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Prime Minister Gaston Browne is defending the decision that led to the resignation of the Customs Comptroller, Raju Boddu, earlier this month.

Boddu is reported to have submitted his resignation last week in a move that had taken many by surprise.

In his letter, Boddu reportedly cited health concerns as the primary reason for stepping down.

Boddu, an experienced customs administrator, had earned a reputation for his strict enforcement of customs regulations and efforts to modernize the division.

Browne had first made public the resignation of Boddu during the parliamentary session last Thursday and speaking on his radio programme over the weekend said the decision stemmed from a serious breach of confidence over alleged irregularities in the processing of duty-free concessions.

The prime minister told radio listeners that he had personally confronted Boddu after receiving reports of questionable authorisations on vehicle purchases.

‘He denied any wrongdoing. In fact, he sent me a message saying he was poor, didn’t even own a home, and asked if I was accusing him of anything,’ Browne said.

‘But I had documents people sent me that bore his signature. When I raised that, he said if he signed anything, it must have been an oversight. I told him it seemed to me to be wilful neglect.’

Browne said that he made it clear to Boddu that he no longer had confidence in his ability to continue in the role, insisting nonetheless was not forced.

‘I told him straight, I’m not asking you to resign. But if you recognise that there was wilful neglect, then you know what to do,’ Browne said.

Media reports said that Bodu was in India when the situation escalated, which subsequently led to his resignation.

‘What I can’t understand, is how so many warrants could have been missed or validated when they clearly shouldn’t have been. That’s a massive oversight,’ Prime Minister Browne said, referring also to rumours circulating in the public domain, suggesting that some car dealerships were allegedly offering unauthorised tax waivers in exchange for cash.

‘People tell me they go to buy a new car, and when I approve a 25 per cent duty reduction, they’re told there’s no such thing, (and) that for EC$10,00 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents), you can get everything off,’ Browne said, adding ‘that’s what has been reported to me’.

He said that Boddu continues to maintain his innocence adding ‘I take some responsibility. Maybe I trusted him too much. He fooled me to some extent. Assuming he’s guilty, and he insists he isn’t , it still means that trust has been broken.’

The Prime Minister noted that Boddu, who earned approximately US$10,000 per month and whose housing is paid by the government, had been recruited under the previous United Progressive Party (UPP) administration.

‘There was an assumption that he was operating with probity, but that oversight in quotation marks shattered the confidence we had in him,’ Prime Minister Browne said, reiterating that the breakdown in trust made it impossible for Boddu to continue leading the Customs Department.

‘I told him, how do you expect me to trust you when so many of those warrants were validated?’ the Prime Minister said. ‘That’s why he resigned, he recognised that the trust had come to an end.’

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Browne is vowing to uphold public trust and ensure full transparency in the unfolding controversy over government vehicle purchases, insisting that neither he nor any Cabinet minister is implicated in the matter.

‘Some believe I should just sweep this under the table.But to do that would be to violate the trust the people of Antigua and Barbuda have placed in me,’ Browne said.

He said the duty-free vehicle policy, which, in part, assists lower income citizens purchase affordable used cars, was never intended to enrich car dealers and that past generosity from some ministers had led to excessive waivers of government taxes

He said as a corrective measure, the prime minister said he had centralised all authority to approve duty free concessions within the MInistry of Finance.

‘For the last two years, only the Minister of Finance – that’s me – has the authority to sign duty-free exemptions,’ he said, adding ‘no one else can waive taxes or duties.’

More than 140 creative submissions have been received from Antiguans and Barbudans at home and abroad for the CHOGM 2026 Logo Design Competition, marking an impressive show of national pride and talent.

The competition, launched in September by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Sports and Creative Industries, invited nationals to design the official logo for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026 – a historic event that Antigua and Barbuda will host for the first time.

The strong participation from the diaspora highlights the shared excitement and unity of Antiguans and Barbudans as the nation gears up to welcome global leaders next year. Each entry captured the spirit, identity, and vibrancy of Antigua and Barbuda, showcasing the creativity that defines the nation’s people.

