VIDEO: PM Laments Nearly a million dollars to defend a lie

PM Browne Says He Felt No Anxiety During U.S. Alfa Nero Probe: “It Wasn’t True”

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has said he felt no anxiety during the high-profile U.S. investigation into the Alfa Nero yacht sale, maintaining that the allegations made against him were entirely false and politically motivated.

Speaking on his weekly Pointe FM radio programme on Saturday, June 7, Browne reflected on the conclusion of the U.S. court proceedings, which he said had effectively vindicated him after months of intense scrutiny and public criticism.

“Well, I feel the same, you know,” Browne said when asked how he felt following the outcome. “Because it wasn’t true. So I didn’t feel any sense of anxiety.”

The Prime Minister had come under fire after opponents alleged that proceeds from the sale of the Russian-linked superyacht Alfa Nero, which had been docked in Falmouth Harbour, were misused or misappropriated. Browne has consistently denied the accusations and insists they were part of a coordinated smear campaign.

“The most that had happened, while they dragged me, I put some licks on some of them. And that’s how I got my satisfaction,” he added.

The government of Antigua and Barbuda was the first globally to successfully obtain U.S. authorization to lift sanctions on a seized Russian-linked yacht, and later proceeded with the sale. Browne has described the effort as a significant diplomatic and legal achievement.

“No one gave us credit for that,” he said. “But getting the sanctions lifted—that in itself was a major achievement for this country.”

Browne also disclosed that the legal defence costs for the case amounted to nearly one million dollars, shared between the government and the West Indies Oil Company. He blamed what he described as “foreign mercenaries” and domestic political opponents for fuelling the accusations, singling out U.S. attorney Ralph DeLuca and members of the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP).

Despite the personal attacks and political fallout, Browne said he remained focused on transparency and national development.

“They gambled,” he said, referring to the failed attempt to uncover wrongdoing. “But Rastaman ain’t greedy. Rastaman is disciplined and works for what they want.”

The Prime Minister reaffirmed that neither he nor his wife hold overseas bank accounts or assets, a decision he said was rooted in his long-standing commitment to building Antigua and Barbuda’s economy.

“I want to leave this country significantly better than how I inherited it,” Browne said. “And I’m not doing this to be hostile to anyone—I just want results.”

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