ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Former government minister in St Kitts & Nevis Dwyer Astaphan has apologised to Antiguan MP Asot Michael, who threatened to sue him last week over a controversial commentary that was published by several media organisations.

Astaphan, the author of the article, titled “Busted in India?” wrote to Michael last Friday expressing regret and further asking the media entities that published the article to retract it.

MP Michael’s public relations office shared the letter with local media over the weekend.

“I wish to assure you that in relation to my article … published in several media agencies in St Kitts & Nevis and Antigua & Barbuda, I had absolutely no desire or intention to malign or impugn your good name and character,” Astaphan noted.

He also stated, “If any displeasure or discomfort was felt by you as a result, I do regret same.”

Astaphan indicated he has known Michael both personally and in his public life and knows he is “energetic, proactive and intellectually able. …”

MP Michael had called upon Astaphan to withdraw the commentary as, according to him, it was rife with untruths about his character and his recent trip to India with Prime Minister of St Kitts & Nevis Dr Denzil Douglas.

Online news agency SKNVIBES.com in St Kitts & Nevis published the commentary on April 11, while it was printed in the St Kitts & Nevis Observer on April 13.

NewsPages, a weekly local paper and Caribarena.com, a local online news agency, had also reproduced the commentary.

All the aforementioned agencies later published MP Michael’s criticism of the article, as well as a draft apology he prepared.