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23/12/2024

ANTIGUA | George Wehner to represent the UPP in the St. Peter By-Election

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua, December 23, 2024 - The United Progressive Party (UPP) has announced George Wehner as its candidate for the upcoming St. Peter By-Election, scheduled for January 14, 2025.

The by-election follows the tragic murder of former independent MP Asot Michael, sending shockwaves through the constituency and the nation.

Political Leader Jamale Pringle revealed that Wehner secured unanimous endorsement from the St. Peter Branch, with members rallying behind his proven track record of dedication to the Party's vision and objectives.

"Brother Wehner embodies everything our Party stands for," declared Pringle. "His loyalty is unquestionable, his work ethic is unmatched, and his commitment to our principles remains undisputed.

These are precisely the qualities our supporters demand from their representatives in these challenging times."

The UPP leadership has announced an immediate launch of a comprehensive by-election campaign, with Pringle emphasizing the urgent need for constituents to revalidate their Voter ID cards.

"Time is of the essence," Pringle stressed, "and we want to ensure every eligible voter can exercise their democratic right in this crucial election."

Wehner, who first stepped onto the political stage as the UPP's candidate for St. George in the 2018 General Election, has since carved out a reputation as the Party's dynamic Mobilization Officer.

His hard-hitting video exposés of the Gaston Browne Administration's failures and shortcomings have resonated with citizens across Antigua and Barbuda, establishing him as a fearless voice for accountability in national politics.

Political analysts note that the UPP stands poised to capitalize on a significant voting bloc - the over two thousand loyal supporters who previously backed Asot Michael.

While the Gaston Browne-led ABLP is reportedly mounting intense efforts to prevent any migration of these votes to the UPP camp, the opposition party sees an opportunity to consolidate support behind their candidate.

"The people of St. Peter deserve a representative who will fight tirelessly for their interests," Wehner stated. "The tragic circumstances that necessitated this by-election remind us all of the critical importance of strong, principled leadership in our constituencies."

Asot Michael who was laid to rest on December 19, had represented the St Peter constituency for over five decades. He ran as an independent candidate during the 2023 General Election. He amassed 2,137 votes.

The 54-year-old MP was found stabbed to death in his Dry Hill home on November 5. The police have arrested a 27-year-old residentof Golden Grove, Alexta Francis in connection with the murder. He is on remand awaiting committal proceedings.

28/11/2024

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26/11/2024

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23/11/2024

Businesswoman worries that ‘invasion’ of roaches in downtown location could give bad impression to cruise tourists

As if the sights and smell of St. John’s are not troubling enough, a businesswoman is complaining about the “invasion” of roaches coming from the gutters at the corners of Cross and Redcliffe Street on Wednesday, November 20.

In a video clip sent to REAL News, the vermin can be seen crawling from the drain and scurrying across the sidewalk, and it is believed they were flushed out by the rains that have deluged the city this week.

The businesswoman lamented that two cruise ships were then in port and the proliferation of roaches would give a bad impression of an already poorly kept city.

This is not the first time this has happened. During heavy November rains about two years ago, several areas of St. John’s were inundated with large “flying roaches,” as well as rats, that crawled out of the covered drains to seek shelter.

A former chief health inspector explained, then, that these creatures live in the drains and feed on food waste that is trapped there, creating the need for regular flushing out of these waterways.

The practice of flushing appears to have been abandoned – or severely reduced – as residents and visiting nationals have been complaining bitterly about sanitation in St. John’s for years now.

However, little has been done by either the Ministry of Works or the Ministry of Health to improve the situation.

21/11/2024

‘Where is the advertising for the taxi associations,’ operator
asks, as tuk-tuk operation is branded ‘conflict of interest’

Based on an ad promoting Antigua and Barbuda, several taxi-drivers are accusing Ministry of Tourism officials of “conflict of interest.”

The magazine advertisement, which features the Tourism logo,
states simply, “be HERE.”

However, the image features a tuk-tuk, a vehicle the taxi-drivers
allege is owned and operated by senior people in the Ministry and
the Tourism Authority.

“Now, that’s an issue!” one taxi operator declares, while alleging
“they are getting special treatment.”
Even though Minister Charles “Max” Fernandez reportedly “walked
with Ian Joseph to the World Travel Market recently, I don’t see
them advertising the taxi associations,” the operator adds.

