标签： Antigua and Barbuda

A high-profile legal case that has gripped Norway for months has concluded with an Oslo district court handing down a four-year prison sentence to Marius Borg Hoiby, stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, on charges of rape, domestic violence and drug offenses. The seven-week trial has delivered a significant blow to the already strained public image of Norway’s royal family, following a string of recent controversies. Now 29, Hoiby entered the Norwegian royal fold in 2001, when his mother Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the Norwegian throne.

The court found Hoiby guilty on two counts of rape, one of which occurred in the basement of the crown prince’s official Skaugum residence, alongside convictions for domestic abuse against his former partner Nora Haukland and multiple narcotics violations. He was cleared of two additional rape charges, after judges determined there was not enough evidence to prove the sexual encounters were non-consensual. While Hoiby has consistently denied all rape allegations, he admitted guilt to the domestic violence charges and to a 2020 offense of transporting 3.5 kilograms of marijuana.

Following the verdict reading, Hoiby’s defense attorney Petar Sekulic confirmed to leading Norwegian dailies VG and Aftenposten that his client plans to appeal the ruling. On the prosecution side, officials stated they will review the full 127-page verdict before deciding whether to launch their own appeal. Prosecutor Sturla Henriksboe framed the conviction as a win for Norwegian judicial independence. “This is a victory for our justice system,” he said. “No one can get away with serious criminal acts based on who they are or who they are related to.”

The trial dominated national headlines for nearly two months, pulling back the curtain on Hoiby’s long-running struggles with drug addiction. Prosecutors presented hundreds of pieces of evidence, including self-recorded video of intimate encounters and more than 800 electronic messages. Hoiby has been in custody since February 1, and did not appear in person for the verdict reading, citing unspecified medical reasons. Local Norwegian media outlets report he observed the proceedings via a secure video connection from Oslo Prison, where he will remain in detention through the appeal process.

During testimony, Hoiby opened up about the unique pressures of his life growing up connected to the monarchy without holding an official royal title. “I’m mostly known as my mother’s son, not anything else,” he told the court. “So I’ve had an extreme need for recognition my whole life, and that manifested itself in a lot of sex, a lot of drugs and a lot of alcohol.”

Crown Prince Haakon moved quickly to separate the Norwegian monarchy from the case, emphasizing that Hoiby does not hold official membership in the Royal House and is subject to the same legal standards as any other citizen. “He is a citizen of Norway and, as such, has the same responsibilities as everyone else,” Haakon stated. Following the verdict, a spokesperson for the royal household declined to comment further on the outcome, saying “The matter has been considered by the courts, and we have no comment on the outcome.”

For decades, the Norwegian monarchy has cultivated a reputation as a modest, approachable institution, aligned with the low-key public profile common to Scandinavian royal families. Norwegian royals have long leaned into a relatable public image, sending their children to public state schools and participating in common leisure activities like skiing and surfing alongside ordinary citizens. But Hoiby’s conviction comes at a time when the royal family is already facing backlash over another controversy: Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s public apology for past unwise connections to the deceased American convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The dual scandals have combined to erode public support and tarnish the royal household’s long-held positive reputation among Norwegians.

In a formal swearing-in ceremony held at Government House this Monday, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs E.P. Chet Greene officially welcomed two seasoned public servants, Samantha Marshall and Joanne Massiah, to the country’s diplomatic corps, outlining a critical role for the newly appointed ambassadors-at-large in advancing the island nation’s international interests. Officiated by Deputy Governor General Sir Clare Roberts, the event marked a key step in the government’s ongoing push to strengthen Antigua and Barbuda’s footprint across regional and global diplomatic spaces.

Both new appointees bring decades of cross-sector experience to their new roles: each is a former government minister and practicing attorney, a combination of qualifications that Greene said made them ideal candidates for the flexible diplomatic position. Unlike traditional ambassadors, who are posted to specific host countries or permanent missions to international organizations, ambassadors-at-large do not hold permanent overseas postings. Instead, they form a flexible, on-call cadre that can be deployed to carry out high-priority special assignments for the state whenever the need arises, Greene explained.

