Describing the claims as “reckless” and “malicious” the government has completely rejected MP Trevor Walker’s accusation that money allocated for Barbuda relief efforts was inappropriately handled by the government.
During a political rally hosted by the UPP last week, Walker reportedly said that the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party government had used “half of Barbuda relief money” to construct billboards.
A government statement on the weekend rejected Walker’s statements, condemned them as being “maliciously dishonest” and designed to “whip-up political passion” ahead of constitutionally due general elections.
According to a government statement issued in response to the spurious accusation, “…the claim comes from a person who is an elected member of the national House of Assembly. As such, Mr. Walker must be aware of two basic tenets of law; first, he who accuses must prove, and second that any person who has knowledge of any violation of the law has a duty to report it to the Police, or that person can be charged with withholding evidence, which, itself is a crime.”
The government went on to challenge MP Walker to provide the evidence of his claims to the police.
Failing to do so, the ABLP administration said Walker would have revealed himself “as a political opportunist intent on inflaming anti-government sentiment in Barbuda”.