Joseph is the disputed president of one of the taxi associations.
The operator agrees that everybody has to make a living; however,
he does not believe the tuk-tuks are safe. “The other day, I passed
one on the side of the road, unable to climb the incline going up
Cedar Valley Road,” he relates. “It was being pushed up… . Big joke.”

Another taxi and tour operator agrees that competing interests are
at war in the industry. He, too, asserts that the tuk-tuks are owned
and operated by those in control of tourism, who are “giving away
the work that belongs to taxi-drivers.”

Accordingly, he believes that promotion of the tuk-tuk as an
alternative mode of transportation is to his detriment and that of
other vehicle owners, who must try to earn a year’s income in the
six months of the tourist season.

He notes that, at present, having a number of ships in port does not necessarily translate to work for the taxi operators.

21/11/2024

Quinn-Williams to be sworn in as new senator next week;
outgoing Nicholas confirms she is not leaving the UPP

Leader of the Opposition Jamale Pringle has confirmed that Pearl
Quinn-Williams will succeed Senate Minority Leader Shawn
Nicholas, whose tenure in the Upper House will end on Friday,
November 22.

Nicholas announced her departure during the Senate sitting held on Tuesday, November 19, thanking her colleagues on the Opposition Bench for their support and teamwork and bidding farewell to her colleagues on the Government side.

She said she has enjoyed her 11-year period of service, having been
appointed by former Prime Minister Dr. Baldwin Spencer in 2013
and 2014 and by MP Pringle in 2018 and 2023, and she thanked
both for the opportunity and for their confidence in her.

In a press statement issued today, November 20, MP Pringle lauds
Senator Nicholas for her exemplary service, complimenting the
professionalism with which she carried out her senatorial duties;
the high standard of her discourse; and the loyalty she has
demonstrated as a representative of the United Progressive Party
(UPP).

Regarding the latter, Nicholas says she has heard talk that she is
leaving the UPP, but she assures her colleagues and supporters that
she is committed to the Party she loves and to its mission, and has
absolutely no intention of resigning, as some have speculated.
Accordingly, she continues to serve as general-secretary of the
organization.

Meanwhile, Quinn-Williams will receive her Instrument of
Appointment on Monday, November 25, at Government House,
where Sir Clare Roberts, Governor-General’s Deputy, will preside.

She is currently caretaker of the St. John’s Rural South constituency,
and Pringle has extended to her “sincere appreciation for the
professionalism, diligence, good citizenship, and party loyalty [she
has] demonstrated as a Caretaker,” and charges her with achieving
“an even higher level of excellence in this new appointment.”

UPP members and other residents have been fulsome in their praise for Senator Nicholas and have expressed satisfaction with the Opposition Leader’s choice of Quinn-Williams as her successor.
While Quinn-Williams has acknowledged she has “big shoes to fill,”

Nicholas has promised to remain available as a mentor to the
freshman senator and as an advisor to her other colleagues.
The Opposition is entitled to four Senate seats, according to the
Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda. The other three seats are
currently filled by Johnathan Joseph, caretaker for St. Mary’s North;
Alex Browne, caretaker for St. Phillip North; and David Massiah from
the Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union.

21/11/2024

Women alleged to be ‘Vietnamese’ seen sleeping in public
places; locals accuse Foreign Affairs of importing homelessness

The presence of two foreign women who appear to be living on the
streets is raising questions among residents, who are calling on the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs to give an account for the pair.

Almost two weeks ago, the two women – who are rumoured to be
Vietnamese nationals – were first spotted in front to the Adele
School, sitting on the sidewalk, in what many describe as a
disheveled state.

As the days wore on, residents saw them resting in a bus shelter
opposite the YASCO facility on Old Parham Road, and they were also spotted in the West Bus Station, although not waiting for transport.

Residents became concerned since the pair always appeared to be
wearing the same dirty clothing and, reportedly, had begun to carry
an odour.

One person tells REAL News that concerns were raised with officials
of the Immigration Department, who are said to have stated that the women are citizens of Antigua and Barbuda. This has led to others asking whether their status is by way of the Citizenship by
Investment Program (CIP).

There are claims – allegedly by the women – that they are on the
streets because their belongings have been taken away, although
they did not say how or by whom.

