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WATCH:UPP picketing PM’s office over African asylum

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Members of the Opposition United Progressive Party are currently picketing the office of the prime minister, against a decision by the government to consider granting asylum to the Africans who are entangled in the chartered flight fiasco.

UPP Jamal Pringle and several other members of the party are currently at the picket.

“Democracy not dictatorship”, “we are against human trafficking” and “save Antigua and Barbuda” are a few of the slogans written on placards at the picket.

Residents and party members are currently assembled along the streets.

Last week, the UPP leadership called on the Cabinet to halt its unilateral plans to regularize the status of more than 600 West Africans “stranded” here.

The UPP’s contention is that there was absolutely no consultation with the people or their elected representatives.

The party said while it is not against granting safety to Africans or anyone for that matter, their issue is that it must be a national undertaking and residents need to have more information about the refugees.

In a statement released by the party last week Thursday, the UPP says like thousands of citizens and residents, they demand to know who has offered the African visitors a choice; who has reported that they are likely to choose to stay; and what arrangement, exactly, will be made to ensure their status is legal?

https://antigua.news/2023/02/07/watch-pringle-to-take-african-concerns-to-international-human-trafficking-agencies/

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Meanwhile Police had to intervene moments ago as the UPP continues its picket of the prime minister’s office over the African issue

The protestors were given permission to carry out their protest on the southern side of Queen Elizabeth Highway in the vicinity of parliament and the PM’s office.

However, protestors were assembling on the northern side and were prevented to do so by police.

View story here:

WATCH:UPP picketing PM’s office over African asylum

This story was first published by Antigua News on : antigua.news/2023/02/07/watchupp-picketing-pms-office-over-african-asylum. © 2023 Antigua News. Republication without permission is not allowed.

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Comments (15)

  • Sherry February 7, 2023, 11:15 AM

    Wicked …..you hear the have a crisis in their country where as thoudands have died and you want to send them back what type of humans are you people God know why the are hete but you all have so much jatred for your own black ppl a d are so blind
    Reply

    • Dora Joseph February 7, 2023, 2:24 PM

      Concerned
      Reply

    • Anonymous February 7, 2023, 2:30 PM

      They are not our brothers or sisters africa is big enough for them to go to another part of africa to live . The Caribbean national have to pay for been here , so send them back to Africa
      Reply

  • Sharon Lycorish February 7, 2023, 11:15 AM

    It’s extremely ironic that the United Progressive Party appears to always be against immigrants. This view can be seen as myopic being an immigrant from another OECS country. Yes, I agree that laws must be obeyed but on the other hand we elect our leaders to make decisions on our behalf. PM Browne and his administration has decided to err on the side of humanitarianism taking into consideration many angles to this tragic situation. We should try to be magnanimous to our African Camaroonian brothers and sisters whenever we can.
    Reply

    • Thothmoses February 7, 2023, 1:36 PM

      We here in Antigua need to stand up to these UPP candidates and acolytes and let them know we against what they’re doing..
      Reply

    • Anonymous February 7, 2023, 2:31 PM

      You all love corruption
      Reply

  • Disgusted February 7, 2023, 11:25 AM

    If they are human trafficking why do they still have the personal documents… Passport etc… Get it together… Say something else buddy… Not human trafficking… 🤔😳🙄
    Reply

  • My Name February 7, 2023, 11:28 AM

    All I would say to the picketers, is that the election is over. The people spoke and they trust the ABLP to lead. Your leader has retired. This means that enough voters didn’t believe in him. Stop being xenophobic. These are our people. We got to Antigua and Barbuda in chains. Let them teach us a few things about our motherland.
    Reply

    • Okafor KC February 7, 2023, 11:43 AM

      God bless you and your family it shall be well with you if black people globally will understand their root and embrace it white supremacists will cease to exist,
      Bob may say it “””Africa Unite”””
      Reply

  • Jah Bless February 7, 2023, 12:01 PM

    You embrace the Chinese, the Europeans, the Latinos, the Syrians, etc but your own race, you denounce them, you hate them, you tell them they are smelling, you hate your own brothers and sisters from the motherland. UPP y’all be racist to yourselves have some conscience y’all, y’all attitude be stinky
    Reply

    • Anonymous February 7, 2023, 12:36 PM

      Why my people doesn’t know wrong from right? Is it because they are blinded by the devil!
      Reply

  • voice of reason February 7, 2023, 12:20 PM

    Ignorant Antiguan Africans picketing their fellow Africans from coming legally to Antigua fleeing hardship and victimization vs those who was forced to Antigua by gun point under the belly of a ship who came from Africa and worked as indentured slaves. Now we are so powerful and mighty that our fellow brothers & sisters who God instructed us to love as he loves us, is now being scorned, hated & despised because of political reasons.
    Shame on all of you. Most of these Antiguans who are picketing have family living overseas who have never been treated in such a disgusting way. How would they feel if Americans or British people took to the streets to protest their family from living in trait neighborhoods?
    I wonder if Jesus came down from heaven if he’d be pleased with this type of Christianity being practiced today.
    Shame on you all.
    Reply

    • Human smuggling is a Crime. February 7, 2023, 2:04 PM

      Stop trying to gaslighting the situation. It’s about the fact that the leader of the country lied about these Africans who are here. They were investors, then tourist now refugees.
      You want Antiguans to condone criminal behaviour from their leaders? It not personal against Africans – It’s about the scam that the leaders are trying to get Antiguans to go along with; and any international ramifications that will follow. We want the truth and the people in Antigua that benefited needs to be outted.
      Reply

  • Audley Phillip February 7, 2023, 5:51 PM

    This matter is far bigger than any single political party and should be treated as such. As citizens we truly deserve to know the full details surrounding this entire affair. The Minister of Immigration owes us an explanation and he should demit office for having brought this unwelcoming situation upon us.and for those who think that we are insensitive to the plight of the West Africans…we are not. We are simply not in a position to accommodate 637 persons who came to us under false pretense of being bona-fide tourists. Our economy cannot absorb them, we have no jobs available to hive them, our health-care is not equipped to deal with them. The best course of action is to repatriate them back to their country of origin.
    Reply

    • Anonymous Black February 8, 2023, 3:18 AM

      Shame ! Shame ! Shame on them ! We are celebrating black history month and this is what they are doing to our own brothers and sisters from Africa , the belly of the clave ships , the cry of freedom the suffering over the trans Atlantic crossing where thousands die ! Shame our Ancestors must be turning over in their graves the cry of limbo will torment their very souls no love in their hearts for those who love ok like them Shame ! Shame ! Shame on them . Big up Mr PM for his wisdom and black consciousness
      Reply

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