“This is a very deliberate and determined strategy by our government to build a network of ambassadors-at-large that can be activated for targeted missions at any time,” Greene stated during his address to the ceremony. He added that the appointments reflect the Cabinet’s full confidence in Marshall and Massiah’s ability to deliver meaningful contributions to national progress through diplomatic engagement, noting that the turnout of stakeholders at the ceremony underscored the broad support for their selection.

The newly sworn-in ambassadors will hit the ground running with their first official assignments already scheduled for this month. Marshall will lead Antigua and Barbuda’s delegation to an upcoming European Union-Cariforum summit taking place in the Dominican Republic, while Massiah will join the country’s official delegation for back-to-back meetings of the Organization of American States and the Association of Caribbean States, set to be held in Panama. Greene emphasized that immediate tasking was intentional, as diplomatic demands often arise on short notice, requiring envoys to adapt quickly.

A notable highlight of the appointments is the government’s commitment to cross-partisan national service. Massiah most recently served as an opposition senator, a fact Greene highlighted to underscore that national development takes priority over partisan political divides. “What we do here today is to show that our country is not the preserve of a single political organization,” Greene said. “All qualified citizens are called upon to contribute their skills to national service.”

This approach aligns with the merit-based hiring and appointment philosophy long championed by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Greene added, noting that Browne has consistently pushed to build a unified nation where advancement and opportunity are based on skill and contribution, not political affiliation. Ambassadors-at-large will be tapped to represent Antigua and Barbuda across a wide range of priority policy areas, including tourism stewardship, climate and environmental action, gender equity and women’s issues, among other key national interests.

In closing, Greene urged both new appointees to uphold the high professional standards that earned them their positions, stressing that the government expects them to represent the country with distinction. “There is no greater calling than serving one’s own country,” he added.

In a formal inauguration ceremony held Monday at Government House, two former Antigua and Barbuda government ministers, Samantha Marshall and Joanne Messiah, officially took office as Ambassadors-at-Large, receiving immediate diplomatic assignments to represent the small Caribbean nation on the international stage.

The appointments are legally grounded in Section 101 of Antigua and Barbuda’s Constitution, and the process was formalized when Sir Clare Roberts, Deputy to the Governor General, administered three core oaths: the Oath of Allegiance, the Oath of Office, and the Oath of Secrecy.

Speaking at the event, Sir Roberts highlighted the unique qualifications that both appointees bring to their new roles. He noted that Marshall and Messiah have accumulated decades of deep experience across public administration, legal practice, and national governance, making them exceptionally well-suited to advance Antigua and Barbuda’s strategic interests across global forums. Sir Roberts also underscored the current government’s explicit priority: strengthening diplomatic and economic ties with Latin America and the broader Global South, a goal the new ambassadors will help advance.

E.P. Chet Greene, the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, echoed that praise, framing the appointments as a formal recognition of the pair’s decades of professional excellence and unwavering commitment to public service. “These appointments recognize your long-standing dedication to national development,” Greene stated, adding that the ambassadors-at-large will be tapped for a range of targeted special assignments on behalf of the government, as needs arise.

Greene also revealed the first diplomatic missions for both new envoys. Later this month, Marshall will travel to the Dominican Republic to represent Antigua and Barbuda at a high-stakes meeting between the European Union and the Cariforum trade bloc. Meanwhile, Messiah will head to Panama to take part in scheduled meetings of two key regional hemispheric bodies: the Organization of American States and the Association of Caribbean States.

Unlike traditional resident ambassadors, who are permanently assigned to a single host country or international organization, Ambassadors-at-Large are flexible diplomatic assets deployed on an as-needed basis. They represent Antigua and Barbuda across a wide spectrum of issues, including bilateral diplomacy, trade and economic promotion, and multilateral negotiations.

In comments after the swearing-in ceremony, Messiah said she felt deeply humbled and grateful for the chance to continue contributing to her country’s growth. She pledged to carry out her duties with unwavering excellence and integrity, upholding the nation’s reputation across global venues. Marshall similarly expressed enthusiasm for the new role, noting she was encouraged by the widespread support she received ahead of taking office.

