UPP says PM Browne must take responsibility
for threat to access to US visas
The United Progressive Party (UPP) is calling Prime Minister Gaston Browne into account for the imminent threat to Antiguans’ and Barbudans’ access to United States’ visas.
Instead of the prime minister attempting to lay blame for this possible scenario, he should take responsibility for the underlying cause: that is, the compromised status of the Citizenship by Investment (CIP) programme and the porous state of Antigua and Barbuda’s borders.
These – and not the UPP – comprise the perceived threat to the security of the United States.
It was not the UPP who systematically altered or eliminated the checks and balances that were incorporated into the CIP’s original design.
It was not on the UPP’s watch that passports were being manufactured in St. Vincent & The Grenadines – outside the purview of the Citizenship by Investment Unit – a situation initially denied by Prime Minister Browne, himself. Nor has the UPP contributed to the stalling of this matter in the courts.
It was not the UPP that allowed persons whose interests were inimical to good governance and transparency and to the United States’ security interests to receive Antigua and Barbuda passports – including an individual trading in contraband on the Dark Web and a Chinese national wanted in his home country for alleged bank fraud.
It was not the UPP who created an entity called “Antigua Airways,” thus paving the runway for more than 900 West Africans – first claimed by PM Browne to be “wealthy investors” – to be landed here and to make their way, by stealthy means, into the United States Virgin Islands and into the US mainland.
However, it was, indeed, the UPP who called for investigations and even a Commission of Inquiry into the foregoing and other known security breaches.
The prime minister cannot employ his particular brand of political schizophrenia to deride the UPP as powerless and then ascribe responsibility to the Party for the country’s dire state of affairs.
Accordingly, the United Progressive Party will utilize this week, beginning Monday, April 7, to discuss these matters, as well as the other legal and financial threats posed by the Browne Administration’s ill-advised “huffing” and selling of the Alfa Nero super yacht, as we put truth on the table.
These discussions will take place throughout the day and evening on Progressive 107.3 FM and on Observer Radio 91.1 FM. The public is invited to join and be educated on the facts.
-ENDS-
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Observer radio? Eh eh..hope u all pay Dave
Hope they BAN THE CONVICTED PEDOPHILE, IAN MAGIC HUGHES. Dave likes to have him on his show. Shame on Dave!!!
A drowning man really grabs at a straw. I see it’s back to the Afrians again. Wat a ting.
…..“huffing” and selling of the Alfa Nero super yacht,”…. Ah wah de rass yah tarl. This remind of children playing marble lol.
Who he the dawg take responsibility way? 10 years in Governance yet still UPP! UPP! UPP!
Man your fall from grace will be great, when you’re sins find you out, it’s a pity is not just the backwards ridiculous stupid Antiguan who will suffer with you, but innocent will pay for the guilty.
So who wrote this? It’s obviously not the person with attributed too
Now politicians always gave speech writers, policy and opinion writers.
Their writers and their advisors know that what’s write reflects the voice of the politicians.
While what’s written reflects the reality of the state of affairs with Antigua. As a political statement, from a known political personality it lacks credibility.
When will the UPP displace the dead weights, who are holding back the Country for their own devices.
Gaston Browne is as vulnerable as he has ever been. UPP is squandering the window of opportunity .
But funny though as Pringle a say, the UPP is nothing in Gaston eye until he gets mud on he face he want ascribe that mud to upp, an a he Gaston say he a wan big dog?
Smalll countries like Antigua and Barbuda are always going to be caught in no man’s land.. We are dammed if we do and dammed if we don’t. We literally exist at the mercies of large industrial countries and though we boast and brag of our independence since 1981, wealthy countries dictates what we do, how we do it and when we do it. Our once thriving gaming industry of the 80′ and 90’s was brought to an end by the stroke of a pen. Our Citizenship by Investment Scheme is on life support, our Healthcare initiative with Cuba is under tremendous scrutiny, our valuable Petrocaribe offering via Venezuela is being challenged, we are being squeezed more and more because of our relationship with China and more. We have to begin to expand our agricultural base, our tourism plant and do more to attract small and medium size industries into Antigua if we are going to survive this onslaught and the continued scrutiny on the things we do in order to thrive and survive. Our over dependence on a single source of revenue stream is not helpful. It’s time that we look towards greater diversification if we are going to survive.