Prime Minister Gaston Browne has strongly rebutted a press release issued by former UPP political leader Harold Lovell, dismissing his denials of involvement in the Odebrecht bribery affair as false and contradicted by court filings.
_”That is not true. That’s a lie,”_ Browne said bluntly on Pointe FM, addressing Lovell’s claim that his 2014 legal engagement had no connection to the Brazilian construction firm at the centre of the scandal.
Lovell, in his statement, said he was involved in a civil matter related to the Antigua Overseas Bank (AOB), but Browne argued that the bank was never liquidated. _”It’s not even liquidated… the Overseas Bank has an administrator… it is Seaforth.”_
The Prime Minister questioned the legitimacy of Lovell’s claims: _”A judge would have to order liquidation. A judge would have to appoint him as a liquidator.”_ He challenged Lovell directly: _”Let him provide the evidence that a court appointed him as a liquidator for AOB.”_
Browne accused Lovell of issuing a misleading statement to cover what court documents reportedly confirm. _”He just embarrassed because in the court documents they said that the Brazilians specifically recruited Franco to fix the problem. And Franco then got on to his two friends—Harold Lovell and Casroy James.”_
He went further, highlighting what he described as inconsistencies in Lovell’s own statement. _”He also said he met with Franco and the then ambassador Casroy James in Miami.”_ Browne responded with incredulity: _”You see who the friends are—not me and Franco, Harold and Franco.”_
_”He’s contradicting himself,”_ the Prime Minister said. _”Harold, you’re not a good liar.”_
Browne, who has repeatedly denied any involvement in the Odebrecht matter, accused Lovell of trying to rewrite the facts now that court records are surfacing. _”So we talk about… he wasn’t a receiver for no bank… the bank still has assets. In fact, there’s about $10 to $15 million worth of land down at Weirs that the bank still owns.”_
Mocking the press release, Browne added: _”He may as well just shut up.”_
The Odebrecht scandal, which has entangled officials across Latin America and the Caribbean, continues to attract scrutiny, particularly in light of recent legal disclosures.