“I continue to make a contribution to overall national development,” Marshall said. “I recognize the very level of importance of this post, and I hope to carry it out with fairness, transparency and, of course, with a lot of pride for the people of Antigua and Barbuda.”

The ceremony was well-attended by a cross-section of guests, including senior domestic government officials, foreign diplomats based in Antigua and Barbuda, and the family members and personal supporters of both Marshall and Messiah.

A targeted government-led cleanup initiative tackling abandoned, unsafe buildings in the Point and Villa region has already cleared 45 derelict properties at a public expenditure of roughly $700,000 — but Prime Minister Gaston Browne has made clear that private property owners, not taxpayers, will foot the final bill. Speaking during his weekly public radio broadcast Saturday, Browne framed the ongoing demolition drive as a core piece of the administration’s wider agenda to revitalize local neighborhoods, eliminate structurally hazardous buildings, and upgrade overall environmental quality for residents. He stressed that the public should not be forced to absorb the financial fallout from years of neglect by private landowners. “We actually broke down 45 properties in Point and Villa so far at a cost of about $700,000,” Browne confirmed during the address. Under the policy, when the government is required to step in to remove abandoned and decaying structures that pose a risk to communities, the landowners retain full financial accountability for the work. “We’re not doing it for free,” Browne emphasized. “Ultimately, we’re going to attach a charge to the lands if it costs us $5,000, $10,000 to break down the whole structure.” To ensure the government recoups all operational costs, the total expenses for demolition and site clearance will be formally registered as a legal lien against the affected property. This mechanism creates a formal financial claim that allows public authorities to recover the full amount spent on the remediation work. Browne’s announcement clarifies the government’s long-term approach to addressing blight, holding negligent property owners accountable while protecting public funds from shouldering the cost of clearing privately owned abandoned structures.

A bitter public conflict between Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne and the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) has deepened, as Browne launched a fresh attack on UPP Senator Malaka Parker hours after the party rallied to her defense. The escalating war of words has shifted the original focus of an ongoing drug investigation to Parker’s personal connections, turning a routine law enforcement probe into a major partisan standoff.

The dispute first erupted after Browne made earlier public remarks that appeared to tie Parker to a recent narcotics-related arrest. On Wednesday, the UPP released an official statement rejecting the prime minister’s claims, throwing its full backing behind Parker alongside the party’s Women’s Forum. The opposition forcefully condemned what it called Browne’s “prejudicial words and actions,” noting that no law enforcement agency has ever named Parker as a suspect in the ongoing investigation.

The UPP argued that Browne’s unsubstantiated hints amounted to a calculated attempt to sway public opinion and systematically destroy Parker’s professional and personal reputation. Beyond the immediate attack on Parker, the opposition also accused the prime minister of glaring double standards in how he handles allegations involving political figures from across the aisle versus those connected to his own administration. “Law-enforcement authorities had not announced any involvement by Senator Parker,” the UPP’s statement read. “Therefore, the prime minister’s actions can be construed only as a deliberate effort to influence the Police and to taint Senator Parker’s character.”

To back up its claim of hypocrisy, the UPP pointed to Browne’s far more muted responses to past controversies involving individuals linked to his own ruling party, drawing a sharp contrast with his aggressive approach to Parker.

In his latest counterattack, Browne pivoted the conversation away from the ongoing drug investigation and toward Parker’s personal relationship with her partner and campaign manager, Gould. Browne publicly identified Gould as a previously convicted sex offender and narcotics trafficker, directly questioning Parker’s judgment and personal decision-making in the process.

Gould was recently taken into custody after law enforcement officials reportedly seized nearly 60 pounds of suspected cannabis from luggage he was bringing into the country on a flight originating from the United States. As of the latest update, the police investigation into the new allegations remains active, and no final conviction has been handed down in connection with this recent case.

As tensions continue to rise, Parker has not issued any public statement responding to Browne’s latest criticisms as of the time this report went to press.