Global Organisation for Parliamentarians Ambassador raises questions about Antigua Airways

By Robert A. Emmanuel

Source: Antigua Observer

Chief Executive of the Global Organisation for Parliamentarians, Ambassador Akash Maharaj, opined that the situation surrounding Antigua Airways is “murky, and a strange one.”

Maharaj, speaking on Observer AM yesterday, said that there are serious questions relating to the Nigerian-owned airline operation.

“The corporation that seems to be behind these flights is a printing company—a business that produces flyers, books…that is an entirely legitimate business, but that is wholly unconnected to air travel or tourism, and it does seem a little odd that the company has suddenly decided that it is going to take a line of business that involves taking people across the Atlantic,” he said.

Visitors arriving from parts of the African continent in recent weeks have sent Antiguans and Barbudans into a frenzy with many wild accusations on social media, including that the visitors were here to vote.

Observer media previously reported that at least one of the visitors rejected such accusations with all indications pointing towards migrants simply passing through Antigua.

Maharaj agreed with that assessment, claiming that the African visitors being a part of a voting scheme is “improbable,” and if there was any truth to the claims, then it was likely conducted by a “corrupt and not particularly competent” person.

“It is more likely that these persons are desperate to get out of places like Cameroon and Nigeria and they have been offered a flight to Antigua as a way of escaping,” he claimed.

Observer media reported several instances of persons complaining about the price of one night at local hotels, which is around US$80.00

This led to a rush of individuals reportedly scrambling for last-minute accommodations, since they could not afford that arguably small sum.

However, Observer also received information from one of the airlines involved that passengers had to pay US$5,000 for travel.

“This cannot be a simple holiday operation if you have a situation where you’re trying to recruit luxury tourists from exceptionally poor countries, and certainly people who arrive in Antigua who paid this money cannot even afford a single night’s stay at a hotel,” he said

“This particular instance of this airline transporting people from Nigeria to Antigua is not entirely a private matter, but is bound up with the government of Antigua…if it were the case that a private actor was involved in some form of human trafficking, then that is hugely serious, but if it turns out that the State is a party to those actions that would be catastrophic,” Maharaj said.

Antigua Airways, owned by Nigerian entrepreneur, Marvellous Mike Press Limited, has been in the headlines over the past few weeks as the airline comes under increasing scrutiny.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne recently told reporters that the public should use the influx of individuals as a business opportunity and open their homes to African passengers.