Antigua and Barbuda PM Addresses Immigration Incident Involving Former Trinidad PM

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has clarified that the information leading to immigration officers’ inquiries regarding former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley did not originate from Antigua.

Speaking to the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), on the sidelines of the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum 2025 currently underway in Grenada, Browne emphasized that immigration officials treated Rowley with the utmost respect, similar to how they would handle inquiries involving any other traveler.

Rowley, who departed from active politics in April 2023, disclosed that he experienced a stopover in Antigua on July 14, where he was briefly flagged due to his name being placed on a watch list by the Paris-based International Police Organization (INTERPOL).

He was en route to participate in the 30th anniversary celebrations of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory when he faced the inquiry at VC Bird International Airport.

But Browne told reporters that Rowley was not detained but rather subjected to further inquiries based on existing information in the immigration portal.

“It was not a detention,” Browne asserted, adding that the information prompting the inquiries did not originate in Antigua. He noted the professionalism of the immigration officers, citing that Rowley was treated with full respect as a former prime minister.

The former Prime Minister expressed disbelief that his name could have been flagged internationally by Trinidad and Tobago authorities and called for an explanation from Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar and Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro regarding their involvement.

Prime Minister Browne reiterated to CMC, “The information has since been removed from the system, and there is no such notation. I will not speculate where it originated, but I can assure you it did not come from Antigua and Barbuda.” emanate out of Antigua and Barbuda,” Browne told CMC.