PM Browne Denies Claim of Separate ‘YIDA State,’ Says Zone Only Has Satellite Government Offices
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has dismissed claims that his administration is planning to create a sovereign “YIDA State” within Antigua, calling the report misinformation.
In a post shared online, Browne clarified that Yida’s Special Economic Zone operates under a standard arrangement similar to those established globally.
“Yida’s Special Economic Zone, like others globally, has approval for the government to operate satellite customs and DCA offices in the zone, at their cost, to expedite delivery of their services,” the Prime Minister stated.
His comments came in response to an article published by Real News Antigua, which alleged that the Browne Administration was considering allowing the Chinese-backed development to become a self-governing entity exempt from Antigua and Barbuda’s laws.
The article claimed that the plan would permit the YIDA zone to have its own parliament, government, and currency, while still being governed by the country’s Constitution—an arrangement reportedly opposed by some legal advisors but allegedly supported by Attorney-General Sir Steadroy Benjamin.
The Prime Minister’s clarification indicates that the government’s approval only allows for administrative offices—such as customs and civil aviation—to operate within the zone to facilitate investment and streamline regulatory processes, not to grant sovereignty or autonomy.
The YIDA development, first approved nearly a decade ago, was conceived as a major private-sector initiative to boost tourism and industry in the north of Antigua.
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Careful and thorough research of Special Economic Zones shows that they come with their share of advantages and disadvantages. They offer a much more relaxed regulatory environment which increases the overall ease of doing business. The flow down benefits of hosting a Free Trade Zone can be significant as high performing Zones with strong foreign investment can create hundreds of jobs.
However, these advantages also carry significant risks. The relaxation of certain regulations can create an environment that may prove attractive to nefarious actors engaging in illicit activities such as money laundering and smuggling. These illicit activities can significantly jeopardize the benefits enjoyed by government. Poorly managed Free Trade Zones also present a threat to International security especially in the areas of weapons proliferation/smuggling.
This seems dangerous and violation of the constitution which would require the public to vote on such separation (partial or full separation). It would require a constitutional amendment? It is like separating the country from the king. It can not be done in this manner, it can not be done simply by cabinet, it is just not right.
Economic Zones around the world are for the most part owned by Governments, like airports and ports. The business is carried on by the developments which are encouraged into the Zone. We have reversed the system.
This guy is a prolific liar and cannot be trusted. He never said that he was going to use STATE INSURANCEMONEY; never signed an document to enable the same YIDA to operate a GUN FACTORY and so many other instances in which he denied knowledge or involvement and evidence always proves that he’s just a notorious liar. We will soon be able to call him out on this one and this is a certainty.
Government satellite offices operated and managed by the same YIDA?
Ras Dawg Gassy please save yourself the embarrassment
You can rest assured that the same people who are buying up the CIP, are the same people who are pushing this YIDA investment zone. You can bet your life on that.
Corrupt money needs free revenue streams that goes unimpeded, and this will be a perfect zone for such people.
Corruption mascaraed as “economic zone”.. 😂.
You just have to really laugh when this man talks.. 😂..The biggest swindler in Antigua right now.
Everything these people touch is a Ponzi scheme..it’s not for the ordinary man..it’s for all his white-collar criminals.
This is a divergence folks. Dont move off of vehicle
Gate!!! We want a full independent investigation. Vehicle gate is the public purse!!! Poor people money that a few got fat off of.. please people dont be distracted!!!
Hope this state within Antigua is untrue. This is serious and would require a referendum. Antigua does not belong to Gaston Browne.
Why would Chinese want a separate country in Antigua and would they bribe a Politician to get it?
If this situation were to materialize, would they manufacture biological weapons like the covid virus for example? Would they be involved in organ theft. Would they build a military base which would not be accepted by the Americans and be detrimental Antigua.
Antiguans should never accept this and rise up and take back our country.
The difference in leadership is so marked in Antigua!! On the one hand there is quiet, firm, resolute, effective, efficient, patient governance. On the other hand there are the wannabes, literally headless, behaving daily as, indeed, headless CHICKENS do – sqawking daily and everywhere “the sky is falling, the sky is falling, I must go incite my other farm denizen……keep up pretense!” Failed demonstrations, an embarrassing NOCADE, an equally embarrassing spur-of-the- moment public meeting, all of which yielded predictably laughable results.🤣😁🤣😁 and leaves me shaking my head in amazement and amusement. And so, their band plays on – dull, monotonous, pathetic, dirgeful….. But, in times like this, I always recall the unforgettable words of the Father of the Nation, no doubt referring to the increasingly desperate lunatic fringe that ‘pappyshow’ themselves daily in the Cartoon Sections of the electronic and printed media.
The dogs will bark, (even vociferously) but the wagon (of State) keeps rolling on.
Where are the real investigative reporters, like those who report for Newsweek, the New York Times, NPR – National Public Radio etc?
Are these types of reporters, which I’m quite sure are trained by UWI or even in Canada and the Commonwealth, at large, where are they to really represent the interests of the Caribbean people?
Yea, we know getting information from the various public departments is like pulling a sting ray lance out backwards after it has been shoved down these reporters throats like they’re being spoon fed with the lance, by poliTRICKtans.
Do some investigative research and report on the facts.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg 🦶🏿Garrat Bastard
Vere Edwards
Asian Village redux! Bird people to be second class citizens in Antigua. The ALP is irredeemably corrupt and not fit for purpose.
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