OL Pringle condemns secret agreement on deportees and demands that PM Browne come clean on details
Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the recent admission by Prime Minister Gaston Browne that Antigua and Barbuda will accept “non-criminal deportees or refugees” from the United States based on perceived skills needs. This decision is not merely reckless. It disrespects our citizens and residents by exposing communities to risks without consent or clarity.
Antigua and Barbuda is not to be used for barter; neither is it a pressure-release valve for the personal and political problems facing the Prime Minister. Therefore, this agreement to import deportees and/or refugees to offset political pressure, or to curry favour abroad, is a betrayal of our sovereignty and our values.
Prime Minister Browne has presented the People of this Nation a decision without consultation; without dialogue; and without parliamentary scrutiny. But we demand answers to the questions and concerns this unilateral action has raised:
• What independent vetting and security protocols would apply and who would oversee them?
• What legal framework would govern these persons’ status, employment, healthcare, and long-term residency?
• What burden would this place on housing, education, social services, and law-enforcement obligations already under strain?
• What are the implications for our main income-earner, Tourism, and for the employment of locals, especially our youth?
Additionally, the Opposition calls for the immediate disclosure of any discussions, correspondence, or agreements with foreign authorities on this matter, including all payments, conditions, and obligations. Without these, the country can conclude only one thing: that this initiative is driven not by humanitarian principle nor national interest, but by political self-preservation.
Therefore, I appeal to all nationals at home and in the Diaspora, and to all citizens and residents who have chosen this country as their home: We must strenuously object to this decision by Prime Minister Browne to turn our beloved Nation into a repository for persons not wanted even by their home countries. We must protest. We must resist. We must reclaim Antigua and Barbuda.
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Well said Mr. Opposition leader. We need full disclosure
Was that one of the main reasons why visa restrictions to the USA was instituted and not passport as we are lead to believe? Perhaps they did not move fast enough to start accepting them.
We need to know the nationality of these deportees why their original country is not accepting them. By the way, I have never heard persons being check for what skills they have before being deported.
He barking, but just wait til Gaston call he in a meeting with photo ops, and you will see how Pringle gravitate for the validation, they just won’t keep from Gaston, and them go talk about alpha Nero more than the USA court proceedings,instead a them watch and let the international media talk for itself, them go jump in and shield Gaston and let people think it’s a UPP orchestration.
In my opinion, our country have been sold out.
Like I said time and time again.
This PM knows what was said in all those meetings with the US.
He is the one who has full disclosure on everything, so when he comes back and said he was caught off guard or that he was Duped by the Africans in the Antigua Airways debacle, he is lying through his teeth.
Anything this man says is half truth.
He cannot be trusted!
He is also implicated in the Maduro situation, and that’s why he has been keeping quiet, now all of a sudden he is running his mouth left right and center, now that Maduro got captured.
He was banking on the fact that Maduro would never got caught, and that’s why keeps repeating that same ole garbage statement over the past 4 months ” we are friends to all and enemy to none”.
But the cat is out the bag now PM Browne, and your hands are caught dead in the Cookie jar.
Biggest crook in Antigua’s political history.
It’s now you talking about these matters PM?
Yeah right..
Y’all are been fooled fellow Antiguan’s..wake to hell up.
Many of you have heard me say this as well.
” I’ll take and honest person who is not the most educated, over a crocked bastard any day”.
Now y’all know why.
Trust trust trust is everything in any relationship, any!
Oh Lord Antigua done done done!
Mercy Lord! Me nah vote for them, but innocent a go suffer for the guilty.
@Audley Dave Joseph (a.k.a. Beef), if the Nation has been sold out, who gets charged with treason?
So they do not want those people in their country and it is okay to deposit them in another man’s country? GB thinks they are good for our country? Read that again
So why not remove the visa restrictions from Haiti a CARICOM member state. Lots of skilled people in Haiti.
As much as im NIT a Pringle fan I agree we need to know what’s up with that move…. It’s pay back for not accepting Admiral Holsey’s earlier proposal….
As I said before all we have here are our 365 beaches with there white sand, and this for sure is not enough to maintain a country. We once had sugar and cotton, but those were considered the roll over from slavery days, never to return. As most country does we decided to sell our passport, but we now find ourselves being stifled, we had a gaming network, they said no way, so for most small islands loans and grants has become the norm, and guess who provides these same loans and grants?
