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The Parliamentary Representative for St Johns Rural West, Richard Lewis, Prime Minister Gaston Browne, urging him to be transparent and truthful with the people of Antigua and Barbuda regarding the agreement to rent his son’s property at Friars Hill Road.
Lewis has expressed his concerns that the Prime Minister has once again deliberately attempted to deceive the public.
He revealed that his checks at the Office of Intellectual Property have confirmed that the Prime Minister’s son is the sole owner of the property currently occupied by government offices on Friars Hill Road, through his directorship of “investment group” IF Antigua Inc.
The Prime Minister, in his response to Lewis’s questions on the property, referred to his son’s company as an “investment group,” which Mr. Lewis pointed out was misleading.
Lewis has also raised questions about the true ownership of the property and why the Prime Minister would try to mislead the public about it.
He has also expressed his concerns about the lack of verifiable information on the Government’s future plans for the property, the real costs of the arrangement, and the absence of figures on exactly how much has been spent to improve his son’s property thus far.
The Lease Agreement commits the Government to paying rent at a rate of $1 per month and authorizes repairs and additions to the building and Lewis, said it is not clear if there are plans to make additions to the property as permitted by the Lease Agreement.
Lewis says the taxpayers of Antigua and Barbuda currently lack any evidence that this agreement is cost-effective, causing understandable concern.
According to Lewis, it would be highly unethical to witness another Browne family enrichment scheme while citizens struggle with high taxes and living expenses.
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