Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the Barbuda Council continues to violate the laws of the country by seeking to assert authority over land that they do not have.

He was speaking to State Media, in response to the council’s action to demolish barriers on the property leased by the operators of the Barbuda Beach Cottages.

Last Thursday, a backhoe operated by Santana “Nada” Charles, reportedly instructed by the Barbuda Council Public Works Representative, Nico Antonio, used his equipment to remove the barriers at the private property’s west entrance to open access to the public.

The cottages are owned by Kelcina Burton George whom the Council says has been blocking access to the beach. George has denied the claims and said she would be taking legal action against the Barbuda Council

But PM Browne told ABS that he believes Burton George is being targeted because of her political

“What they doing now is that they are targeting Labour Party supporters. It is well known that the owner of that little hotel is a supporter of the ABLP. She ran on an ABLP ticket to become a counselor in Barbuda. She didn’t make it and I think it’s a form of discrimination that is taking place down there”

He said it appears that members of the Central Government are now disintegrating into violence

“They are trying to send the central government a message well the message was received and it means they are now disintegrating into violence. It means that they are now becoming lawless. If they want to step up the anti then we will have to deal with them accordingly…”

“We are not going to allow the likes of Trevor Walker and John Mussington to violate the laws of this country with impunity. It is not going to happen and I just want to say to them without any fear of contradiction that there will be consequences” Browne warns

All this comes as the High Court is hearing an application for an injunction against the Barbuda Council to prevent it from trespassing on lands that have been leased to Burton-George