ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC –The main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) Tuesday called for a Commission of Inquiry to determine whether the authorities here are engaged in human trafficking after supporters staged a protest action against the government’s decision to legalize the status of hundreds of African migrants who traveled to the island late last year from West Africa.
Opposition Leader, Jamale L. Pringle, told reporters that “there is some semblance of human trafficking “after Cabinet last week said that it had discussed the treatment to be meted out to the visitors who arrived on charters from West Africa.
“We are asking the government to come clean on this matter, and how we can be comfortable knowing that this situation is a legitimate situation is by a public inquiry,” he added.
“We are just making our voices be heard, we are just showing our presence here asking for the government to call an inquiry into this situation where we are now seeing over 700 persons on the ground, and they are not in a comfortable position,” Pringle said, as he led the “peaceful protest” outside the office of the Prime Minister, Gaston Browne.
“We are asking for the police to cooperate with us because we are not going to disrespect them, but they are not going to push us where they want us to stand,” he added.
Last week, the government said it had examined the circumstances under which the Antigua Airways flights were conceived and originated. It said the passengers were to be well-off citizens of Nigeria and neighboring countries who wished to travel to the Caribbean as tourists.
“The Cabinet was informed that the visitors remaining in Antigua can be located in several small hotels and guest houses across the island. It was reported that an offer to return them to their country is to be made, though many are likely to choose to stay. Some arrangement may likely be made to ensure their status is legal,” the Cabinet statement added.
In a statement last week, the UPP questioned the decision taken by the government and cited national security concerns and the implications for the labor market.
The UPP is calling on the government to be transparent on the issue of Antigua Airways and “make other arrangements that will not bring further hardship to an already suffering and over-burdened population.”
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