Antiguan PM Gaston Browne slams Trinidad Minister: ‘Fix Crime at Home Before Criticising US’

The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne has slammed the Foreign Affairs Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and urged him to focus on issues within his own country. This statement from the Antiguan PM came after Minister Sean Sobers addressed concerns about a Trinidadian national reported missing in Antigua since last month.  

In the Facebook post, PM Browne said, “Mind your business at home and focus on crime and more than 500 missing people in Trinidad and Tobago.” 

He further added that with over 500 individuals missing in Trinidad and Tobago every year and hundreds unaccounted for, Sobers had no moral authority to condemn the beautiful country.  

According to the information, 21-year-old Thomas Vasquez, a Trinidad and Tobago national has been reported missing in that country since April 15, 2025.  

The Prime Minister reportedly accused the Trinidadian Minister of aligning with foreign critics to condemn Antigua and Barbuda and asserted that Minister Sobers lacks the moral authority to criticise the country given Trinidad and Tobago’s own struggles with crime as well as high number of missing persons every year.  

He noted that while there is still hope for the safe return of the missing young man as there is no evidence that he went missing in Antigua.  

PM Browne further claimed that the individual had a history of entering Antigua by plane and leaving illegally by boat, allegedly involved in marijuana peddling from an illicit farm.  

While expressing his sympathy for the grieving mother of the young man, the Prime Minister highlighted the need to state the facts and reiterated his commitment to the truth, regardless of the consequences. 

Minister Sobers responds to Antigua PM's criticism 

Following the criticism by Prime Minister Browne, the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago issued a statement addressing recent media reports concerning Thomas Vasquez.  

The Ministry clarified that at no point did Minister Sobers took any action which could be considered interference in the internal affairs of Antigua and Barbuda.  

The statement added that instead the Minister directed officials to engage with their Antiguan counterparts in order to get accurate and timely information regarding the welfare of the alleged missing person and said that this is a standard diplomatic practice strived at safeguarding the safety and rights and Trinidad and Tobago nationals abroad.  

Minister Sobers further noted that his actions were consistent with his duty towards the people of his country and reaffirmed his strong and respectful relationship between the two countries.  

Vasquez allegedly missing in Antigua  

The search for 21-year-old Thomas Vasquez continues after he went missing in early April. According to his mother, Candy Vasquez, her son spent the last nine months travelling back and forth to Antigua and Barbuda because of work on a marijuana farm.  

She noted that the last time he came back home was on April 6 because his work permit expired but claimed that he left one week later on April 13 and never came back. The mother added that her son is not even picking his call since the day he left for Antigua.