ISSUE NO.105 November/December
2005
A Christmas Message from His Excellency Dr Carl Roberts, High Commissioner
 As we approach the close of 2005, it is an appropriate time
to reflect on how a good and gracious Lord has blessed us throughout
the year. Though it is also a time to reflect, we take
time out to rejoice on God’s gifts to each of us and pass
on his love by sharing what we have with those we come in contact.
We
are reminded of the fragility of life. In December 2004
around 200,000 persons, who might have made exciting plans for
Christmas celebrations, were never to see the fruition of those
plans. Throughout the year, disaster after disaster, reminded
us that we are to constantly and ardently pray for the safe-keeping
of our families, friends and fellow citizens. Let us therefore
not forget all those who have suffered or have been impacted
by any of these traumatic events.
The
God we serve constantly reminds us of the hope of tomorrow. If
we trust in him, prayfully ask of him, he will provide our daily
needs. Let us therefore ask for wisdom to be granted to
those who have been chosen to lead us whether at work, in Government
or otherwise. May we be constantly that his all-seeing
eyes oversees us and his welcoming arms are always there to receive
us. Let us live our lives fully assured that if called
upon we may give a proud account of our stewardship.
As
you read this newsletter, you will indeed see how busy your representatives
have been. Pray for God’s protection and guidance
in the coming year.
I
take this opportunity on behalf of my wife and family, entire
staff at the Mission and on my own behalf to
wish each of you a Blessed Christmas and a Happy, Rewarding New
Year. May God continue his blessings on each and every
one of you.
Dr Carl Roberts
High Commissioner
RETURN
Finance and the Economy Minister chairs Inaugural Meeting of the Customs Renewal Steering Committee
 |
| Minister of Finance and
the Economy, Dr Errol Cort |
The
Minister of Finance and the Economy, Dr. L. Errol Cort recently
chaired the Inaugural Meeting of the Customs Renewal Steering Committee.
The
Customs Renewal Programme of Antigua and Barbuda is a complete
transformation of both the public and private administration of
import and export trade, and international arrivals and departures
of travellers. The Customs Renewal Programme was launched on 1st
September 2005.
The
Committee comprises Mr. Raphael Brown, Comptroller of the Customs & Excise
Division, Mrs. Gaye Hechme, General Manager of the Industrial Development
Board, Mr. Joseph Sealey, Industrial Advisor (Ag) of the Industry & Commerce
Division, Dr. Patrick Lay, Director of the Information Technology
Center, Mr. Clarvis Joseph, Chairman of the Antigua Port Authority,
Mr. Stephen Joseph, Managing Director of Bargain Centre, Mr. Nathan
Dundas, Manager of Bryson Shipping, and Mr. Wilbur Edwards, Director
of Network/Sales LIAT. The Committee was joined by Mr. Winston
Bailey, Customs Renewal Coordinator, Mr. George Brown - Member
of the Customs Renewal Team, and Mrs. Gloria Reid, CARTAC Consultant
to the Customs Renewal Programme.
Dr.
Cort briefed the Steering Committee on its role to provide the
guiding principles for the new Customs Law and procedures that
will fundamentally re-define the relationship between the Customs
administration and the trading community; approve the implementation
plan and monitor its progress; and, to provide advice on changes
required to the plan. Mr. Bailey and Mrs. Reid provided presentations
on the features of the Customs Renewal Programme, the details of
the implementation plan, and progress to date.
In
his concluding remarks, Dr. Cort encouraged the Committee members
to be proactive in their approach to this important programme.
He pointed out that each member was chosen for their unique perspective
on trade and on the economic growth of Antigua and Barbuda.
The
Committee members expressed their support for the programme and
commented on its timeliness in light of CSME and the opportunity
presented for Antigua and Barbuda to become an even stronger leader
in the regional trading sphere.
