The Antigua and Barbuda government has not ruled out taking legal actionagainst News Nation if the U.S.-based media outlet does not retract its claimsabout the country being involved in Chinese migrant smuggling to the United States.
During the Post-Cabinet press briefing, Chief of Staff Lionel Hurst addressed the controversial report, stating that the government is prepared to challenge false allegations in court if necessary.
“I don’t think a decision has been made as yet, but if I know the way we operate in the past, we’ll sue them. And they’ll have to provide the evidence or they’ll do as others have done in the past,” Hurst said.
The News Nation report alleged that Antigua and Barbuda, along with the Bahamas, were being used as transit points for smuggling Chinese migrantsinto the U.S. It also claimed that Chinese nationals were buying up thousands of acres of land in Antigua.
Hurst strongly refuted these assertions, stating: “It is not true that Chinese nationals are leaving Antigua and going into the United States. It’s not true.” He explained that Chinese workers who come to Antigua typically arrive for government-backed projects and leave upon completion.
The government’s ambassador to the U.S., Sir Ronald Sanders, has already sent a formal letter to News Nation demanding a retraction of the claims. However, no response has been received.
Hurst pointed to a previous case in which Antigua successfully challenged false reporting. He referenced a BBC report that had accused former Prime Minister Lester Bird of misusing Medical Benefits Scheme funds. The BBC later settled the matter and retracted the story after failing to substantiate the allegations.
The Antigua and Barbuda government maintains that it will vigorously defend its reputation, and if News Nation fails to issue a retraction, legal proceedings could follow.