Meanwhile, some persons are asking why the authorities have
allowed apparent foreign nationals to add to the number of locals
who already are homeless and sleeping on the streets and in other
public places.

The latest claim is that the two have been sleeping at the
international airport, which reportedly is sparking alarm among
security personnel there.

“The Police hardly allow you to park to pick up passengers,” one
resident complains to REAL News, “so how anybody who is not
traveling could be allowed to sleep on the airport compound?”

Another one declares, “We have enough homegrown problems
already. We certainly don’t need to be importing any more….”
Accordingly, concerned citizens are asking the authorities to look
into this matter and correct it as soon as possible.

18/11/2024

REAL News – November 18, 2024

UPP’s All Saints West Branch continues community outreach:

‘This is how we empower,’ says Coates

The All Saints West Branch of the United Progressive Party continued its community outreach last Friday, November 15, with the distribution of almost 500 personal care items to four nursing homes.

The beneficiaries were Valmon's Caregiving Home in Buckleys; Unaselene's Elderly Care Home in Clarkes Hill; Passion of the Heart Nursing Home, Day Care & Therapy; and Faith View Elderly Home Care, which offer long-term and short-term services.

The owners accepted the very timely donations and expressed their sincere gratitude for the supplies.
Representing the Branch in this initiative – which was facilitated by the Party’s Women’s Forum – was Barbara Coates.

“I was grateful for the opportunity to distribute adult Pampers and other essential supplies to residents in All Saints West. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, can make a big difference in someone’s life,” Coates said.

“We must continue to support one another and provide help where it’s needed most. This is how we empower our community – by lending a helpful hand and showing compassion to those around us. Together, we can build a stronger, more caring community,” she declared.

16/11/2024

ANTIGUA | Political Rift Deepens Over Funeral Honours for Late MP Asot Michael

ST. JOHNS, Antigua — The Opposition United Progressive Party's St. Peter Branch has launched a scathing critique of Prime Minister Gaston Browne's decision to deny a State Funeral to Independent Member of Parliament Asot Michael, who was found brutally stabbed to death in his Dry Hill residence several days ago.

In a pointed challenge to the administration's stance, the Opposition branch has condemned as "small minded and petty" the Prime Minister's decision to accord only an Official Funeral to Michael.

The slain parliamentarian, once a close ally of Prime Minister Browne before turning independent, made history as the first Independent candidate to secure a parliamentary seat in Antigua.

The gruesome discovery of Michael's body has cast a dark shadow over the nation's political landscape, with the funeral honours controversy highlighting deep-seated tensions between the government and opposition forces.

The UPP's St. Peter Branch, representing the constituency Michael served for two decades, has emerged as a vocal advocate for posthumously recognizing his contributions with the highest state honours.

"His death was violent, but his life was one of service," a Branch spokesperson emphasized, noting Michael's reputation for transcending partisan politics in his constituency work. According to local sources, he "never 'passed a house' simply because it was 'blue,'" serving constituents regardless of their political allegiances.

Michael's journey from government insider to independent critic, marked by his forthright challenges to his former administration's policies and persistent advocacy for St. Peter's development, ended tragically with his murder.

As police investigations continue, the Opposition's push for a State Funeral has become emblematic of broader questions about political recognition and reconciliation in Antigua's democracy.

The UPP St. Peter Branch maintains that Michael's service to the constituency and his historic role in the nation's parliamentary democracy have earned him the right to a State Funeral, setting the stage for a confrontation over how Antigua honors its public servants, particularly those who dare to challenge the political establishment.

As investigators probe the circumstances of Michael's violent death, and has one suspect in custody, the controversy over his final honors underscores the volatile mix of personal tragedy, political legacy, and partisan divisions in Antigua's political sphere.

15/11/2024

Driver rejoices that dangerous junction at Wireless Road and Lauchland Benjamin Drive to be finally fixed

After years of deterioration, complaints from the motoring public, and ridicule of Public Works Minister Maria Browne, the intersection of Wireless Road and Lauchland Benjamin Drive is finally to get some attention.

The Ministry of Works has announced that it is to be closed for repairs that are expected to run for five weeks, during which time traffic will be diverted through other routes.

