Gregory Georges, CEO of WIOC
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed that Gregory Georges, Chief Executive Officer of the West Indies Oil Company (WIOC), was questioned by United States authorities during a recent trip to the U.S.
Browne made the disclosure on Saturday. Last week, an online news publication broke the story but did not identify the individual.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne
According to the Prime Minister, he contacted Gregory Georges directly after seeing the report. Georges subsequently confirmed that he had been detained and questioned by U.S. officials.
Browne said Georges informed him that authorities temporarily seized Georges’s electronic devices, including his laptop and mobile phone, during the encounter, and they were later returned.
The Prime Minister indicated that the questioning appeared to be linked to international scrutiny surrounding Venezuela’s historical 25 percent shareholding in WIOC — an arrangement that existed long before U.S. sanctions were imposed.
Browne stressed that WIOC has remained fully compliant with all applicable laws and sanctions since those measures came into effect.
“There has been absolutely no violation whatsoever,” Browne said.
He added that he chose to address the issue publicly only after verifying the facts directly with Gregory Georges, noting that his comments were intended to clarify the situation amid heightened international attention on Antigua and Barbuda and its state-owned entities.
Gregory Georges has always been professional and transparent. This confirms his integrity
According to the Prime Minister, he contacted Gregory Georges directly after seeing the report. Georges subsequently confirmed that he had been detained and questioned by U.S. officials.”
How much time elapsed between George’s detention, and the news report?
Why did the prime minister(government) know about the incident only from a news report?
Wait!!!! They coming for Venezuela share in WIOC too?
Today it’s WIOC, tomorrow it could be any Caribbean entity.
This is why small states must diversify partnerships and not depend on one superpower
Antigua and Barbuda is a sovereign nation. Our state-owned companies shouldn’t be treated like suspects by default
The U.S. cannot keep bullying small states and their officials just because of geopolitical interests
If there was ‘absolutely no violation,’ then this looks more like intimidation than investigation