Instead of mending fences with Washington toward clearing up the passport issue, Gaston Browne remained publicly silent during the recent Tradewinds 26 exercise.
“Browne can’t keep his mouth shut to announce a gift from his Chinese government friends, but he is uncharacteristically quiet when the Americans lead a multinational disaster response exercise to help his country,” says a source close to the Organisation of American States (OAS).
Antigua and Barbuda was the rotating host this year of the 20-nation regional security and disaster response exercise, sponsored by the United States Southern Command, which has responsibility for the Caribbean.
Tradewinds is a major annual event, involving more than 1,000 military personnel from the Americas and Europe.
As the political leader of the country hosting Tradewinds, Browne was uncharacteristically quiet. He made no public statement about Tradewinds before or during the June 3-17 exercise.
“The United States doesn’t need Antigua and Barbuda for disaster response,” said the source. “Quite the contrary. Gaston Browne should have thanked the United States for its commitment to all of us in the Caribbean.”
“He could have earned some goodwill to resolve the visa problems. But he didn’t, and the Americans know why.”
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