RETURN
OECS Heads urged to Reform Tax System
 |
| Prime Minister
Spencer (second from left) joined other leaders at
the OECS Meeting in Anguilla |
The
42nd Meeting of Heads of Government of the OECS was held at the
Malliouhana Hotel, Meads Bay, Anguilla early November.
During
the first day’s working session Heads looked at the OECS
economies in external trade negotiations in an effort to formulate
ways to deal with the challenges of WTO regulations on international
trade and transactions.
During
the discussions it was pointed out that countries within the OECS
needed to move quickly to reform its tax systems in order to maintain
the stability of their fiscal performance.
Economies
in the OECS rely heavily on revenue from international trade and
transactions (import duties), more so from other duties and charges (ODCs). In
member states of the OECS, the ODCs comprise at the very least
consumption tax and customs tax. The reliance on ODCs has
become a problem, given that they are deemed as illegal under WTO
regulations.
For
Antigua and Barbuda, if the consumption tax and customs tax are
successfully challenged in the WTO it could mean the country losing
86 percent of its Revenue stream.
During
the discussions Prime Minister Spencer announced that his country
is in the process of reforming its tax structure and is examining
the possibility of the introduction of a sales tax. The Heads
agreed that introducing a sales tax or VAT are viable options available
to protect their revenue stream.
The
Heads also looked at the draft OECS Economic Union Treaty and received
a progress report on the work of the Regional Coordinating Mechanism
for the HIV/AIDS Project.
RETURN
AHTA commends Tourism Ministry
The Antigua Hotels and Tourist Association has congratulated and
complimented the Ministry of Tourism for their bold initiative
and foresight, approximately a year and half ago, when they engaged
Condor in discussions which have now borne fruit.
According
to Acting Chairman of the AHTA Ted Isaac, the result is that Condor
has resumed weekly flights from Frankfurt, Germany to Antigua and
Barbuda. “The Association also congratulates Dr. Werner
Giersch, Honorary Consul for Germany, along with the AHTA members
for their tireless efforts in coordinating a most impressive marketing
programme to support the flight.
According
to Isaac, the Association was made aware that there have been some detractors
regarding the programme. “We stand firmly behind the Ministry in
this venture as we are confident that the residual benefits will be seen by
hotels, local vendors, car rental companies, taxi drivers, local tour operators,
restaurateurs, souvenir shops and duty free stores. Spin-off benefits
would include increased visits to historical sites and attractions and increased
patronage of cultural and theme events,” he said.
Isaac said
that the reality is that the airline industry has changed considerably and
this dynamism will continue into the future. He said that as a result,
the game is being played on a different playing field, where subsidies to these
companies have become the norm, particularly throughout the Caribbean. He
also pointed out that the value of the subsidies should not only be measured
by Government's guarantees to the airlines, but must be looked at from the
entire trickle down effect that this creates.
“For
the apprehensive-minded, it should be understood that the Government will only
be liable for the unsold seats guaranteed. However, we wish to strongly
suggest that with the robust marketing efforts to date, and which will continue,
the AHTA remains confident that the entire programme will be successful. It
is our hope that Antiguans will embrace this initiative and extend to our German
guests the usual warm Antiguan hospitality,” Isaac noted.
Earlier
this year, Mr. Axel Bulthaupt, a prominent German Television personality,
was in Antigua along with a film crew that filmed various aspects
of our local culture, including Auntie Esther's Sunday morning
breakfast. The 30-minute programme, called “Bulthaupt
in Antigua”, is part of a travel series produced since 1996,
and will be aired at prime-time on January 1st 2006.
RETURN
Information Minister discusses cooperation with the
People’s Republic of China
 |
 |
Dr Mansoor and Counsellor Song during discussions
on
Information Technology |
(l to r) Deputy Director Wang, Director of Communications
Maurice Merchant and Counsellor Song |
Minister
of State responsible for Information and Broadcasting Dr. Edmond
Mansoor held discussions recently with senior officials of
the Chinese Information Ministry in an effort to further promote
mutual understanding and develop friendly relations between the
governments of the People’s Republic of China and Antigua
and Barbuda.