‘The response has been phenomenal,’ said H.E Dr Clarence Pilgrim, Chair of the CHOGM 2026 Taskforce. ‘It’s clear that Antiguans and Barbudans, wherever they are in the world, want to play a part in shaping how our nation is represented on the global stage.’

A winner will be announced as part of the official launch of CHOGM 2026 scheduled for 4th November 2026, following the judges’ review process. The selected design will become the official global logo of CHOGM 2026, featured across event branding, signage, and international communications. The winner will also receive a grand prize of EC$5,000 and national recognition during CHOGM 2026.

The Government extends heartfelt thanks to all who participated and celebrates the exceptional talent displayed by Antiguans and Barbudans around the world.

The Belize government Monday praised law enforcement authorities ‘for their swift action’ resulting on the detention of an alleged arsonist linked to the deaths of a mother and her young child during the early hours on Monday morning.

In a statement, the Ministry of the Public Service, Governance, and Disaster Risk Management expressed its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Angelita Majana and her young son, Tishan Godoy, who ‘tragically lost their lives’ in the fire that occurred in the Orange Walk District, north-west of here.

The ministry sad that it is joining the ‘community in mourning this profound loss’ while extending ‘sincere wishes for the full and speedy recovery of the surviving victims, Miguel Novelo and Shadia Majana, who continue to receive medical care.

‘The Ministry commends the authorities for their swift action in detaining the accused arsonist and acknowledges the tireless efforts of the National Fire Service and all first responders who assisted at the scene.’

Police suspect domestic violence may have triggered the tragedy. Media reports indicate that a former close relative of Angelita allegedly entered the home around 3:00 am (Local time), doused the family with gasoline, and set them ablaze.

Faced with a do or die situation of winning the second One Day International against Bangladesh to keep the series alive, West Indies spinner Khary Pierre has called on his teammates to quickly adapt to the spinner friendly wickets on the Asian sub-continent.

Bangladesh leads the three-match series 1-0 after romping to a comprehensive 74-run victory in the opening ODI on Saturday at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

The West Indies were undone by leg spinner Rishad Hossain, who claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in international cricket and career-best figures of 6-35.

Speaking during a pre-match press conference on Monday, Pierre said it came as no surprise that the wickets in Bangladesh catered to spinners.

Khary Pierre speaking to members of the media during a pre-match press conference on Monday.

And with a similar pitch expected for Tuesday’s second ODI, he said the West Indies had to adjust to the challenging conditions.

‘Well, we see how the wicket is playing so it’s challenging, very spinner’s friendly.but having said that we as batsmen have to adapt and adapt quickly.

‘We have a lot of great batsmen in our team but it’s just about adapting. This is international cricket so it’s going to be tough, it’s going to be challenging, but we have to find a way,’ Pierre said.

‘.We have to play on any wicket that is provided for us, and we have to adapt most importantly. It doesn’t matter about the wicket anymore, it’s about playing the game and playing the game the right way, adapting to the conditions.

‘.We have to do whatever it takes. We already know the situation, and we have to try and win the next two games,’ he contended.

Pierre said it was important for the West Indies’ spinners to restrict the home side’s batters.

He said sticking to the game plan and being consistent was necessary, especially against a Bangladesh side that is difficult to beat at home.

‘Coming here and seeing the wicket, it is spinner’s friendly, so you want to put the balls in the right areas, but it’s a lot of pressure if you don’t do well on these types of surfaces, so I just try to keep it simple and stick to my plans.

‘I think once you put the balls in the right areas and do not go wicket hunting, I think it will be most suitable for the wicket. From the time you want to go wicket hunting then you can leak runs,’ Pierre said.

‘Bangladesh has won a lot of series here since 2011, so we have to come and adapt to the wicket as batsmen and as a team and try and win the game.’

Police are investigation the death of 24-year-old woman, who was shot on Sunday night as bandits chased her brother in an attempt to rob him.

Police said that Faynelle Brewster was gunned down in her yard in the West Ruimveldt community in Georgetown just after 11.00 pm (local time), after the gunman had followed her brother, who was out earlier.

Faynelle Brewster

But the young man managed to elude the bandit, who was riding a motorcycle by running into his huse. However, the bandit, according to eyewitnesses, fired gunshots into the yard, shooting Brewster to the chest and in one of her arms.

