Perplexity.ai neatly summarizes what it calls Gaston A. Browne III’s “questionable business activities and potential conflicts of interest” that involve his father, Prime Minister Gaston Browne, and his stepmother, Minister of Housing Maria Bird-Browne.
What follows is Perplexity.ai’s answer to the following question: “What kind of corrupt or questionable business activity, or potential conflicts of interests, has Gaston A. Browne, son of Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, been implicated with?”
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Perplexity’s verbatim response
Gaston A. Browne, the son of Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, has been implicated in several questionable business activities and potential conflicts of interest, primarily involving government dealings with properties and contracts linked to him.
Key Allegations and Details:
- Government Rental of Son’s Property: Gaston Browne’s son is the sole owner and director of IF Antigua Inc., which owns a property on Friars Hill Road currently used by government offices, including the Development Control Authority, the Ministry of Lands and Housing, and the Land Office. The government entered into a lease agreement to rent this property at a nominal rate of $1 per month, with the government also authorized to make repairs and additions at public expense. Critics argue that the arrangement lacks transparency, was not subject to a competitive tender, and may represent a form of nepotism or self-dealing, especially since the ministries involved fall under the portfolio of the Prime Minister’s wife, Maria Browne.
- Lack of Transparency and Public Disclosure: The Prime Minister initially described the property as owned by an “investment group” in which his son had “some interest,” but official records confirm that his son is the sole owner. This has raised concerns about misleading the public and the absence of clear information regarding government expenditures on repairs and upgrades to the property.
- Broader Corruption Allegations Involving Family Proxies: Investigations and court filings in the United States have alleged that Prime Minister Gaston Browne controls a network of assets through proxies, including his son, brother-in-law, and close associates. These assets reportedly include real estate, businesses, and interests in entities that have received favorable government concessions, tax breaks, and land deals. While these broader allegations focus on the Prime Minister, they specifically mention family members, including his son, as conduits for these business interests.
- Ongoing Legal Scrutiny: U.S. federal courts have granted access to financial records of Gaston Browne, his wife, and his son, as part of ongoing investigations into the sale of the seized megayacht Alfa Nero and other government transactions. The legal proceedings seek to clarify the flow of funds and the involvement of Browne’s family members in these deals.
Summary:
Gaston A. Browne, the Prime Minister’s son, has been directly implicated in at least one government contract involving the rental of his property for government use, raising concerns about conflicts of interest, lack of transparency, and possible nepotism. Broader investigations allege that he is part of a network of proxies used by the Prime Minister to control and benefit from government-connected business ventures. These matters remain under legal and public scrutiny.