Counsellor
Song Ronghua and Deputy Director Wang Zhiquan of the Information
Department of Foreign Affairs Ministry of China also held discussions
with Dr. Mansoor on examining the possibilities of cooperation
and exchange in the news field between the two countries.
Dr.
Mansoor told the diplomats that his government believes in a free
press and is currently working at rationalizing, re-branding and
re-imaging the state owned ABS Radio and Television making
it performance driven.
The
Information Minister also discussed areas of training, technical
cooperation and sharing experiences in information and media management.The
Minister updated the diplomats on progress being made in Information
Technology development in the country, sailing week and the annual
carnival festivities.
Counsellor
Song said that he is looking forward to discussing with his superiors
the proposals put forward by the Information Minister and extended
an invitation for the Minister to pay an official visit to China. Minister
Mansoor will prepare a detailed proposal on the possible areas
of cooperation for delivery to the Chinese officials.
The
Chinese Diplomats also held meetings with members of the Government’s
Information Division and Media Congress to discuss ways of developing
cooperation in journalism.
The
meeting chaired by Director of Communications Maurice Merchant,
highlighted the need for the people of both Antigua and Barbuda
and China to learn more about each other since there already exists
such strong economic ties.
The
media grouping suggested media group exchanges and the need to
bridge the language barrier between both countries and it was pointed
out that the establishment of language programmes should be explored. Merchant
outlined that he is confident that the government would support
the establishment of a Regional Language Centre in Antigua and
Barbuda to facilitate the teaching of the Chinese languages.
Merchant,
during his remarks, also highlighted the close ties between both
countries and stated that the government of Antigua and Barbuda
will continue to strengthen those ties.
“The
relationship between Antigua and Barbuda and the People’s
Republic of China has been one of mutual cooperation and understanding. The
economic relationship is at an all time high with investments in
Antigua and Barbuda now largely through grants and not loan arrangements,” he
said.
“China
is an important partner of Antigua and Barbuda. There exists a
strong, constructive relationship between our two countries. We
fully support the basis principle of “One Country,
two Systems” which promotes cooperation in various fields
between mainland China and its regions,” Merchant concluded.
Counsellor
Song also noted that Antigua and Barbuda was the first country
in the region to establish diplomatic relations with China and
his government cherishes this. Both sides agreed to maintain
strong communication links.
RETURN
Telecommunications Division continues discussions on
communications liberalization
The Second Roundtable Discussion on Information Communication
Technology organized by the Telecommunications Division of the
Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications was
conducted recently centring on the Draft National ICT policy and
issues surrounding the full liberalization of the telecommunications
market.
The
session was moderated by Delreo Newman, Telecommunications Consultant
and was attended by stakeholders in the Information Technology
field in Antigua and Barbuda.
Minister responsible for Information Technology Dr. Edmond Mansoor
initiated the roundtable discussions weeks ago and had been holding
on-going discussions with Cable and Wireless’ CEO Davidson
Charles on the issue of an early end to the exclusive monopoly
agreement that Cable and Wireless has over international direct
dial access.
“We
are committed to opening up the telecommunications market, but
there are a number of issues that must be considered, including
interconnection, competition regulation and regulatory authority
and universal device access,” Dr. Mansoor noted.
Minister
Mansoor said the current Telecommunications Act which dates back
to 1951 is totally archaic and does not meet the robust requirements
of a modern telecommunications market.
It
was also disclosed that the Government has indicated to Cable and
Wireless that the exclusive agreement (which was negotiated by
the previous administration for a twenty five year period which
expires in 2012) will expire on December 31, 2005.
“The
exclusive monopoly arrangement has prevented the market growth
of Antigua and Barbuda's international access. We must create an
environment that will permit greater access to broadband technology
at cheaper rates. In this regard, the landing of additional submarine
fibre optic cable systems is an important component in the thrust
to developing Antigua and Barbuda as a Regional Centre of Excellence
in Information Communication Technology,” he concluded.
