Gun with Antigua PM's travel party: Indian incident needs clarification

Maybe some people are making too much of the story from India that a member of Prime Minister Spencer’s travel party was found to be carrying a firearm and ammunition in his luggage.
This was discovered by Indian airport security and the incident led to what Indian newspapers are calling a delay of the party until the matter was properly sorted out. In fact they stated a number of things, some of which, to us, seem quite far-fetched, including the prime minister and his party being held up for up to half of an hour because the West Indian accent could not be properly understood.
We find this insulting, to say the least, unless none of the Indian authorities spoke English.
Following questions posed to Press Officer Maurice Merchant the nation was told that at no time whatsoever was Prime Minister Spencer or any member of the delegation interrogated, arrested, charged or manhandled by Indian authorities. Merchant’s statement added that at no time whatsoever was a firearm or ammunition in the luggage of the prime minister.
Following questions posed to Press Officer Maurice Merchant the nation was told that at no time whatsoever was Prime Minister Spencer or any member of the delegation interrogated, arrested, charged or manhandled by Indian authorities. Merchant’s statement added that at no time whatsoever was a firearm or ammunition in the luggage of the prime minister.
We are also told that “the firearm and ammunition registered to the prime minister’s Security Lieutenant Uriah Sheppard, complete with all documentation and notification of travel were checked and cleared by British Airways officials in Antigua for travel to London and by Customs officials upon arrival in London.
The said firearm and ammunition were repackaged again in London by Customs officials and transferred to Virgin Atlantic officials, as required by law, for onward journey to Mumbai, India
All of this is good and fine coming from Merchant. But how do we really clear this thing up? Or is it that it doesn’t need any clearing up? Are the people of Antigua & Barbuda making a mountain out of the proverbial molehill?
Former Prime Minister Lester Bird thinks not, suggesting in an official release in his capacity of the political leader of the Antigua Labour Party, that “Baldwin Spencer does not have the skills, training or competence to preside over the affairs of state and would no doubt continue to embarrass himself and the nation until such time he and his government are removed from office.”
24/01/07 AntiguaSun, Antigua and Barbuda

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