Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed that his government is set to present recommended changes to parliament next month, emphasizing its commitment to persuading the European Union (EU) to rethink its decision to end visa-free access for holders of Antiguan and Barbudan passports.
During a recent meeting with EU officials, Browne expressed his concerns regarding the new measures, stating, “If the European Union feels compelled to implement new measures, we propose that these should not extend beyond the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) framework.” He indicated that an ETA would enable the EU to maintain a level of control over who enters its territories, which could be a mutually agreeable solution.
Browne reiterated the significance of the current duty-free access and the necessity of retaining visa-free entry for the citizens of Antigua and Barbuda. “We value this arrangement and believe it is crucial to sustain our visa-free access,” he urged during discussions.
As negotiations continue, the Antigua and Barbuda government remains optimistic about reaching a resolution that addresses both the needs of its citizens and the security concerns of the EU.
Recent updates from the European Commission highlight a revised visa suspension mechanism, introducing additional criteria for suspending visa-free travel. This adjustment specifically focuses on security concerns, irregular migration, and the risks associated with investor citizenship programs, commonly referred to as ‘golden passports’ for third countries with visa waiver agreements.
If that’s what we have to do then that’s what we have to do to protect our program
Ralf say they’re scrambling now looking to grab what they can. Pitiful set of fraudsters. .
This parliamentary step is crucial step towards negotiation.
We have to do what we have to do to ensure smooth travels of our citizens
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has no one to blame but himself for the mess Antigua and Barbuda now finds itself in. His sudden concern about the European Union’s decision to end visa-free access is both dishonest and insulting to the intelligence of the Antiguan people. This crisis was not imposed on the country by foreign powers — it was created by his administration’s reckless, arrogant, and deeply irresponsible handling of the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme.
For years, this Prime Minister has treated Antigua’s passport as a commodity to be sold with minimal regard for international security standards. The inevitable result is now playing out. The United States has already stripped Antiguans of visa-free access because it no longer trusts his government. Europe is now reaching the same conclusion. That is not coincidence — it is a pattern of failure.
The Prime Minister speaks of “security concerns” as if they are abstract policy issues. They are not. They are rooted in real, unresolved scandals that his government has buried under silence. Chief among them is the unexplained arrival of over 1,000 West African nationals into Antigua under suspicious circumstances — many without visas and allegedly promised onward access to the United States. This was not a clerical error; it was a national security breach.
Even more disturbing is the reported involvement of the Prime Minister’s close associate, Olabanjo, who was present at the airport to receive a flight that arrived outside normal airport operations. To this day, neither Olabanjo nor the Prime Minister has accounted to the nation for what happened next. The whereabouts of these individuals remain unknown, except for the 17 who died horrific deaths at sea while allegedly being smuggled out of Antigua. The captain of the capsized vessel has never been apprehended. No serious investigation. No accountability. Just silence.
This is the kind of conduct that convinces powerful nations that Antigua and Barbuda has become a liability in global border security. No amount of diplomatic posturing or empty talk about “consultative mechanisms” can erase that reality. The EU does not distrust Antigua by accident — it distrusts a government that has proven itself incapable of controlling its own borders or policing its own programmes.
Under Gaston Browne, the CBI programme has become dangerous, discredited, and corrosive to the country’s international standing. It is not “vital” in its current form — it is reckless. And it will never be trusted again unless there is a fundamental overhaul of Antigua and Barbuda’s nationality laws, including ending the reckless expansion of citizenship and tightening birthright nationality provisions.
If this government insists on continuing CBI, then it must raise fees, impose iron-clad vetting, and stop pretending that a purchased Antiguan passport should grant visa-free access to countries that clearly no longer trust this administration’s judgment. CBI citizens should apply for visas using their country of birth — full stop.
The Prime Minister got it catastrophically wrong with the United States, and ordinary Antiguans are paying the price. He is now about to get it wrong again with Europe. His leadership has turned Antigua and Barbuda from a trusted small state into a security concern.
This is not diplomacy gone wrong. This is leadership gone wrong.