RETURN
Foreign Ministers meeting a success for Caribbean Countries
PM Spencer Chairs Session on Implementation of Small
States Agenda
Prime
Minister Baldwin Spencer hailed the two day Commonwealth Foreign
Ministers Meeting in Malta a success for small developing states.
Prime
Minister Spencer who chaired the Session of the meeting dealing
with the Implementation of Small States Agenda, said that a number
of issues were reviewed and it was emphasized that in this world
of economic, political and social transformation, the problem of
small states such as Antigua and Barbuda must be taken into account
as we move forward. He outlined that the CARICOM Foreign
Ministers present were very strong in their view that special and
differential treatment must be given to small island states and
other small nations if they are to play a significant role in this
new economic dispensation.
“We
were very strong that the communiqué coming out of the Foreign
Ministers Meeting must clearly highlight that special and differential
treatment must be given to small island states. I can report
that we have been successful in ensuring that the decisions of
this conference will be so communicated where special and differential
treatment must now be an integral part of the deliberations going
into the Hong Kong Ministerial with the World Trade Organisation
WTO in December,” PM Spencer noted.
“We
are satisfied that this was a significant break through because
it was felt that reference to special and differential treatment
must not be in the communiqué. The CARICOM delegations all
spoke with one united voice with other small states supporting
that concept as well,” he added.
“The
question of how small island states are going to play a meaningful
role in new dispensation was a major topic for discussion and the
Caribbean countries were able to point out that our contribution
to the issues of peace and security, stability and democracy far
outweighs our size and resources and if we are to continue to contribute
significantly then we must be treated in such a way to make the
transition from traditional economies to the new economy which
the WTO is calling on us to adopt,” PM Spencer pointed out.
He
said that the Caribbean can make the transition but need time and special and
differential treatment and the support of developed countries and international
agencies and organizations that have developmental agendas.
“The
vulnerability of these small states was clearly recognized and
even though we are considered middle income countries and therefore
our per capita income is too high to allow for other considerations,
we were able to make the point which was accepted that we are more
vulnerable to internal, external and natural shocks to our respective
economies that require attention over and above the fact that we
are considered middle income countries,” he said.
PM
Spencer continued, “We believe that the message got over very well indeed
and that the Commonwealth as an institution now has a responsibility to take
the message to the WTO and other international organizations supporting the
claim for justice, equality and a level playing field in the world economic
arena for small developing countries such as Antigua and Barbuda.”
He
made clear that the issue is one of human rights for small states
because it is a human right for small states to be given the opportunity
to develop. “It is a right that we are claiming that
we have and we are not begging and preaching to the international
community. We are saying that we have a right to be given
the opportunity to develop and the avenues should be given for
us to do so. We hope we have sent the signal that small developing
states would not stand idly by and allow our countries to be marginalized
by the world community,” he concluded.
The
Prime Minister of the Antigua and Barbuda felt that the meeting
ended on a high note and paved the way for the Commonwealth Heads
Meeting. CHOGM received the communiqué coming out
of the Foreign Ministers Meeting which set the pace for their deliberations
which took the form of retreats and executive sessions.
The
Foreign Ministers over the two days also addressed issues
of peace and security, terrorism, combating corruption, bridging
the digital divide, the Millennium Development Goals and investment
among others.
RETURN
Internet Gaming giant BetonSports expands operations
in Antigua and Barbuda
Following
on the heels of the Budget presentation in Parliament on Wednesday
November 30th, 2005, David Carruthers, CEO of BetonSports announced
to the Government his company’s firm commitment to expand
its operations in Antigua and Barbuda.
“The
Board of Directors of BetonSports at its Annual General Meeting, which was held
on December 2, 2005 in Antigua, took the decision to expand its marketing and
research development unit in Antigua. This will initially create 25 new
jobs,” a statement from the company outlined.
Mr.
