Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court has dismissed an application by the New York-based law firm, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, seeking to strike out his claim for defamation.
A statement issued following the weekly Cabinet meeting, noted that Browne had informed his ministers about the defamation proceedings he has instituted against attorney Martin De Luca and the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP.
The legal battle stems from disputes over the transparency and handling of the sale of the Alfa Nero superyacht. Prime Minister Browne is seeking US$10 million in damages alongside legal fees.
Earlier this year, the United States Court of Appeals ruled in favour of Prime Minister Browne and several Antigua and Barbuda individuals and entities in a financial disclosure matter brought by Russian national Yulia Guryeva Motlokhov, who had asserted ownership of the Alfa Nero and challenged the Government of Antigua and Barbuda over its sale of the vessel in 2024.
‘Cabinet was informed that, on 21st July 2026, Master Carlos Cameron Michel dismissed an application by the Second Defendant, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, seeking to strike out the Prime Minister’s claim at a preliminary stage.’
The statement said that the application had argued, among other things, that the claim failed to comply with certain provisions of the Civil Procedure Rules and disclosed no reasonable grounds for bringing a claim in defamation.
It said after hearing submissions from both parties and considering the written arguments and supporting authorities, the Court refused the application.
As part of its ruling, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court ordered the second defendant to pay costs to the Claimant in the sum of EC$1,500.00 on or before August 12 this year.
The statement said that the Court further directed the second defendant to file its defence by September 4, 2026, after which the claimant will have the opportunity to file a reply within the prescribed period. The matter will then proceed to case management in accordance with the Civil Procedure Rules.
The statement said Prime Minister Browne advised Cabinet that the ruling represents an important procedural milestone, as it allows the substantive issues raised in the claim to proceed before the Court for determination on their merits.
He said that he welcomed the Court’s ruling, which has reaffirmed the importance of truth, fairness, and accountability in public discourse. While robust opposition and debate is an essential feature of any democracy, defamatory statements that unjustly damage an individual’s reputation have no place in our society.
Browne said that this outcome is not simply a personal vindication but also a reminder that freedom of expression carries corresponding responsibilities and that he remains fully committed to serving the people of Antigua and Barbuda ‘with integrity and will continue to focus on advancing the nation’s development while respecting the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary’.
The statement said Cabinet ‘unanimously endorsed’ Prime Minister Browne’s decision to pursue legal redress through the courts, affirming that ‘this initial outcome reinforces the principles of accountability, the rule of law, and the protection of individuals from defamatory and malicious falsehoods’.