Saiid Greene says Nathan Dundas ‘overstayed his welcome’

Managing Director of the Antigua Pier Group Saiid Greene has blasted the President of the Antigua and Barbuda Cruise Tourism Association, Nathan Dundas, over his recent reporting of several cruise lines cancelling their previously scheduled calls to Antigua and Barbuda.
On Monday, Dundas disclosed that Carnival Cruise Lines had cancelled calls to the island by four of its vessels as of November 2019, while yesterday he circulated an email stating that 14 other scheduled cruise calls to Antigua for the upcoming winter season have also been cancelled.
On multiple media outlets, Greene said Dundas, a Guyanese by birth, was “going rogue” and had overstayed his welcome.
“Nathan Dundas has worn out his welcome. There is no one on planet earth more hospitable than the Antiguans and Barbudans, but all our fights we never called in any outside forces, we fought them ourselves and this is really untenable,” he said. “It is not funny if he thinks that he can use a crowbar to dismantle all our economic gains.”
Greene also accused Dundas of trying to destroy the country’s economic progress.
“There is a place at the table for all those who want to contribute to the development of our country, but no single one of us can upturn [and dismantle] a people’s advancement. What I want to tell Nathan Dundas is that in Antigua and Barbuda we do not use crowbars, we use hammers,” he said.
He also called out Patrick Ryan, Managing Director of Bryson’s Shipping where Dundas is employed.
“If your dog bites me, I am not going to bite your dog. I will simply follow the leash. Whoever has the leash is the owner of the dog. Therefore I am calling on Patrick Ryan to rein in Nathan Dundas because the consequences are going to be dire,” he said.
OBSERVER media contacted Ryan for comment, but he refused.
Greene also called on the United Progressive Party (UPP) to consider what Dundas’ statement was doing to Antigua and Barbuda.
Meantime, he said, the Cabinet would be meeting to discuss a response to the issue.
“Where we go from here is that there will be Cabinet today. The government is in firm control of all our borders, all our institutions are functioning, and our resolve has been recalibrated. We know where the threats are coming from and we as a people will respond to those threats. We did not start this fight, but we will end it,” Greene said.