LETTER: Gaston Browne’s Hypocritical Embrace of Asot Michael

Dear Editor

In an era where political consistency and principles are expected from leadership, Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s decision to welcome Asot Michael back into the fold of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) reeks of hypocrisy.

It is the latest chapter in a saga of political gamesmanship that casts a shadow over the integrity of the ABLP and its leadership.

Gaston Browne has consistently reminded us of the dangers Asot Michael posed to the party and the nation. The prime minister repeatedly labeled him as “rotten to the core”—a figure who sought to betray the ABLP, even going so far as to align himself with the United Progressive Party (UPP), the very opposition that has long aimed to dismantle the ABLP’s legacy.

Michael’s actions were not minor infractions but deliberate efforts to undermine the government. He openly clashed with Browne, taking legal actions against the party’s leadership, and attempted to weaken the ABLP from within, all while nursing his own political ambitions.

One of the most serious episodes that underscores the troubling nature of Michael’s return is his arrest by the UK’s National Crime Agency in 2017. While serving as Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism, Michael was detained at Heathrow Airport in connection with an ongoing bribery investigation.

The allegations were serious: it was claimed that Michael had solicited bribes from British investor Peter Virdee. Evidence in the form of recorded phone calls suggested that Michael was asking for luxury gifts and payments in exchange for helping secure business deals in Antigua.

The very fact that a sitting minister was involved in such allegations abroad raised significant concerns about his ethics and his commitment to public service.

Following this incident, Browne acted swiftly to strip Michael of his ministerial portfolio, reaffirming his commitment to maintaining the government’s integrity.

Yet now, despite the unresolved nature of these allegations and Michael’s ongoing legal troubles, the prime minister appears ready to bring him back into the fold, laying the groundwork for his return. This is not a spontaneous reconciliation but a calculated move, one that prioritizes political expediency over moral clarity.

Adding to this disturbing reality is the atmosphere of fear among sitting ABLP MPs. Many are aware of Michael’s deep political ambitions and his ruthless style of campaigning.

Their concern? That if Michael is kept outside the party’s inner circle, he will retaliate and target their seats in the next election.To avoid this potential threat, these MPs cowardly go along with Michael’s return, not out of support but out of self-preservation.

For them, holding onto power has become more important than upholding any sense of morality or principle.

Even more troubling is the fact that Michael’s ethical missteps are ongoing. In 2023, he was charged with battery for allegedly assaulting a female police officer during a fete.

Reports indicate that he was intoxicated at the time and behaved inappropriately, continuing to press the officer even after being warned off. How can the ABLP justify embracing a man whose character and conduct remain so deeply flawed?

Whatever the reasons, one thing is clear: this move is a betrayal not just of Browne’s own past statements but of the very principles the ABLP claims to uphold.

In welcoming back a figure who sought to undermine the party and who remains embroiled in scandal, Browne has shown that political survival trumps ethics in his administration.

The younger members of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party are watching this spectacle unfold, and their disappointment is visible. They have grown up hearing the party’s leaders talk about integrity, accountability, and a vision for a brighter future.

Yet, as they witness the Prime Minister’s decision to re-embrace Asot Michael, despite his litany of legal and ethical transgressions, they are beginning to see a different reality—one where political survival and power plays overshadow the very values the party claims to represent.

These young voices, who once looked to the ABLP for guidance and inspiration, are now left wondering whether their leaders are committed to change or are merely indulging in the same old politics.

The hypocrisy and the prioritization of self-preservation over morality have left a stain on the party, one that the next generation will not forget easily.

Their disappointment today may well transform into disillusionment tomorrow, and that poses a far greater threat to the future of the ABLP than any single election.