The woman collapsed in her yard and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead.

The identity of the gunman is unknown, but investigators have been checking the area for CCTV Cameras that might have captured the incident.

Just over a month ago, local singer, Lolita Callendar aka Lola Doll, was shot multiple times in her car just after arriving in front of her West Ruimveldt home. S

Prime Minister Phillip Davis says diplomacy now more than ever is required to settle disputes, insisting that ‘patient cooperation can still create peace.

‘We live in an age when the world feels impatient with the slow work of diplomacy. When confrontation too often replaces conversation, and certainty takes the place of understanding. Many have come to believe that nations will only act out of self-interest and that multilateralism no longer holds meaning. Yet history reminds us that where diplomacy fails, instability thrive,’ Prime Minister Davis told the opening ceremony for Diplomatic week 2025.10.20

Prime Minister Phillip Davis

He told the audience that for The Bahamas, diplomacy has never been an ornament of state, saying ‘it is the foundation of our national survival.

‘We are a small island nation, but we live within a global system that moves with great speed. The tides that reach our shores carry the effects of global decisions made far beyond these islands.’

He said that the global system is not an abstract or distant concept, given that it moves through the local economy and even food supply

‘It determines the flow of tourists who visit our islands and the price of the goods that fill our stores. That is why for The Bahamas, diplomacy is the mechanism through which we negotiate advantage, manage risk, and protect our sovereignty.’

He said 50 years after the country established diplomatic relations with the European Union and with Japan as a ‘young, newly independent, and untested in global affairs,’ it had done so on the basis that relationships ‘were based on respect and reciprocity.

‘We learned early that friendship between nations, like friendship between people, requires consistency, humility, and good faith. Today, we celebrate the golden jubilee of those diplomatic relationships.

‘These relationships were not built in moments of ease alone. They were built through changing governments, shifting economies, and evolving global realities. But they have endured because they rest on shared principles.’

Prime Minister Davis said that diplomacy may appear distant to some, but its outcomes reach deep into communities.

‘When our negotiators secure new climate finance mechanisms, they are creating opportunities for Bahamian contractors to rebuild seawalls in Grand Bahama. They are providing the funding to reinforce schools in Abaco. They are ensuring that the people of Long Island and Exuma can live with greater protection from rising seas.

‘When we expand trade partnerships and attract new investment, diplomacy becomes the quiet architecture of opportunity. It opens doors for Bahamian exporters, for small businesses, and for tourism operators who depend on reliable air and sea links.

‘It allows for the exchange of technology, skills, and knowledge. The trade agreements and investment treaties we negotiate are the reason a young Bahamian can find work in a hotel, a resort, or a renewable energy project.’

He said when representative of the country speak in international forums for small island developing states, ‘we are standing on principle.

‘We are demanding fairness. We are reminding the world that our size does not diminish our right to influence decisions which affect our very existence. This is the work of diplomacy – the unseen effort that makes daily life in The Bahamas more secure, more prosperous, and more stable.

‘My government is committed to an active and strategic foreign policy that reflects the complexity of our times. We are building a professional and modern foreign service equipped to operate in a world defined by rapid change.

‘Our diplomats must now understand climate finance as well as international law, energy transition as well as economics, digital regulation as well as traditional trade,’ he said, adding that ‘we are also deepening our cooperation with regional partners through CARICOM, because we know that small states are strongest when they act collectively’.

Prime Minister Davis said that The Bahamas has long understood that isolation is not an option.

‘We sit at a strategic crossroads between North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean. That position gives us reach, but it also gives us responsibility. We have a duty to act as a bridge – between the developed and developing world, between the large and the small, between the powerful and the vulnerable.’

He said in a time of global fragmentation, nations like his can demonstrate that cooperation is still possible.

‘As we begin Diplomatic Week 2025, I ask that we see this as a reminder that peace does not sustain itself. It must be cultivated through conversation, compromise, and courage. The world does not need more noise. It needs steadier voices – voices that can calm conflict, tolerate differences, and build coalitions for the common good.

‘Small nations like ours must continue to be those voices. We must continue to engage constructively, to listen carefully, and to act decisively,’ Prime Minister Davis told the ceremony.