moving to slow and should now fire him?? Which is it?

    • No body in antigua can touch him but ….. When the English man come for him to take him back to answer all these charge tell me who going stop them this is just the bigging more to come

  4. I agree that Asot Micheal should be fired while in the same breath who Harold Lovell think he is talking about Antigua name being drag in the gutter or did he forget the name John Ashe. Lovell you and former PM Spencer should not open ypur mouth and talk cause it is like tj kettle telling the pot its bottom black

    • Tell me again about the scandals that Mr Lovell and Mr Spencer were involved! I don’t recall. Who hired John Ashe? Ok.
      I recall FIFA and Chet
      Asot and the original tapes with Lester.
      Asot and the $40 million frombPublic Works, Asot and sexual misconduct, Asot and indecent behaviour just on the heels of elections. I am out of breath and it is only AsotbI am referring to.
      Wrong in any corner spells wrong!

    • Exactly. Lovell is just looking to score “political points” but the people of this country nah chewpit nar yam fooly-bush.

  5. Such a innocent man he is not doing anything he is the best minister in alp hands down….this is made up story asot is an angel pure angel…….

    • Why?
      Since I knew myself Antigua has been infamous under ALP.
      Guns to South Africa
      Drugs to Columbia
      Robert Vesco
      IHI
      There have been so many books on the topic.
      Anybody remember the Carla Samuels cheques and VC?
      Vete Jr. and the 14 million from France for the airport resurfacing
      Any

  8. I MUST SAY THAT ASOT LEARNED ALOT FROM PARHAM AND PARES PEOPLE…..LOOK HOW ASOT BEGGING AND DEMANDING I WANT A WATCH ,I WANT A CAR FOR MY MUM ,i need 2 million d lol this man is worst than a woman begging for top up …if a woman want me to stop talking to her just ask me for top up it is just not kool……thanks asot for resigning

  9. All y’all politicians are fake. Time for younger people to rise up . No more UPP nor ABLP. One always jump train back and forth. The same corrupt seeds. Y’all mash up this country….. Nobody can touch Assot Michael. A Minister who does what he wants n anytime he wants….. This is what our country has come to? Tarl! People we have more power than any of them. No hard work, all we gotta do is unite n fight

  12. Why do some of us support our politicians no matter what they do? It should not matter whether they are red or blue, wrong cannot be right. This shows some people lack intelligence and possess a high level of ignorance.

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