MP Kelvin “Shugy” Simon responds to statement by PM Browne
As Kelvin “Shugy” Simon, MP for St. Mary’s South and a member of the United Progressive Party (UPP), I feel an urgent need to address not only the recent remarks made by Prime Minister Gaston Browne regarding the situation involving my constituent Mr. Jack Stroll and the Global Bank of Commerce (GBC) but also a deeply concerning issue reported by the Observer newspaper.
The Prime Minister’s statements, which are not only beyond absurd but also veer into the realm of the ludicrous, seem to be an idle attempt to change the narrative and perform a mind trick on the people of Antigua and Barbuda. He has completely deflected from the situation and constructed a narrative that bears no relation to the truth.
It is my understanding that Mr. Jack Stroll never requested the government to pay the debt owed to him by the GBC. Furthermore, no member of the United Progressive Party, including myself, has ever promised Mr. Stroll that the government of Antigua and Barbuda would assume his financial losses when the UPP comes into power. The Prime Minister’s assertion that our party would engage in such a promise is a leap into the realms of complete insanity and absurd rhetoric. The UPP is not the issue here but the continuous poor judgement of the Minister of Finance of Antigua and Barbuda who also happens to be Prime Minister Browne.
The Prime Minister simply cannot absolve himself from the responsibilities that come with the governance of our nation, particularly in regards to the regulation of the banking sector by the Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC). There is no doubt that proper regulation of GBC or any other financial institution under the watch of the FSRC may prevent this absolutely shocking affair from happening. Given the state of affairs should the FSRC be concerned with why GBC is unable to pay its depositors and intervene to protect the financial integrity of Antigua and Barbuda? This is not a political question but one of good governance. I am of the opinion that this oversight is a governmental responsibility, and the Prime Minister cannot simply distance himself from it.
Additionally, it is alarming that the government permits funds, specifically those from the National Development Funds through Citizenship by Investment applicants, to be deposited in an offshore bank, whose solvency is clearly questionable. This raises serious questions about the fiscal responsibility and ethical governance under Prime Minister Browne’s administration. Why aren’t other members of the present government team not concerned with this untenable state of affairs? If they are why aren’t they speaking out or doing something?
Turning to the recent Observer report, another distressing example has come to light. It concerns a donation of US$1 million by the British charity, the Steve Morgan Foundation, intended for Hurricane Irma recovery efforts in Barbuda. This money, sent through GBC in September 2017, has yet to reach the people of Barbuda. What else has to happen before Gaston Browne and the FSRC act? Please hear me, this money destined for Barbuda has been stuck in the Global Bank of Commerce for seven years. How can this possibly be allowed to happen? How would any regulatory body in any country in the world allow a bank to continue to do this?
Our party remains dedicated to the principles of accountability, good governance and transparency, and we vehemently reject any attempts to drag our name into unfounded, fantastical, and fanciful narratives. The people of Antigua and Barbuda deserve a government that is responsible, transparent, and accountable, especially in managing the nation’s finances and international goodwill gestures. It’s time for concrete action and honest governance.
