Pringle condemns ‘secret’ agreement on deportees and demands that PM Browne come clean on details

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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