AG Dismisses Claims of Separate YIDA State as “Absolute Nonsense”
Attorney General Sir Steadroy Benjamin has strongly rejected allegations that the Browne Administration is considering allowing the YIDA property to become a sovereign state within Antigua.
“Nonsense. That’s totally ridiculous. I’m surprised that anybody with any common sense could say that,” Benjamin told Observer Media when asked about the claims.
The Attorney General emphasized that YIDA remains subject to national laws: “Every aspect of the activity, it is subject to the laws of the nation, of the government, and the nation.”
He dismissed the reports as fabricated, calling them “so-called imagination” and “some personal person’s design to undermine the good intention of the economic zone.”
Benjamin’s response comes roughly two weeks after Real News published claims from unnamed insiders describing an alleged plan to allow YIDA to operate as an exempt state within Antigua and Barbuda. The publication alleged the state would be exempt from local laws while being governed by the country’s Constitution, and would potentially have its own Parliament, government, and currency.
The sources cited in the Real News report claimed legal advisors were opposed to the arrangement but that the Attorney General was “unmoved and already gung-ho on the dual system.”
The allegations also suggested such arrangements would have implications for OECS and CARICOM groupings, particularly the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union and Central Bank.
Benjamin categorically rejected all aspects of the claims as having no basis in fact.
This story was first published by Antigua News on : antigua.news/2025/11/26/ag-dismisses-claims-of-separate-yida-state-as-absolute-nonsense. © 2025 Antigua News. Republication without permission is not allowed.
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Comments (7)
Amethisyah November 26, 2025, 4:32 PM
the man has no honour, no shame and no ethitics!
Informed citizen November 26, 2025, 9:55 PM
Tamia November 27, 2025, 7:51 AM
Lena November 27, 2025, 9:47 AM
Shana L November 27, 2025, 11:05 AM
Unruly One November 27, 2025, 12:42 PM
Dani November 28, 2025, 11:09 AM