(CMC) — Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has criticised the regional integration grouping, CARICOM, after it issued a statement late on Friday night regarding the visa situation involving the United States, Dominica and his own country.
On Friday, both Browne and his Dominican counterpart, Roosevelt Skerrit, issued statements indicating that the United States had agreed to suspend its proclamation that would have prevented citizens from Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda from entering the North American country from Jan. 1 next year.
The leaders of the two countries had indicated that, following discussions with United States officials at the embassy in Barbados and at the State Department in Washington, an agreement had been reached to suspend the proclamation that President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday.
“I would like to thank the United States government itself for understanding the situation and agreeing to set aside for the time being the proclamation … and so this is good news. The anxieties that we all would have should be set aside,” Skerrit told radio listeners, adding that Roseau was looking forward to continuing the good relations it has enjoyed with Washington in the past.
The Antigua and Barbuda government said that a similar suspension had been afforded to its nationals.
“This applies to all visa categories, including B-1, B-2, J, and M visas,” said Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders, adding that “for the avoidance of doubt, this includes tourist, business, student, and other valid United States-issued visas.
“Second, there will be no revocation of any existing visas issued to nationals of Antigua and Barbuda prior to 31 December 2025,” he said in a statement.
He said with regard to new visa applications submitted after Jan. 1, 2026, “these will be subject to new arrangements that are still to be worked out with several Caribbean countries, including Antigua and Barbuda.
“These arrangements relate specifically to the collection of biometric information of Antigua and Barbuda passport holders to ensure full compatibility with United States biometric systems.”
But Browne, in a post on his Facebook, said despite being advised by him “that the issue was resolved and that it would be superfluous circulating this statement after the fact,” CARICOM still went ahead and issued a statement.
He said the CARICOM position came “especially in consideration of their inertia and initial lukewarm support”.
In its statement, the CARICOM Bureau, made up of the prime ministers of Jamaica, Barbados and Grenada, said it had taken note of the visa situation and that while it ”recognises the right of countries to implement policies regulating entry to their borders, nevertheless, the Bureau expresses concern that this decision was taken without prior consultation, especially in circumstances of its potential adverse effects on legitimate travel, people-to-people exchanges, and the social and economic well-being of these small states”.
In its statement, the CARICOM Bureau expressed concern about the lack of clarity regarding the status of existing visas after Jan. 1, 2026.
“The Bureau urges an early engagement by the United States with the Governments of Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica to clarify the proclamation and address outstanding concerns, consistent with the strong and longstanding partnership between the United States of America and CARICOM.
“CARICOM remains committed to dialogue and cooperation based on mutual respect, shared interests and the rule of law as we seek to secure the prosperity of the region and its citizens.”
On Tuesday, Trump, in his latest executive order, said that apart from Antigua and Barbuda, nationals from Dominica and Haiti would also be affected by the immigration policy.
Trump said some of the countries identified in an earlier proclamation had offered citizenship-by-investment (CBI) without residency, which poses challenges for screening and vetting.
Under the CBI programme, several Caribbean countries, including Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica, offer citizenship to foreign investors in return for substantial investment in their socio-economic development.
Trump said both Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica have “historically had CBI without residency” and that the entry into the United States of nationals of these two countries as immigrants, and as non-immigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, is hereby suspended.
He said consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other non-immigrant visa issued to nationals of Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica “to the extent permitted by law”.
Meanwhile, Browne has taken the opportunity to criticise an unnamed CARICOM leader, saying that it had been “brought to my attention, that one of our colleague heads, instead of standing in solidarity, publicly accused us of cursing the US administration. I challenge that leader to back her statement with facts.
“The inertia and insularity within CARICOM continue to undermine the effectiveness of our integration movement,” Browne wrote, adding that “however, as a hardcore integrationist and an eternal optimist, I remain hopeful for a stronger and more effective integration movement”.
Earlier this week, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, in a warning to her fellow citizens, cautioned them against “bad-talking” Washington when thousands of Trinidad and Tobago nationals have US visas.
“… because people like to go and visit the US,” Bissessar said, adding that Trinidad and Tobago remained in partnership with the US, stating that if the twin-island republic were to be attacked, “who will stand up to defend us?
“Careful you don’t end up like Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica … bad-mouthing the US and guess what happened … all their visas rescinded now,” she told those attending the ruling United National Congress Christmas Supper at the Diplomatic Centre on Dec. 18.
The media were not invited to cover the event.