Carruthers indicated that his board’s decision to expand
the company’s base in Antigua was as a result of the Government’s
commitment to the industry and the proactive stance the Government,
through the Minister of Finance has taken to win-back gaming companies.
The CEO stated that the Minister’s “Win-Back Initiative” held
in San Jose Costa Rica signalled to him and the Board that Antigua
and Barbuda is being proactive in branding itself as a well-regulated
premiere i-gaming jurisdiction with regulations which are of the
highest international standards and best practices. As a
result, the Board deemed that Antigua and Barbuda would fit their
strategic plans for future development.
The
Minister of Finance and the Economy was very pleased by this announcement
and indicated to the CEO that the Government was encouraged by
the decision of BetonSports to expand operations in Antigua and
Barbuda. The Minister underscored the point that the Government
remains very committed to the future growth of Internet Gaming
in the jurisdiction and expressed the Governments appreciation
to the company for positively demonstrating its commitment to Antigua
and Barbuda and looked forward to the company increasing its complement
in the future.
The
Director of Gaming, Ms. Kaye McDonald, is very pleased with the recent decision
taken by BetonSports and stated that the initial expansion will bring the companies
Antigua staff compliment to about 38 which is positive as it will create employment
opportunities for a young and dynamic labour pool. She further stated
that FSRC, Division of Gaming welcomes this expansion as there are recommendations
being proposed by the Division to ensure, through regulatory measures, that
gaming companies licensed by the state to conduct Interactive Gaming and Interactive
Wagering have a physical operating presence in Antigua and Barbuda.
BetonSports
is one of the largest on-line sports book and casinos in the world
and is a publicly listed company on the Alternative Investment
Market (AIM), which is a part of the London Stock Exchange (LSE). Presently,
most of the company’s operations are based in San Jose, Costa
Rica.
RETURN
Antigua and Barbuda voted Best Wedding
Island of the Year
The
twin island destination of Antigua and Barbuda was recently voted “BestWeddingIsland of
the Year” by Caribbean World Magazine at their
11th International Caribbean World Awards in Britain.
The
British travel and lifestyle monthly, Caribbean World Magazine,
honours leaders of excellence in hospitality and service in a variety
of categories including Best Honeymoon Island, Best Luxury Resort,
and Best Sailing and Yachting Island. Winners are chosen
by the magazine’s readers.
Although
Antigua and Barbuda remains untouched and unspoiled, it boasts
international acclaim: World class sailing and diving, sensational
resorts, and premier cuisine making the destination one of the
world’s top wedding and honeymoon tourism destinations. The
pristine beauty of this tropical paradise gives couples a chance
to escape from everyday life while the soothing trade-winds spread
romance all over the island.
Antigua
and Barbuda offers the perfect setting for romance to flourish
whether couples seek privacy, beauty or adventure in their destination
wedding locale. Betrothed couples may opt to exchange vows
on one of our 365 sugary white sand beaches as the lucid turquoise
water gently laps upon the shores. Or, the true romantics
may opt to say “I do” against a backdrop of the most
breathtaking sunset-- made even more spectacular by the legendary
green flash that accompanies that last dip of the sun.
Many
of the resorts on the islands offer couples the expertise of an
on-site coordinator who arranges all aspects of the ceremony or
honeymoon, thereby eliminating much of the pre-nuptial stress many
betrothed couples experience. A variety of packages offered
can create the perfect intimate or extravagant event.
RETURN
Millennium Naturalization Act ruled Constitutional
Justice Louise Esther Blenman has dismissed the case brought by
Mr. Glentis Goodwin Chairman of the Organization for National Development
Party ONDP against Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer and Attorney
General Justin Simon, seeking to invalidate Section 3 (1) of the
Millennium Naturalization Act of 2004 which provides for the acquisition
of Antigua and Barbuda citizenship by persons who were lawfully
resident in Antigua and Barbuda on and since the first day of January
2000.
Attorney
Ralph Francis who represented Glentis Goodwin in the matter claimed
that Section 3 (1) of the Millennium Act infringes section 114
(1) c (ii) and Section 116 (1) of the Constitution, making it invalid
and unconstitutional.
