Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne has raised concerns over the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Monetary Council’s lack of oversight regarding the multi-million-dollar official residence for the bank’s Governor. Browne described the council as being caught “flat-footed” by the expenditure and emphasized the need for stronger reporting and accountability measures.
The reported XCD$22 million cost of the residence in St. Kitts and Nevis has sparked outrage, with St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves condemning the spending as “scandalous.” However, Prime Minister Browne took a more measured stance on the controversy during the Browne and Browne Show on Pointe FM over the weekend.
“The Monetary Council has not met as yet. I’m sure we’ll have to meet at some point to look at this issue, but we don’t have all of the information,” Browne stated. As the incoming chair of the Monetary Council, he signaled that the matter would be addressed under his leadership.
Despite the backlash, Browne clarified that there is no evidence of corruption or impropriety on the part of ECCB Governor Timothy Antoine. However, he stressed the importance of tightening financial governance to prevent similar incidents in the future.