Today we witnessed what world power can do, and this is not the time to be divided, these are serious times. Every country needs oil to survive, and Venezuela has been good to the Caribbean as far as oil goes. Any party that is elected to run this country, would’ve been advised to work smartly with the Venezuelan government, since oil is power and Venezuela is the powerhouse of the Caribbean.
Now when it comes to Deportees, we the people might see it differently, but once you’re being pushed relentlessly to accept these deported criminals, by the powerhouse of the world, I don’t care what party you are and how much you’re against it, eventually you will bow and continue to bow. So Mr Pringle as you continue to speak as an opposition should, let’s see how strong your words are once you becomes Prime Minister.
@BEEF
You are the biggest clown in Antigua . You were fired from the radio stations in Antigua.
Now you are trying a podcast. You are a BIG BIG Failure.
This is a shocker. I am dismayed. We are deceived again. Donna you swollen loudly and the lump in you throat stuck , your saliva dried up. You said nothing. You boiled inside like the day Cutie tried to take away your lands and the Buldozer tried grading away your fruit trees. Lamin Newton now you realize that no man is made above the other. Tell you daddy Chet to make his move now. This is sufficient reason for a vote of no confidence. Collin O’Niel you too was shocked into silence. Pringle you are correct on everything you said about this .
I have never marched, never picketed, don’t go to political rallies. I consider myself independent. I have been voting on both sides of the political device. Voted for ABLP because I wanted Gaston to become Prime Minister. You were upfront, bold, decisive and somewhat transparent. You are no more transparent and trustworthy. See that self- enrichment and greed to own more and more by any means necessary. That is where the problem lies.
Now again in point FM , the government most important media outlet you spill the beans. Dr.Jackie Quinn you left just a little too soon. Calling on your return to “Good Morning Antigua “ just for a few more days.
So I will be marching, I will be picketing, I will be doing whatever it takes to stop this from happening. I cannot be this selfish. Must safeguard my children and grandchildren future. They will be matching as well. Calling on all unions to get ready in solidarity on this one – we marching. Antigua workers union, Antigua trades and labor union we marching. Police/ law enforcement we have enough crimes to deal with on our own-you marching too , nurses and doctors the burden on our health care and not sufficient support as it stands, much less- we marching, civil servants from directors, PS’s right down- put down tools, you are marching too . This country needs to be shut down instantly. Hay Hay you are too skillful- well I now consider myself more skillful. You lied about the time that you signed on to take third party deportees. I can bet it was over the past two weeks. However, if you did that 90 days ago, worst shame on you and your administration.
I am finally calling on every Antiguan and Barbudan to take action against this nonsense. Yes Barbudans they will be coming over in numbers and with Antiguan citizenship.
Wow GB. I never expected that there would come a day that you or anyone could cause me such anger. That I will be calling for a shutdown. That I would think about marching and rallying. Well this Garret back is against the wall. I said on this media that I would prefer to shut down the CIP program and have access in renewing my expired US Visa. Well I don’t even care about Visa anymore. I said I prefer that I would prefer a change of government to keep our international relationship in tact. Well now I really see we need constitutional reform-we need resignations. I wanted an independent investigation on the Vechicle gate scandal. That is a small matter to this decision.
By the way who gave you or anyone authority to use Antigua and Barbuda as your political bargaining tools. Right now I don’t care about any US Visa. If you are cornered, me , my pickney and Grandpickey are no pownshop. Chet my brother if you knew you are a big greedy, selfish waste as well. Lord have mercy!
@ Audley Dave Joseph what would the response of the UPP be if they were the government? Please ask Pringle and Gisele. That is what we need to hear and not hot air from them.
@ ALIEN REFUGEE:
A future government will tell those of us who are still alive or as my father use to say all the time “ANTS WILL BRING THE MESSAGE TO ME”.
Have a nice day.
This is so sad. Antiguans talk a lot especially when they do not understand what they talk a lot about. If Pringle and anyone else knew anything about diplomacy, bilateral cooperation and mutual respect, he and the noise makers wouldn’t be chatting. PM Gaston Browne and Ambassador Ron Sanders, I tip my hat to both of you for exemplary skills at negotiating. Shuggy, Serpent and the foolish people gang, it is so sad that you continue to mislead people, but then, again it is the blind leading not only the blind but the politically foolish. Antiguans and Barbudans you are in a better position now than when the proclamation was first declared.
Is the way Gaston would just come out and say things and break news on his radio station like he drinking water
One thing I like the Oppsosition leaders new glasses.
PM please come clean with us. More details please
Meanwhile im suffering from a broken heart anyone care about thag?