“Not One Red Cent of Tax Payers’ Money to be Paid To Jack Stroll”-PM Browne

Prime Minister Gaston Browne, has issued a stern response to Jack Stroll, a wealthy Canadian citizen residing in Antigua and Barbuda, who is at the center of a financial debacle.

Stroll has been experiencing difficulties in recovering approximately US$8-10 million from the Global Bank of Commerce (GBC), and he has placed the blame on Prime Minister Browne and the Financial Regulatory Commission (FSRC) for causing the delay.

Stroll revealed that he became concerned about the bank’s financial stability after other high-profile Global clients apparently reported difficulty accessing their money. He said he had subsequently tried to wire millions to Canada for safety.

Stroll claimed that the Prime Minister knew about the situation before it unfolded

“He knew I couldn’t get my money out of the bank; it didn’t have to go to the courts,” Scroll said

But in a blunt response on Saturday, PM Browne said he warned Stroll on several occasions to cease and desist from seeking to engage him in his customer bank dispute with GBC.

“I have no regulatory authority, directorship, or shareholding in GBC, and the government of Antigua and Barbuda has no outstanding liability or ownership interest in GBC. Your expectation that our government should have stepped in and paid you US$13M with taxpayers’ money is unconscionable and wicked. The government has no such fiduciary responsibility to you,” Browne said

Furthermore, Browne said his ABLP government, “unlike the UPP desperate MP’s will never give any such reckless undertaking, to use taxpayers’ money to settle the amounts due to you from GBC. Your outlandish expectation for our government to assume the liability is corrupt”.

According to Browne, “while the UPP mendicant MP’s may be awed by you, with their begging bowl in hand; and would have given you the undertaking to pay if they assume power; my administration will never become reckless with taxpayers’ money”

“For the umpteenth time, let me remind you that the GOAB has no contractual relationship with you. Our government does not owe you. We will not be bullied into submission, and let me publicly advise you that you will never receive a penny of taxpayers’ money to retire the GBC debt, provided my administration continues to govern this country. NOT ONE RED CENT,” Browne added

At the end of his response, Browne requested that Stroll cease and desist “from bringing myself and the government into public odium, involving your private dispute with GBC”.