Alfa Nero super yacht. Photo:iStock
The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has issued a response to a lawsuit filed in a United States Federal Court in Puerto Rico concerning the purchase amount of the Alfa Nero yacht.
The response also addresses an article published on the Associated Press online news portal that references this lawsuit which aims to investigate whether any undisclosed dealings for personal gain occurred.
The yacht acquired by the government after being left in Antigua for over two years. It was sold for $40 million to an unnamed “Turkish billionaire”, with proceeds reportedly used immediately to pay off state debts.
Government officials characterized the allegations in the article as a “politically motivated attempt to malign the Prime Minister and his family.” They therefore condemned the article, which they noted cites the United Progressive Party in some instances.
According to government officials, the lawsuit and accompanying article falsely implicate Prime Minister Gaston Browne, his wife, his son, the Accountant General, and the Port Manager.
“The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda is aware of affidavits and evidentiary exhibits filed in the High Court of Justice by Ministry of Finance officials as proof of expenditure from the sale of the Alpa Nero,” the statement read.
In their response, the Cabinet provided details on how the yacht sale proceeds were utilized: “The documents confirm that the proceeds from the Alfa Nero’s sale—amounting to US$40 million—were allocated to cover expenses related to the yacht’s maintenance, services, and supplies and payments of the commission to the agency that facilitated the sale of the super yacht.”
“Additionally, approximately US$29 million of the proceeds were used to address critical fiscal obligations of the Government, including payments to domestic and external creditors such as the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, Caribbean Development Bank, Software One Inc., and judgment debts and land compensation awards,” the statement continued.
The Cabinet “unequivocally states that neither the Prime Minister nor any member of his family or any public official benefited from the sale of the Alfa Nero superyacht.”
Prime Minister Browne addressed the matter directly on his Facebook page, stating: “I have asked my attorneys to determine if this article is defamatory. If so, St Kitts Nevis Times and others, regionally and internationally, will get their opportunity in court to prove that millions are missing from the Alfa Nero sale and precisely who benefited.”
The government of Antigua and Barbuda is currently involved in several litigation regarding the sale of the Alpha Nero in both the High Court and the Court of Appeal, with judgments expected soon.
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