“Public Works has finally decided to deal with an over 10-year-old road safety situation,” a frequent user of that junction tells REAL News in relief.

“Thank God they are tackling it before it takes a human life. It has certainly taken lots of car lives already.

The Traffic Department of the Police Force is empowered to assess and determine the potential for a road-safety incident.

The woman recalls that, over five years ago, she visited the Department and pointed out that the junction was a very narrow space for making the turn, to and from either of the intersecting roads, “barely accommodating anything longer than a VITZ.”

“I therefore recommended that they should recommend acquiring a sliver of land from the property on the southwest corner. The Traffic officer listened; but his response was, ‘Who is going pay for that land?’”

The woman says she told him his responsibility was not to find the money, but to recommend the required change in the interest of public safety.

Meanwhile, as drivers are, no doubt, breathing a sigh of relief that the dangerous and poorly kept intersection will be getting some attention, several persons tell our Newsroom they are dreading the traffic nightmare the road closure will create.

“I’m hoping the diversion routes are in better condition than the junction,” a Cassada Gardens resident says, “because, usually, Public Works redirects you from bad to even worse.

“Many of our vehicles got a pounding when they were fixing the Piggots Main Road and sent traffic through some awful side roads in Paynters,” he remembers.

“So tell Public Works dem better come good dis time, because traffic out of Woods done bad already.”

15/11/2024

Pringle joins Lovell in condemning PM’s attack on Crump and calls for Minister Maria Browne to be accountable

MP Jamale Pringle, political leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP) is joining his predecessor, Harold Lovell, in condemning the attack of Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Aldin Crump, a senior public servant in the Ministry of Works.

In an analytical article published in today’s Daily Observer, Lovell chides Browne for seeking to usurp the authority of the Public Service Commission and for appearing to condone the illegal practice of public servants accepting “gifts” for services.

Pringle says he also finds Browne’s allegations of bribery and kickbacks distasteful, and notes that such “personal” assaults bring the office of the prime minister into disrepute.
The Opposition Leader is also asking why Browne – and not his wife, Public Works Minister Maria Browne – is speaking to the issue of road repairs.

“For years now, the public has been complaining about the condition of both the main roads and the side roads, and their complaints have fallen on deaf ears,” Pringle says.

“Now, instead of holding her accountable for her portfolio, the prime minister is laying all the blame at the feet of the director of Public Works and even threatening to send him home,” Pringle adds.

“But the buck stops with her. She is the one who must answer to the public,” he says.
The All Saints East & St. Luke MP notes that he and his Opposition colleagues have complained, time and again, about the poor infrastructure in their constituencies – seen as a punishment to those who voted against the Antigua Labour Party in the last elections.

“In order to alleviate some of our constituents’ suffering,” he says, “we have had to perform functions that are the responsibility of the Ministry of Works – repairing kerbs, clearing waterways and overgrown roadways, putting down stones and marl….

“Where was the minister? What has she been doing all this time?” he asks.
He says it appears that Browne wants accountability to apply only to public servants, but not to those elected to run the country.

And even when the prime minister calls out civil servants and the managers of government corporations, such as the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), Pringle says, it is always to further a political objective; never in the people's interest.

15/11/2024

Jennings Extension squatters given six months to to remove structures or have them dumped at Cooks

The 21 home-owners whose houses were due to be demolished this morning, November 14, have been given a six-month reprieve by the Government.

The group, who has acknowledged their status as squatters in Jennings Extension, now has until April 30, 2025, to remove their illegally built structures from Crown land.

While two of the home-owners told their story on Progressive FM this morning, the matter was discussed in a meeting among Robelto Isaac, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture & Lands; Vivian Mason, deputy chief lands officer; Frederick Southwell, town & country planner; and Maurice Merchant, chairman of the Development Control Authority (DCA).

Out of their discussion – and since the matter had already entered the public domain – it was agreed that the squatters would be given time to remove their structures.

However, in a letter to the home-owners dated November 14, the home-owners are warned that if they fail to comply by the given deadline, the DCA “will have your structures demolished and taken to the Cooks Sanitary Landfill at your expense.”

The letter makes no reference to any offer to sell the land to the squatters, who claim that, up to three weeks ago, they were asked whether they were still interested in buying the land on which they are squatting.