It
was further claimed that the constitution provides for the entrenchment
of Section 114 and Parliament cannot amend the provisions without
confirming to the dictates that deal with entrenched provisions. He
noted that the effect of the section being entrenched is to prevent
parliament from amending it without confirming to the provision
of the Constitution that address the amendment of entrenched provisions. He
argued that in effect parliament has amended section 114 of the
Constitution by enacting Section 3 (1) of the Millennium Act.
Learned
Counsel Ralph Francis further argued that Section 3 (1) of the
Millennium Act violates certain section of the constitution by
permitting persons who are not Commonwealth citizens to obtain
citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in a short time as four and
a quarter years instead of a period of seven years. This
he said is a breach of the Constitution.
In
defense, Attorney General Justin Simon Q.C. disagreed that the
Powers of Parliament to make laws for the acquisition of citizenship
in Antigua and Barbuda are restricted as contended for on behalf
of Mr. Goodwin. He advocated that Section 114 of the Constitution
states the factors that entitle a person to acquire citizenship
as of right, in Antigua and Barbuda.
The
material section provides that a person who has been ordinarily
resident for a period of seven years and person who have been domiciled
in Antigua and Barbuda for a period of seven years are entitled
to acquire citizenship. He maintained that there is nothing
in section 114 which prescribes that domicile and residency are
the only two qualifications for acquiring citizenship in Antigua
and Barbuda.
Elaborating
further, the Attorney General outlined that section 114 of
the Constitution does not specify how persons who are non-commonwealth
citizens may acquire citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda. He
said that parliament is given the power to pass laws to confer
citizenship on person who are not eligible under the Constitution.
In
arriving at her decision to dismiss the case brought against the
Prime Minister and Attorney General, Justice Blenman quoted from
the learned author Dr. Winston Anderson in his book Elements of
Private International Law in which he gives careful consideration
to the issue of Citizenship and provides a very helpful exposition
in stating that International Law leaves it up to the states to
determine the conditions under which they will grant citizenship
to individuals but that the rules governing the acquisition and
loss of nationality are to be found, as would be expected, in the
Constitution.
In
stating that Section 3 (1) of the Millennium Act is constitutional,
Justice Blenman noted that she accepts the submissions by the Attorney
General as they represent the correct interpretation of the law.
Since
the Millennium Naturalization Act took effect on July 18, 2004
over 300 persons from Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth countries
have become citizens of Antigua and Barbuda.
RETURN
Government moves to complete Mount St. John Medical Centre
 |
| Minister Maginley
(second from right) with Ambassador David Shoul (second
from left) and Chinese officials |
Government
is now moving ahead swiftly to resume work on the multi-million
dollar Mount St John Medical Centre, with completion date set for
the latter part of 2006.
Health
Minister John Maginley met Non-resident Ambassador to the People’s Republic
of China Sir David Shoul and several Chinese delegates to discuss the work
leading up to the completion date.
Minister
Maginley said the discussion also centred on the completion of the documentation
of the Export and Import Bank Loan of China for the completion of the project.
The
Minister further stated that the contractors have confirmed that the project
should be completed within 10 months time. The Ministry of Health he says is
looking for the completion date to be late September, early October 2006.
The
Mount St. John's Hospital will have a capacity of 187 beds and will offer medical
attention from a modern, high-quality institution for everyone, regardless
of their economic circumstances, providing first class medical care and service.
The
hospital was incorporated under the Companies Act in 1998 and is wholly owned
by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda. Government has indicated that
it intends to complete the construction of the building but will not be in
a position to operate the facility. Government has received proposals
from a number of organizations to operate the facility.
RETURN
CARICOM’s Agenda addressed at CHOGM in Malta
Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda has termed the recently
concluded Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta as
a success noting that two very important issues relevant to CARICOM
were addressed. He said that multilateral trade and the vulnerability
of small states were two of the issues which were seriously deliberated
on and resulted in two powerful statements being issued.
