In a forceful three-page letter, Euletta Francis resigned as CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Airport Authority (ABAA), criticizing Prime Minister Gaston Browne's leadership. Her resignation followed that of APUA’s General Manager, Esworth Martin. Browne had expressed dissatisfaction with top officials, threatening on his radio station to remove at least four, including one he described as "obnoxious" and "rude".
The letter recounts a conversation with Browne about the Barbuda airport construction, where Browne, influenced by the Peace, Love and Happiness (PLH) group's feedback, dismissed her explanations and insisted on opening the new airport by December “since PLH had lots of people needing to fly into Barbuda”.
“The update was clearly from the PLH group and not the body enacted by Parliament to make provisions for the ownership, control, management, and development of airports in Antigua and Barbuda and for matters connected generally with management of airports.
Francis also describes an incident where Browne demanded she meet with Osmond Lake of Sunrise Airways, disregarding her prior commitments. She refutes Browne's claim that consultants, not she, worked on securing a US$100 million loan for the airport. In her letter to ABAA's Chairman Rolston Potter, Francis highlights her achievements, including managing the airport during the Covid-19 pandemic and initiating a five-year improvement plan, despite financial and staffing challenges.
