Dear Editor
On February 26, 2022, the White House in the United States announced that it was going after “golden passports” that allow Russians and others to buy citizenship in third countries. This is a direct attack on our citizenship by investment programme.
How are we going to react? Are we going to take the side of the Russians and defend the interest of many people who hold our citizenship? Or, are we going to bow to the mighty United States who is demanding that we shut our progamme to Russians and perhaps turn over information to the Americans? Instead of showing leadership on this issue, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has remained silent.
There are also several reports that yachts and aircraft tied to Russian oligarchs has touched our country or our territorial waters since the war in the Ukraine began.
A helicopter tied to a Russian oligarch reportedly landed in both Antigua and Barbuda. There are also reports of an oligarch’s yacht in our territorial waters. So, what is Gaston Browne going to do about this?
President Joe Biden discussed seizing assets of oligarchs. Is Gaston Browne going to allow the Russian oligarchs safe haven here? Or, is he going to bow to the pressures of Washington?
Leadership is about making tough decisions. And, Gaston Browne has failed to stand up for human rights. He is allowing the assets of wealthy oligarchs safe haven in our shares. He has sold them our passports and our patrimony.
What sort of punishment, if any, are we now going to give out to these oligarchs? We need real leadership from the Prime Minister and we need him to stand up for human rights.
Dawn Roberts
Antiguan against CIP