“I
think that under the circumstances, CARICOM could be satisfied
because the issues that we wanted to bring to the fore at this
meeting took place and CARICOM leaders were extremely active in
the deliberations and we played a significant part in ensuring
that we had an input in these two important declarations. From
that point of view I would want to believe that CARICOM is feeling
reasonably satisfied that we have achieved our objectives,” he
said.
Prime
Minister Spencer noted that with respect to multilateral trade,
Heads made it clear that with the accelerating influence of globalization,
trade issues can no longer be negotiated in isolation and that
human security in its totality must be reflected in the outcomes
of multilateral trade negotiations. He said that Heads concluded
that weak vulnerable small states must benefit from an equitable
share in the universally available opportunities provided through
international trade.
It
was also pointed out that the leaders called upon negotiators of
small developing states at the WTO Ministerial Conference scheduled
for Hong Kong in December to be flexible and to place priority
on a genuinely development-oriented negotiations reaching agreement
on all forms of subsidies by 2010 and for a significant improvement
to market access by developing and small states into the developed
countries.
The
Prime Minster of Antigua and Barbuda also showered praise on Prime
Minister of Jamaica P.J. Patterson who announced at CHOGM that
it was his last meeting as he was preparing to retire from active
politics.
“It
was an interesting conference because one of the leading figures
in the Caribbean and the Commonwealth made his final speech at
the meeting. P.J. Patterson has made a significant contribution
to the deliberations. I want to compliment him for the tremendous
work that he has done on behalf of Jamaica, CARICOM and developing
states throughout the Commonwealth,” PM Spencer said.
He
said that Patterson, who attended his first Commonwealth meeting
in the 1970, was a well known international figure and has made
significant contributions to world affairs. “I have
had opportunities to work directly with PJ and I have found him
to be genuine and committed about developmental issues as they
relate to small states such as Antigua and Barbuda. I wish
him well as he prepares to depart from direct political office,” he
stated.
The
next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will be held in Uganda
in 2007 while the 2009 meeting will be held in Trinidad and Tobago.
RETURN
Baptiste says more resources needed to combat crime
The
Minister of Housing, Culture & Social Transformation has called
for regional governments to help equip the Regional Security Services
(RSS) with updated and modern equipment to help combat drug trafficking.
Minister
Baptiste echoed these sentiments during the graduation exercise
of the RSS Basic Seamanship Course, which was recently held at
Camp Blizzard, base of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force.
According
to Minister Baptiste, until receiving a brochure which outlines
the roles and functions of the RSS, he was always sceptical over
the large budgets that were awarded to the Antigua and Barbuda
Defence Force. Baptiste said that he is now convinced that
additional resources need to be pumped into security to help combat
criminals, who are plying their trade with state-of-the-art equipment.
To
this end, Baptiste said that RSS officials should boost their public
relations strategy.
“Whoever
is responsible for public relations in the region need to begin
to work. There should be programmes on television explaining
the role of RSS and let the community know the areas that are covered
and the police, army and custom officials are apart of it.”
The
Minister of Social Transformation said that he will “encourage
his Government to put more money into the RSS and to encourage
the entire business community to look at this area and to support
it”.
Over
the past few weeks, twenty-nine (29) service men from the eight-member
countries of RSS focused on several topics including basic seamanship,
instructional training, maritime operations and planning and first
aid.
This
year’s top student was PC Bernard Titre of Dominica, who
received a plaque for his outstanding work.
RETURN
inet Repositions APUA in the Communications Market
The
introduction of inet, an Asymmetric Digital
Subscriber Line (ADSL) Internet service has repositioned and re-established
the Antigua Public Utilities Authority APUA Telephones at the forefront
of the technological revolution in Antigua and Barbuda.
Information
Minister Senator Dr. Edmond Mansoor during the launch of
the product said that the unmistakable economic and technical advantages
of the digital subscriber line technology, inet as
APUA Telephones has called it, has become enormously popular as
a broadband access system for data transmission in recent years.
