Prime Minister Gaston Browne is questioning whether a recent meeting between five CARICOM leaders and U.S President Donald Trump is money diplomacy or bribery,
Browne wrote on his personal Facebook page after the Associated Press reported that Trump pledged investment to the Caribbean leaders who have sided with the United States in backing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as head of state.
The Antigua leader said Caricom must continue its sustaining position, by standing on principle without inducements, or fear of reprisals.
“I feel embarrassed for those weak-minded leaders, who allowed themselves to be used, by carrying out the agenda of others,” Browne said.
Quoting the late, Sir Eric Williams, Browne said, “Caricom must not become the plaything of others.”
The prime minister said “evidently, there are some who are determined to undermine Caricom solidarity and to relegate the region to an object of history.”
“The irony about all this, OPIC is already operating in these countries and China offers better credit terms: real developmental loans over 20 years, at 2% interest, with a five-year moratorium.” he said.
“Might is right and ignorance is bliss,” Browne added.
Trump met with leaders from the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Saint Lucia at his private club in Palm Beach, Florida.
He promised them that a high-level delegation from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the U.S. development lender, would visit their nations in the next 90 days, the White House said.
“It’s absolutely important that it’s not just talk – that there will be real investment,” Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness told reporters after the meeting.
The nations have broken from other members of the Caribbean Community, known as CARICOM, in their support for Guaido. The organization has officially advocated for talks between President Nicolas Maduro and Guaido, and most of its members have rejected resolutions by the Organization of American States supporting Guaido.
The backing of the five for Guaido led to the meeting with Trump, though the White House did not specifically tie the carrot of investment to that support.
Guaido, who heads Venezuela’s national assembly, invoked the constitution to assume the interim presidency in January, saying Maduro’s election last year was not legitimate. Maduro, who still has the support of Venezuela’s military, has clung to power with the support of Russia, China and Cuba.
The Caribbean region has long relied on oil and gas from Venezuela, which offered cheap financing through a program called Petrocaribe, though shipments have declined in recent years because of production problems at Venezuela’s state-owned oil company PDVSA.
The region has also been the recipient of a flood of investment from China. The White House said earlier this week that Trump wants to work with leaders to “counter China’s predatory economic practices.”
Trump and the leaders did not discuss Chinese investment issues, Holness told reporters.
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Mr PM at the end of the day your chummy chummy relationship with Venezuela and China which has reaped you and Antigua economic benefits is no way different to what is happening with these countries becoming exposed to Trump. The only difference is that Antigua has already reaped the benefits having supported communist China and totalitarian Venezuela. and has no choice but to continue to tow the line. That’s the facts plain and simple so for you to be critical of these countries i say take the beam and focus it on you and take a deep look and see that Antigua is likkle China!!!
Yeah, but as a sovereign nation you have the right to support whomever especially when no clear evidence exist that Maduro engaged in foul play. There iz more evidence againdt president trump. Some of his campaing staff whether direct or indirect have already been convicted. Though, trump doesnt have any dirt on his hands, its clear who these guys work for. So, the PM is right, is this bribery?
How’s the benefit paying off for Haiti, with its closeness to the US? One thing for sure about China and Venezuela is they offer a real partnership and can be depended upon when needed (Eg. that plane from Venezuela which helped to evacuate persons in Barbuda, the donations 2.5 million usd made by China to the relief efforts, the Grant to improve Booby Alley). In the meantime even Peurto Rico will tell you of how it got shafted by the current US administration
Tenman you are mentioning money over democracy. You honestly think it is just about money? tenman why were you offered those things? why did they offer those things? what did they ask for in return? Tell me.
You will see people suffer and the only response is money?
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣…Inna get nuh big Apple Fu nyam because he belly full ah noodles!!. Ya giweh goods Fu Barbuda to help Dominica in the same crisis as us, but that don’t mean they stupid enough to turn away a better opportunity for their country. Who’s king of the ashes now?.😂😂😂😂😂.
Your comments has always amazed and confused me. And they do show how dumb you are. First off all what was wrong in sending relief supplies to Dominica. Barbuda had more relief supply than they would have ever needed. You such in a rush to condemn that eaither you can’t read properly or have not read the entire news story. By the way don’t confuse Dominica and Dominican Republic. If you had sat and paid attention in school you would know that they are two different countries!!
What happen to stand up for what you believe in and why do you think that Venezuela is a totalitarian state. Brainwashed by the western media?
And do you care to share what do you know about Venezuela?
Mr. PM, I am in full support of you, you are a strong leader. Venezuela has help the region in good times, we cannot turn our back on them. Some of us who are smart enough know the real reason why Venezuela is in the state that it is now. Venezuela will return and let us all stand with them as they sought their internal battle. No interference, just support for the.legit government and people!
I support the PM on this one. America is a bully that wants Venezuela’s oil. Guaido is just another puppet for the white man. Once they get him in power they will privatize the oil industry in that country and let their companies go in and take all the people’s wealth. That’s the white agenda.
Guaido IS a “white man”.
Trump: Do we really need more Haitians?
Trump: Why can’t we have more migrants from Norway
Trump: Show me a successful country run by a black person
Trump: After they come to the USA they don’t want to go back to their shit hole countries
The St Lucian PM needs to outline for us the leadership and support trump has shown the region .
CARICOM is dead. I wish we would just get rid of this crap. All we in Antigua end up with is free movement of their poor to our shores
Once again the PM of this Great Country has made the People of Antigua and Barbuda proud. This man is a natural leader. He does not hesitate to speak truth to power. He stands in the tradition of our national founder, Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Sr. Forward Ever! Backward Never!
I agree with PM Gaston Browne 100% on this meeting. How can these other “leaders” UNDERMINE the same organization they claim to be a part of? Non-interference and Non-intervention.
I hope when Antigua is in need, non-interference and non-intervention is used. I guess within my family I am tasting that uncaring non-interference on violation of law and abuse within the criminal justice system.
There is a process to follow per the UN Charter. give it a read some time.
All the leaders can not go to the meeting, so they choose who they think are more qualified.
MR. PRIME MINISTER, you should realized by now if not before that EVERY LEADER IS LOOKING OUT FOR HIMSELF, so why gripe now?
You should also know that the same strategy politicians in the Caribbean appear to use in their respective country, Trump seemingly is using and will use to destroy any unity amongst you leaders as reward and punishment for taking side.
What a sad thing going on.
PM according to you these are weak-minded leaders. Well well… what are you the weakest-mind in the Caribbean?
apparently you take the cake for weakest mind.
Is that the Hatian prezz??? The same Haiti the prezz Trump once called a “Shithole”
Hahahaha
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