Lovell Calls for Transparency as U.S. Visa Bond Raises Alarm in Antigua and Barbuda
Opposition politician, former finance minister and United Progressive Party candidate for All Saints West Harold Lovell on Wednesday sharply criticized the government’s handling of new U.S. visa bond requirements, accusing the administration of secrecy, poor communication and a failure to treat the issue as a national priority.
Speaking on Observer AM, Lovell said the requirement for Antiguans and Barbudans to post bonds of between US$5,000 and US$15,000 to obtain U.S. visitor visas affects every passport holder and should have been fully disclosed and debated in Parliament.
“This is a matter that affects all Antiguans and Barbudans. Once you hold an Antiguan and Barbudan passport, this affects you,” Lovell said. “The way it has been handled, it’s not as though it is a national issue. It’s being handled under a cloak of secrecy and silence, and the information is being released in drips and drabs, which does not build confidence for the people.”
Lovell said the government failed to adequately warn the public, despite earlier indications that Antigua and Barbuda could face U.S. entry restrictions. He argued that official responses at the time created a false sense of security.
“If we go back, we can see that early last year there was talk that Antigua could face some restrictions as far as entry into the U.S. is concerned,” he said. “Instead of addressing the matter seriously, the Prime Minister decided that he would beat his chest and say that nothing like this could ever happen, and he led the population into a false sense of security.”
Lovell said later explanations suggested that special arrangements had been secured, only for it to become clear that Antigua and Barbuda was subject to the same conditions as other countries on the U.S. list.
“There was nothing special that was arranged, and again a false narrative was created,” he said.
He questioned why the issue was never raised during the recently concluded budget debate and why details emerged only after public disclosures.
“We just concluded both in the Senate and in the House, and at no time did we hear any mention of any of these difficulties,” Lovell said. “People really want to be sure that things are being handled in a way that will build confidence, and right now there is clearly a lack of trust and confidence.”
Lovell also criticized the manner in which the matter was communicated, saying it required structured diplomatic engagement rather than informal explanations.
“This is a major foreign affairs issue,” he said. “Diplomacy doesn’t happen in a way that on a weekend you happen to pass by and you hear something. That’s not the way it works.”
He said the public was left uncertain as to whether officials were unaware of the impending U.S. action or aware but unwilling to share details.
“It’s either they don’t know or they know and they’re not telling us,” Lovell said. “Either way, it’s unacceptable.”
Lovell warned that the visa bond requirement could have serious consequences for citizens, particularly students, medical patients and business travelers, and said the cost alone would deter many people.
“If you’re applying, you have to place a bond of between $5,000 and $15,000, and that in itself will be a serious deterrent for persons and will be a major issue for most Antiguans and Barbudans,” he said.
He rejected partisan framing of the issue, describing it as a matter of national importance.
“This is a national issue. This is not a blue and white, blue and yellow, or red and white issue,” Lovell said. “The people have a right to know. We are a parliamentary democracy.”
Lovell said the government must provide full disclosure, outline how it intends to mitigate the impact on citizens and restore public confidence.
“The time has come really for the government to treat this matter seriously,” he said. “Let the people know exactly what is happening.”
