PM Browne relieves AU Ambassador of duties over undisclosed Alfa Nero commission

Prime Minister Gaston Browne said that the Cabinet has relieved Ambassador to the African Union Johann Hesse of his duties, citing his failure to disclose that a UK-registered company owned by his business partner received a $450,000 commission related to the sale of the luxury superyacht Alfa Nero.

Prime Minister Browne announced the decision during his weekly radio show on Saturday, emphasizing that while no evidence of corruption or conflict of interest was found, Ambassador Hesse failed to disclose the transaction in a timely manner.

On Thursday, Director of Communications Maurice Merchant told the public that Hesse informed Cabinet that the introductory fee was paid to a UK-registered company, Caribbean Lifestyle Services Limited, owned by his business partner Rufus Gobart.

The payment was made by yacht brokerage firm Northrop and Johnson, which received a 5% commission from the Antigua and Barbuda government for facilitating the Alfa Nero sale.

Hesse and Gobart maintained that the $450,000 represented 25% of Northrop’s net commission, earned through their longstanding business relationship with the brokerage firm. They stated the funds were properly declared to UK tax authorities.

Prime Minister Browne reiterated that the Cabinet had no prior knowledge of the private business arrangement between Hesse, Gobart, and the yacht broker.

“We first learned about the transaction when documents were filed in court,” he said. “We had absolutely no knowledge that anyone [employed by the government] benefited from any commission whatsoever.”

Both Hesse and Gobart have since affidavits confirming that no government official, Cabinet member, or family member of any government official received any benefit from the commission.

While the Cabinet found no evidence of illegal activity, the Prime Minister said the Cabinet “felt that he had an obligation to disclose sooner because the matter was in the public domain for several months.”

“Even in my case, the fact that my name and family members were called, at least he could have said to us, ‘Look, we did get this commission,’ and at least we could have made it public,” the Prime Minister explained.

There’s no evidence of illegality,” the Prime Minister added. “It’s just an issue that we felt that he should have notified us. The appearance or the perception of conflict would arise just because of a lack of disclosure.”

The government maintains that all documentation related to the Alfa Nero sale has been released and considers the broader matter largely settled, though officials say they remain prepared to defend their actions against what they describe as politically motivated claims.

The Alfa Nero, a 267-foot luxury yacht, has been the subject of repeated legal and political scrutiny since its acquisition and sale by the government.