Opposition Leader Jamal Pringle is accusing the government of failing to consult Parliament, the opposition and the public before negotiating an agreement that could see third-country deportees sent to Antigua and Barbuda.
Speaking on Observer Radio’s Voice of the People on Tuesday, Pringle said the government should have initiated discussions with opposition lawmakers as soon as negotiations began rather than handling the matter unilaterally.
“When you look at this whole third-country deportee situation, the first thing that should have happened when this came up is for the government to call the members of the opposition and start the dialogue,” Pringle said.
He argued that information surrounding the proposal should have been shared publicly because of its potential national implications.
“They share the information surrounding this situation and you start the consultation with the people. This is not a situation that you handle just as government because it’s going to affect the entire country,” he said.
Pringle also renewed calls for the government to publish the memorandum of understanding governing the arrangement and table it in Parliament.
“I would have asked some time ago for the Prime Minister to publish the MOU, lay before Parliament all the information on this matter so that we, as parliamentarians, can be aware of the situation,” he said.
The Opposition Leader said the issue should be treated as a national matter rather than a decision made solely by the administration.
“It must be people-driven,” Pringle said. “It’s not for Gaston Browne and Ron Sanders to accept on our behalf. It’s for them to come back to us, show us the proposal, show us what they’re hoping to accomplish and what they want to send to the State Department.”
Pringle linked the controversy to broader concerns about transparency, saying opposition members have repeatedly sought information through Parliament but have struggled to obtain it. He also criticized delays in establishing an operational Information Commissioner, arguing that the office remains unable to effectively facilitate public access to government information.
The government has defended its handling of discussions with the United States, with Prime Minister Gaston Browne previously stating that negotiations over the proposed arrangement began last year and form part of broader diplomatic engagements. Browne has also said a White Paper outlining the agreement will be presented to Parliament.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Pringle Says Third-Country Deportee Deal Lacks Transparency.