On Thursday, March 27, the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) hold stage a public rally at Thwaites Corner, themed “De Whole Country Fed Up” to focus on matters ranging from the socioeconomic issues to the $40 million Alfa Nero yacht sale that recently came to light through a newly revealed sale agreement.
UPP’s Political Leader Jamale Pringle said that the rally aims to spotlight what the party describes as critical governance failures, particularly the government’s handling of rising crime rates, economic pressures, and transparency concerns surrounding the Alfa Nero vessel transaction.
“We’re bringing awareness to the issues of the day: cost of living, high crime, the disappearances, the whole aspect of Alfa Nero and the sharing of information and all the debacle surrounding the Alfa Nero,” Pringle stated.
The 26-page sale agreement, now under scrutiny by the opposition, revealed that the luxury yacht was sold to YM Thunder 1 Shipping Limited of Malta for US $40 million in July 2024.
Of particular concern to the UPP is a provision stipulating that the buyer, Ali Riza Yildirim, along with Sevim Buse Yildirim and Tarik Bugra Yildirim, “will be given citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda after completion of the sale”.
“I’m seeing CIP passports in the whole agreement, but I’m at a point where if we’re selling our vessel at an auction, how does our passport become part of the whole deal? Because if you’re selling something and I wanted to purchase, why is it that you’re going to just give me passports to purchase what it is that I want from you?” Pringle questioned.
The public meeting was originally scheduled for last week but was postponed following the tragic death of Chantel Crump, which Pringle said necessitated a respectful delay given the national mood.
The Port Authority seized the vessel in March 2023 after declaring it an “imminent threat to the environment, to the safety and security of the harbour or other vessels in the harbour and a risk to the socio-economic development of Antigua and Barbuda.”
The agreement shows the government provided the buyer with “a valid and binding guarantee and indemnity” regarding legal claims against the vessel, including pending court cases in Antigua and Barbuda.
Pringle expressed significant concern about how information regarding the transaction was disclosed, noting that details only emerged after legal proceedings in the United States.
“If it is that is a straightforward agreement, why is it that it took for the former owners of Alfa Nero to get a subpoena from the federal court in the United States for us to see this information?” he said.
According to Pringle, the rally will feature addresses from UPP candidates and constituency caretakers, with additional speakers potentially being confirmed before Thursday’s event.
The opposition has been particularly vocal about the government’s approach to information sharing, with Pringle expressing frustration about what he characterizes as a persistent pattern of withholding critical details from Parliament and the public.
“We’re saying, listen, give us information. You have the Parliament. That information can be disseminated. Why not use that means? Why is it that getting information always is a challenge?” Pringle questioned.
The rally also intends to address localized constituency concerns, infrastructural deficiencies, and the anticipated increase in shipping costs that could further impact the cost of living in Antigua and Barbuda.
