VALLETTA, Malta – 26th November 2015……Prime Minister the Hon. Gaston Browne has reaffirmed his government’s support for Sir Ronald Sanders for the post of Commonwealth Secretary General amidst a smear campaign by individuals believed to have vested interest in advancing their personal agenda.
“Despite the recent malicious and deliberate attacks on Sir Ronald in a UK based newspaper, Sir Ronald is still the candidate of choice for the post of Secretary General and Antigua and Barbuda is firmly behind our candidate. The attacks show the desperate lengths that persons are prepared to go to achieve their goals,” said Prime Minister Browne who is in Malta for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
He said that the fact that the article in the UK newspaper alleging wrong doing by Sir Ronald in a matter that never made it to court and which was rubbished by the country’s Director of Public Prosecutions, is released on the eve of the most anticipated election for the organization, is proof that it was designed to affect Sir Ronald’s chances of succeeding.
“We maintain that the Lindquist report is nothing else but a partisan political witch-hunt and is riddled with hearsay, rumour and conjecture. Sir Ronald’s track record within the Commonwealth sets him apart from the others and Antigua and Barbuda is pleased to present him for service to the Commonwealth as its next Secretary General,” Prime Minister Browne added.
While the article in the UK based newspaper reported the allegations which were being promulgated by the Opposition United Progressive Party and its affiliates, it admitted that Sir Ronald remains the front runner for the post of Commonwealth Secretary General. The said article is understood to have been peddled around the British media circuit before being printed.
“We will redouble our efforts to ensure that this smear campaign does not succeed and that Sir Ronald Sanders becomes the next Secretary General of the Commonwealth,” concluded Prime Minister Browne. (Ends)