The homeowners claim that, prior to the General Election in January 2023, they were assured they did not have to move – only to improve their properties – ahead of the lands being surveyed, divided, and offered for sale.

Accordingly, they say they filled out applications to purchase their plots.
Now, they say they have no idea why the Government has withdrawn its offer.

Meanwhile, while some residents are criticizing the squatters for illegally occupying the land in the first place, others are sympathetic to their situation. They note that even Crown land is expensive and out of the reach of many low-income government workers.

Other irate citizens are asking why the DCA has taken this hard line with the Jennings Extension squatters when, for decades now, nothing has been done about the shantytown that exists at Perry Bay.

They note, as well, that all types of shacks have been “knocked up” in and around St. John’s and the DCA has chosen to ignore these “eyesores.”

“Fair is fair,” one angry man tells REAL News. “Tell the Government what goes for one should go for all!”

14/11/2024

Relatives report that Quinn’s brain surgery was without complications and now wait to learn his neurological status

The family of Paul Quinn – who suffered a massive stroke early Sunday morning, November 10 – is reporting that an operation conducted by a Trinidadian neurosurgeon yesterday, November 13, was successful.

According to Quinn’s wife and siblings, there were no complications with the surgery, which reportedly was needed to drain accumulated blood from Quinn’s brain. Following the procedure, his vital signs were also said to be stable.

Family members now say they are waiting to be advised of his neurological status on Thursday.

On Wednesday, amid good wishes from a wide cross-section of concerned residents and members of the Diaspora, local groups staged prayer vigils and some persons fasted for a successful surgery and Quinn’s return to good health.

Many gave thanks and said they were elated upon hearing the family’s positive report.

Quinn is widely known and regarded as the co-host of Observer Radio’s Voice of the People program and for his editorials in the daily newspaper.

Many residents say they prayed, as well, for the recovery of businessman Gregory Walter, Senior, who also fell ill on Sunday and was hospitalized.

Walter, the son of the late Sir George Walter, former premier of Antigua and Barbuda, once served as a program host on Crusader Radio.

REAL News extends its best wishes for a speedy recovery to both Quinn and Walter.

14/11/2024

Twenty-one homes in Jennings Extension due to be demolished this morning; owners feel they have been bad-played by DCA

The Development Control Authority (DCA) is scheduled to demolish 21 properties in Jennings Extension this morning, November 14, according to the home-owners, who believe they have been “bad-played” by the Browne Administration.

Last night, the plight of the homeowners was brought to the attention of REAL News by Senator Johnathan Joseph, the United Progressive Party caretaker for St. Mary’s North.

The families whose houses are up for demolition admitted to our Newsroom that they have been squatting on Crown land – owned by the Ministry of Agriculture – but say they had been promised they would be allowed to buy the spots on which they had built.

They claim that, in another area of the Extension, other squatters had had the land surveyed and their plots allocated and had been allowed to purchase them.

According to the threatened 21, several months prior to the 2023 General Election, the authorities had assured them they would not have to move and had reiterated the promise that they would be permitted to buy the land.

All the home-owners were asked to do, in the meantime, was improve the appearance of their properties – and they claim, for the most part, they have complied.

Subsequent to that, however, the DCA served an Enforcement Notice on the families on the grounds that the development of the land had been carried out without the required permit. Further, the home-owners had “placed/built a dwelling house on Crown land without permission from the Lands Division, and without permission from the DCA for your structure(s).”

The Notice was due to take effect on July 31, 2024. But, reportedly, “a meeting was held with the DCA to try to remedy the situation,” a home-owner tells REAL News; and promises were made that the affected families would be given the option to purchase the land.

“On numerous occasions, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHAPA) requested that applications be made to buy the land. These applications were made and proved futile,” the man explains. “It was then requested by CHAPA that we write letters to help solve the problem.”

Reportedly, the squatters wrote letters of apology and were promised that the land would be made available for purchase. Accordingly, they say, they filled out land-application forms.

The worried home-owners claim that, up to three weeks ago, the DCA called to find out if they were still interested in the land.
Then on Tuesday, November 12, they say that representatives from the DCA came to them, giving verbal notice that, at 9 a.m. today, Thursday, November 14, the houses would be demolished.

