Ms Valencia Grant Press Secretary to Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris is responding to a publication put out on Thursday October 26 2017 by Investment Migration Insider entitled “Michael Arrest Related to Bribery Investigation, Timothy Harris Cancels His Gatwick Transit.” The online news which bills itself as being “the leading source of intelligence for the Citizenship and Residence by Investment Industry” was accused by the press secretary to PM Harris of not inviting the prime minister to comment on this matter and objected to the overall tone of the article.
In responding to IMI the press secretary Ms Valencia Grant wrote:
“The Office of the Prime Minister has been informed of an innuendo-laced article titled “Michael Arrest Related to Bribery Investigation, Timothy Harris Cancels His Gatwick Transit” that was posted by the online publicationInvestment Migration Insider today, Thursday, October 26th, 2017, to which we take strong objection.
Given the seriousness of the innuendo published by Investment Migration Insider, its editor ought to have – with equal zeal – afforded the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis a meaningful opportunity to respond. However, in a blatant disregard of international journalism standards, Investment Migration Insider failed to contact Prime Minister Harris or his press office to provide either of them with an opportunity to comment.
Prime Minister Harris is a staunch advocate of freedom of the press, but he believes that with great power comes great responsibility.
Reporters who report irresponsibly do so at their own risk.
It is disappointing that Investment Migration Insider, which bills itself as being “the leading source of intelligence for the Citizenship and Residence by Investment Industry” would act in dereliction of its duty to its readers. How can Investment Migration Insider account for this improper and unsupportable linkage?
It has also been reported that the current leader of the Opposition said: “Was it that he was afraid of being met at Gatwick?…”
The Investment Migration Insider(IMI) wrote on 26/10/17
“In an email (seen by the editor) sent from Patrick Reilly head of the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Caribbean, Central America & Mexico Department and addressed to Antigua & Barbuda’s High Commissioner in London, Karen-Mae Hill, UK officials have elaborated on the background for Asot Michael’s arrest at London Gatwick earlier this week.
The content of the email reads as follows:
§ On 23rd of October 2017, the NCA arrested Asot Michael, the Antiguan Minister for Tourism, Economic Development, Investment, and Energy.
§ Mr Michael was arrested for questioning in connection with an NCA investigation into bribes paid by a UK national for business contracts in the Caribbean.
§ Mr Michael was released under investigation with no conditions imposed, but we cannot rule out the possibility of criminal charges in due course.
§ It is not possible to comment further on what is an ongoing criminal investigation
Until his arrest and sudden dismissal by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Asot Michael was the Minister of Tourism and Investment in Antigua & Barbuda and had special oversight over the real estate element of the CIP. According to one commentator, “Asot Michael was effectively responsible for all real estate projects intended for the Citizenship by Investment Programmes.”
In a statement to the media, the Democratic National Alliance, a newly formed political party in Antigua & Barbuda, said the arrest had dealt “another blow” to the reputation of the country, and also indicated that the Prime Minister’s immediate reaction – relieving Michael of his duties and portfolios – was perplexing.
That sentiment is echoed in an editorial in Antigua Observer, which described the PM’s reaction as a puzzling “departure from the slow-moving response to previous allegations of wrongdoing by other officials,” and cited a number of cases in which the Browne administration had adopted a wait-and-see attitude when faced with criminal charges against its cabinet members, rather than taking the approach of summary dismissal as was the case with Mr. Michael.
The scant information regarding the context in which the arrest was made, as well as the Prime Minister’s curiously decisive action on the matter, prompted a variety of hypotheses.
“Was Prime Minister Gaston Browne aware that the net was circling on Michael? And was this why he recently reduced the price of the country’s citizenship, reducing the cost for a family of four to US$100,000? While neighbouring countries such as St Kitts & Nevis and Saint Lucia cried foul, PM Browne was adamant that desperate times called for desperate measures,” speculated Victoria Ashby, a freelance journalist based between London and the Caribbean, in an email to the editor, and went on to suggest that industry commentators were “certain it was a last-ditch attempt to raise capital through citizenship before Asot’s arrest.”
Also worth noting is that Prime Minister of Saint Kitts & Nevis, Timothy Harris, has now suddenly and without explanation canceled his trip to the very same conference – the International Emigration and Luxury Property Expo in Cannes – at which Asot Michael was scheduled to speak before he was arrested in transit at Gatwick. Harris was, likewise, scheduled to transit at Gatwick.”
But Press Secretary Grant indicated in her response, “No, the Prime Minister is not afraid to travel anywhere, period. And perhaps the rejected Dr. Denzil Douglas should be considering his own future travel plans.” The Press Secretary continued:
“It is a matter of public record that Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris has had to send representatives in his place to attend recent international meetings such as the United Nations General Assembly and the IMF-World Bank meetings while staying at home to deal with other important matters of state. This week, too, the Honourable Prime Minister updated the nation regarding the Dominica diplomatic passport held by Dr. Denzil Douglas, the possession of which has engaged the national community because of the significant constitutional, political and ethical repercussions,” said the the Press Secretary to Prime Minister Harris.”
Meanwhile the former press secretary to PM Harris, Clecton Phillip, writing on the SKN List asked “WHY IS TIMOTHY HARRIS’ PRESS SECRETARY UPSET WITH INVESTMENT MIGRATION INSIDER?” Phillip questioned “Madame Press Secretary:
1. what is the “innuendo published by Investment Migration Insider”?
2. Was Harris scheduled to attend the “very same conference” as Asot Michael?
3. Did Harris cancel his trip?
4. If the answer to both questions 2 and 3 are yes, then when did he cancel his trip and what was the timing of the cancellation? Would you or would you not characterise it as “sudden”?
5. Has Harris given a proper explanation as to the reason(s) why he would have “canceled” his trip?
6. What are the “important matters of state” that would have forced Harris to cancel his trip to this “International Emigration and Luxury Property Expo” in Cannes? My understanding is that, not only was Asot Michael down as a key speaker at that conference, but Timothy Harris was also scheduled as a key speaker, no doubt to highlight SKN’s CBI programme, the “platinum standard of the global industry”?
Madame Press Secretary, I believe, the people of SKN are likely more interested in the nature of the relationship between Asot Michael and Timothy Harris, than you and/or Harris’ seeming outrage that his office was not contacted before Investment Migration Insider published today’s story.”
Freedom Fm called the Office of the Prime minister on Friday morning and spoke to Ms Grant who reiterated her condemnation of the Investment migration Insider article as without basis in fact and without substance. Ms Grant told our reporter that the IMI editor sent an email saying that they should have called Pm Harris or his Office to get their side of the story.