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.
Oh shut up Pringle! Stop chasing away the few, very few, who for whatever reason are still unashamed to identify with you. Don’t even try to pretend that you are knowledgeable about world affairs for even a discussion at the most basic level. Search around your den for someone with more than a secondary school certificate or a forty plus year old Bachelors degree in journalism. For now, just watch and learn as the real statesmen and women in the region navigate us through admittedly troubling times. Stop using the simple and vulnerable to advance your own selfish desire for power at any cost.
It is your responsibility to be a good steward of what is given to you, period!
This administration came into office at the most opportune time when the global market/economy was turning around, after one of the greatest economic collapse of these very Americans we depend on, and this Administration squandered it.
There has been no time in the history of Antigua’s economy that things had been that lucrative, none. Americans were traveling again and spending massive amounts of money in leisure and investments, heading up to 2020. So that’s 6 years this government had to bank and take advantage of all this money pouring in to Antigua, and what did they do, they got themselves very very rich and left their citizens hanging out to pasture in the cold.
Those are the facts here.
So then, because they squandered the opportunities, they had to scramble and go into these nepherious deals with the Africans, the Chinese, and going after a boat that clearly didn’t belong to them.
I guarantee you, that, if Antiguan’s get a look at the Lait2020 deal, there would be all sorts problems with that contract, I bet, guaranteed.
So y’all may not like Mr Pringle, but the man speaks no lies, none.
At the end of the day, every man has to take responsibility of his own actions, and what was stewarded onto him.
This government has failed the people, and the result is now a crime ridden island.
Facts!!!
Too many criminals hiding out.
little black boy, go to school and learn!
little black boy, show some concern!
little black boy, education is the key!
@Audley Phillip,
UWI was created 63 years ago. Its first school was it’s medical school. Why after 63 years does CARICOM still needs the Cuban Medical Brigade?
Why is it being called by it’s Colonial name? Even the SDA univ. in Trinidad changed it’s name.
Many including Prime Minister of Jamaica makes the statement: ” We train doctors, but they migrate ” These people have no shame and call themselves leaders.
After the first 15 years, the pattern should have been clear to CARICOM; and the issue should have be addressed.
Not that I think Marco Rubio and Donald Trump, should be dictating and placing their personal policies on independent countries. This is personal for Marco Rubio.
We can’t always play the victim when we fully well know the opponent can crush us While in the mean time; we make no effort to bulk up and be in a position to fend off their bullying or squeezing.
Look at the number of Antiguans and Barbudans working in some UN or other international aid agency. They are there to get a little funding for Antigua
Look at Israel, 64 years as a nation. They control the cyber space industry.
They bring more companies to IPO per year on Nasdaq than the US, in the last 10 years. I’m no fan of their genocide policies but I had to admire their accomplishments in economic development.
Yes! Yes! they get a lot of money from the US; but they use it well to advance their goals
True a lot of their talent came from the USSR system after the USSR fell apart.
Innovation and technology has led to their economic development enabling them now to compete globally.
Jimmy Carter allowed 100,000 Chinese into US Universities. For the last 35 years Chinese students dominate the research projects in US Academia.
China went from a back water in technology to a global powerhouse.
In the Caribbean everyone wants to wear PHD across the foreheads and be called Dr. This and Dr. That.
Take a look at UWI St Augustine the premier Engineering program in UWI?
What products come come out of St. Augustine with a go to market strategy. NONE.
We have a Bank Governor Antoine with an honorary PHD from a medical school.
He is having a $22 million home built as he recently lost a major case at the Privy Council that going to cost the OECS dearly.
It’s time to stop the gimmicky economic policies. At the beginning of each year we hear about GDP GDP.
We have a one sided economy we’re all the benefits of GDP goes to a few people only
Greater diversity can be achieved; but not with short term gimmicks that can be killed overnight.
Google and ogle .
Kenneth Rijock’s Financial Crime Blog
Antigua the country is about to be transformed in the eyes of the world. The 2 political parties should be finding away to sit down and putting heads together for the love of country to find out what needs fixing, not going on Radio gloating and blaming. Antigua has no time for that, instead put up Defense mechanics against the world.
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