The 21 home-owners say they are seeking an extension to the Enforcement Notice as multiple families will be affected by this sudden planned demolition.

REAL News will continue to follow this story.

13/11/2024

Talk-show host has a beef with the High Court’s ruling that
public access to ABEC’s ‘picture list’ could be a security risk

Following the High Court ruling that the “picture list” utilized by the
Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) on Election Day
cannot be made public, a talk-show host has pledged to contribute
to the appeal expected to be filed by Alister Thomas.

Thomas, who had contested the January 2023 General Election on
the United Progressive Party ticket, had attempted to access the
picture list used in the City West constituency.

Having applied to the Supervisor of Elections and then the
Commission and been denied in both instances, he took the matter
to the High Court, citing the Freedom of Information Act.

However, on Monday, November 11, Judge Jan Drysdale sided with
ABEC on the grounds that public access to the picture list could
present a security risk.

“Is this ‘picture list’ … a matter of national security?” asks Dave
“Beef” Joseph, a popular talk-show host and political commentator,
expressing surprise at the court ruling.

“If we … say that we seek to be as democratic and as open in the
interest of the public/the people, why would it be a problem to
share the list …?” he asks.

Beef reminds residents that, originally, the law governing elections
did not require a picture list. “And when it was challenged,” he
recalls, “the Court ruled that the said picture list contained the
information that the list in law called for.”

Since ABEC “thought it wise to have a picture list,” he says, he would assume that it is to ensure that persons presenting themselves to vote are, in fact, the persons whose names appear on the Voter List.

Therefore, he argues, “What is the problem with assisting the Claims and Objections process, or assisting [candidates] in a General Election to make sure that the list upon which they are challenging is as accurate as possible?”

Accordingly, Beef is expressing support for the City West caretaker’s
position that he has a right to the list, and that it “is a public
document due to the fact that the Electoral Commission is a public
entity.”

Many other residents are contending the same thing: That the
picture list ought to be as accessible as the Voters List, which
publishes their names, addresses, gender, and occupation. Further,
they say, the publication of photos is no more a security risk than
handing over a driver’s license or Social Security card as
identification.

What obtains now is that the picture list is printed and reportedly
distributed only to persons working in the polling stations on
Election Day.

However, suspicion has surrounded the practice since there were
charges of discrepancies between the two lists last January, and
since Prime Minister Gaston Browne has admitted to what many
consider “shady” transfers out of his constituency.

In the wake of the Court ruling, one voter tells REAL News she is
considering challenging ABEC’s right to share her photo with its
Election Day workers. “After all, if it’s a security risk for the
candidates to see the list, it must be a security risk for the ABEC staff to be able to identify me, as well,” she says.

Meanwhile, Beef declares that “something nah smell right to me
coming out of the Electoral Commission.” To help make things smell
better, he has pledged to contribute $100 to Thomas’ appeal fund
when it is established.

12/11/2024

Thomas asks DPP and police commissioner to investigate ‘damaging’ Facebook post made against him by PM Browne

Political activist Alister Thomas is already involved in another quest for justice: This time it is related to allegations made against him by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, his political opponent in the constituency of St. John’s City West.

According to an October 7, 2024, letter of complaint written by Thomas – first to Acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shannon Jones-Gittens – the prime minister, in a post on his page, linked Thomas to the seizure of a shipment of cannabis, at the airport, in August.

Thomas complains that the publication of this information online was not only “false and misleading,” but “damaging to me, my character, and reputation.”

Accordingly, he asked the acting director to cause a formal investigation to be conducted by the Police Department in this matter and to “initiate any kind of action pertinent to [her office].”

Jones-Gittens replied the following day, advising that Thomas take the matter to the Police, “who will then conduct an investigation and present their findings to our office.

“Thereafter, especially for offences under the Electronic Crimes Act, a determination will be made of whether there is sufficient evidence to substantiate charge or charges,” the Acting DPP wrote. “If there is, the police will receive the required consent to charge the suspect(s).”

Accordingly, Thomas redirected his complaint to Commissioner of Police Atlee Rodney in a letter dated October 17, 2024. He has received an acknowledgement dated the next day, which “informed that the matter has been referred to the Criminal Investigation Department….”

Critics of Prime Minister Browne have charged that he is quick to “spread information that is intended to defame, disgrace, or embarrass” persons who “do not step to his agenda.”

