St. John’s, Antigua – Barbuda MP Trevor Walker said Tuesday that Antigua and Barbuda entered discussions with the United States over a proposed deportation arrangement from a position of weakness, arguing that the government should have conducted wider consultations before moving forward.

Walker, the only opposition parliamentarian present during the debate in the Lower House, said the matter was too important to be treated as a political issue, as any decision could have implications for the country’s relationship with the United States and opportunities for Antiguans and Barbudans.

“This matter ought not to be partisan and political because it will affect all of us,” Walker told Parliament.

The government has said the arrangement with Washington would see Antigua and Barbuda accept individuals removed from the United States who are not citizens of either country.

Walker criticised the government for not engaging the public, civil society, the legal community and the business sector before entering discussions with the United States, arguing that a matter of such significance required broad national consultation.

A central part of Walker’s argument was that the Antigua and Barbuda government needed to recognise the imbalance in its relationship with the United States, a global superpower and the country’s largest trading partner.

“You have no cards,” Walker told lawmakers, arguing that Antigua and Barbuda had limited bargaining power in negotiations with Washington.

““Without good relations with the United States, our country will plummet and we’ll end up in a situation where we’ll have serious problems.”

“You’re speaking as if, oh, I might accept $75,000 per person. You have no cards,” he asserted as he mocked the prime minister’s request for more funding to finance third-country nationals.

Walker also questioned whether the government had secured any benefits in exchange for accepting third-country nationals, including whether longstanding concerns over US visa restrictions affecting Antiguans and Barbudans had been addressed.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne rejected Barbuda MP Trevor Walker’s suggestion that Antigua and Barbuda had little leverage in negotiations with the United States, arguing that the country’s size does not diminish its ability to defend its interests.

Browne said the government understands the power imbalance between the two countries but insists that Antigua and Barbuda can still negotiate from a position of principle.

“We understand the power symmetry, or asymmetries for that matter. So we didn’t need you to come and lecture us on this idea that we have no cards. We have a voice, no matter how small we are.”

He pointed to his government’s previous handling of disputes involving the United States, including the WTO copyright issue, as an example of taking a responsible approach while protecting national interests.

Beyond the negotiations with the United States, Walker raised questions about the possible regional implications of the arrangement.

He questioned whether individuals granted legal status in Antigua and Barbuda could eventually move freely within the Caribbean under existing regional arrangements.

“When Antigua and Barbuda finalises this arrangement and we would have gotten some of these deportees, are they free to move around the Caribbean?” he asked.

Walker additionally criticised Caribbean governments for not developing a collective position on the issue, saying regional countries would have been stronger if they had negotiated together.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne agreed as he criticised the lack of a unified regional approach to negotiations, arguing that Caribbean states would have been stronger if they had acted collectively.

Browne said Antigua and Barbuda had initially sought collaboration within the OECS and wider CARICOM, but some countries moved ahead independently, weakening the region’s collective position.

“We tried to get a consensus early and broad within the OECS Caribbean… But while we were discussing and looking at possible areas for collaboration and cooperation, one member, one Prime Minister who sat among us had already signed.”

He warned that divisions among small states could make them more vulnerable when dealing with larger international partners.

“We are strong as our weakest link. So when we leave others out in the cold and allow them to get punished while you think that you have carved out a good space for yourselves and your people, the same whip that beats the wild goat is the same whip that will beat the tame.”

Government MPs pushed back against Walker’s criticisms, accusing him of misrepresenting the potential impact of the arrangement and arguing that his position could create unnecessary fear about the agreement.

Labour party MPs accused Walker of suggesting that the arrangement would allow criminals into Antigua and Barbuda, while others questioned why, as a seasoned politician, he did not support the government’s position on a matter they said was in the national interest.

Walker, however, did not argue during his contribution that criminals should be admitted into the country. His concerns focused on the government’s negotiating position, the need for safeguards, public consultation and the potential regional consequences of the arrangement.

The resolution outlining the principles to guide negotiations with the United States was passed in the Lower House. Walker abstained from the vote.