They point out that reports of such drug seizures are routinely published by the Police – although the purported recipient is never publicly identified, and persons are seldom detained or charged in connection with these shipments.

Therefore, they conclude that Prime Minister Browne was, indeed, motivated by malice when he made the Facebook post about Thomas.

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High Court judge rules against Thomas in ‘picture list’ case brought against ABEC, citing confidentiality Supporters of the legal action brought by Alister Thomas are saying that today’s High Court decision disappointed, but did not surprise, them, since they are convinced that any judgment against “the system” will be difficult to achieve. Today, November 11, High Court Judge Jan Drysdale ruled against Thomas having access to the “picture list” used in the January 2023 General Election and upheld the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission’s refusal to grant him a copy. The judge said, in effect, that publishing the picture list would compromise confidentiality. Thomas – who contested the election in St. John’s City West on the United Progressive Party ticket – has contended that the picture list was different to the traditional published list in several constituencies. Before he took the matter to Court, he had applied to both the Supervisor of Elections and the Commission for access to the picture list and was denied in both instances. Thomas spoke to REAL News correspondent George Wehner after the judgment was delivered, and this is what he had to say:

Moldy Classrooms Prompted All Saints Secondary Students to 'Strike' on Monday, November 11, 2024 Reports claim the Craft Room had a leak, which resulted in the formation of mold. It is alleged that, instead of cleaning and and sanitizing the affected area, the authorities merely covered the area with a white board. Reports say that despite the efforts of teachers to have the protesting students return to the classroom, the children refused to put their health at risk. The problem of mold infestation has been plaguing quite a number of government buildings these past few years, leading to shortened work hours in a number of departments.

Double Standard on Farms in Residential Communities

High Court Workers Take Industrial Action REAL News' George Wehner reports on the happenings this morning at the High Court of Justice.

Government Owned Dredging Company Caught Red-handed Dumping Dredge Material - Part 2 Blue Ocean, a dredging company Prime Minister Browne admitted in October of 2019 was partially owned by the government of Antigua and Barbuda through the National Asset Management Company (NAMCO), was caught red-handed on Tuesday October 18, 2022, dumping dredge material adjacent to the starboard side of the channel or shipping lane in the St. John’s Harbour. This is the second violation in three years to have embroiled Blue Ocean within this jurisdiction after they were also caught red-handed in an illegal sand mining operation off Maiden Island in October of 2019. Back then, Blue Ocean was neither registered nor licensed to operate within our territorial waters and the same violation obtains today. After four years of dredging by Blue Ocean, the largest cruise passenger ships are still unable to dock at any of our five piers owing to “a stone in the road”; and in an apparent rush to declare the project completed ahead of imminent general elections, Blue Ocean resorted to dumping the dredge material adjacent to the shipping lane with the potential of having the said material resettle into the same channel with a shift of ocean currents or the passage of an Atlantic storm. Having spent millions, did we get value for money with this dredging company or was this yet another instance in which the Gaston Browne administration, through NAMCO, was just “burning money”?

Government Owned Dredging Company Caught Red-handed Dumping Dredge Material - Part 1 Blue Ocean, a dredging company Prime Minister Browne admitted in October of 2019 was partially owned by the government of Antigua and Barbuda through the National Asset Management Company (NAMCO), was caught red-handed on Tuesday October 18, 2022, dumping dredge material adjacent to the starboard side of the channel or shipping lane in the St. John’s Harbour. This is the second violation in three years to have embroiled Blue Ocean within this jurisdiction after they were also caught red-handed in an illegal sand mining operation off Maiden Island in October of 2019. Back then, Blue Ocean was neither registered nor licensed to operate within our territorial waters and the same violation obtains today. After four years of dredging by Blue Ocean, the largest cruise passenger ships are still unable to dock at any of our five piers owing to “a stone in the road”; and in an apparent rush to declare the project completed ahead of imminent general elections, Blue Ocean resorted to dumping the dredge material adjacent to the shipping lane with the potential of having the said material resettle into the same channel with a shift of ocean currents or the passage of an Atlantic storm. Having spent millions, did we get value for money with this dredging company or was this yet another instance in which the Gaston Browne administration, through NAMCO, was just “burning money”?

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