“Due
to the ever larger data volumes on the public and private networks,
more and more carriers are turning to technologies that can deliver
high bandwidths, even in the access area,” he explained.
The
Minister further stated that inet is
the optimal choice, since it supports both analogue telephone lines
and Digital lines.
He
noted that as the internet continues to gain rapidly in popularity,
many of today’s telephone networks are reaching their limits
under modem connections to Internet service providers (ISPs), often
for hours at a time. He said there is a growing need to unburden
networks by providing broadband DSL connections, some of which
already are in place.
Advantages
of inet include:
- leaving
your internet connected open and still use the phone line for
voice calls.
- The
speed is much higher than a regular modem.
- inet doesn’t
necessarily require new wiring; it can use the phone line you
already have.
- APUA
Telephones also provided the modem as part of the installation.
In
congratulating APUA Telephones on the launch of inet,
Minister Mansoor stated that he is confident that this will be
one of the “gap
closing” mechanisms of ending the digital divide in Antigua
and Barbuda.
RETURN
Antigua and Barbuda at WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Conference
 |
| Antigua and
Barbuda’s delegation to the WTO Ministerial conference
headed by Minister of Finance and the Economy, Dr Errol
Cort (centre) with Dr John Ashe, Permanent Representative
to the WTO (seated to the right of the Minister) and
Dr Carl Roberts, Deputy Permanent Representative the WTO
and High Commissioner )seated on the Minister’s left) |
On
the 13th December the sixth WTO Ministerial Conference formally
opened with trade and economic ministers from the 149 member countries
of the WTO hoping to conclude negotiations for a free trade accord.
“At
this very moment, the prospects for an agreement are not very good,” said
the head of Antigua and Barbuda’s delegation, Dr. Errol Cort,
Minister of Finance and Economy. “There is no indication
that WTO members will break the stalemate over cutting subsidies
and import tariffs, which has pitted the rich developed countries
against the poor developing ones,” he added.
During
the formal opening ceremony, the delegates heard statements from Donald
Tsang, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region of the People's Republic of China; Mr. John C Tsang, Secretary
for Commerce, Industry and Technology of the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and the
Chairman of the Ministerial Conference; Mr. Pascal Lamy, Director-General
of the WTO; H.E. Ms. Amina Mohamed, Ambassador and Permanent Representative
of Kenya to the WTO and Chairperson of the WTO’s General
Council; and Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, the former Director-General
of the WTO and the current Secretary-General of UNCTAD, who spoke
on behalf of Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations.
During
the presentation by Director-General Lamy, several protesters chanted
anti-WTO slogans from the back of the hall where the opening ceremony
was taking place. “The atmosphere surrounding the negotiations
has been intense, with thousands of anti-globalization demonstrators
marching through the streets of Hong Kong carrying anti-WTO banners
and banging drums,” said Ambassador Ashe, Antigua and Barbuda’s
Ambassador to the WTO.
“This
meeting is beset by many challenges,” said High Commissioner
Roberts, Antigua and Barbuda’s Deputy Permanent Representative
to the WTO. “As a result expectations for a successful outcome
are very low,” he added.
Elliott
Paige, the Minister Counsellor at the OECS Mission to the WTO,
observed that a failure for the Hong Kong meeting, coming on the
heels of the unsuccessful ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico
in 2003, would destroy the credibility of the multilateral trading
system.
Minister
Cort, however, remained hopeful, noting that the negotiators hope
to lay the groundwork while in Hong Kong to establish a global
trade deal sometime next year. “I hope that, at the end of
the day, WTO's member nations, who have debated for years the best
way to promote free and fair trade, will resolve to hash out an
acceptable agreement given that freer and fairer trade can, according
to the World Bank, add some US $300 billion to the global economy,” he
said.
The
current round of WTO talks -- the “Doha Round” that was launched
in 2001 in the Doha, the capital of Qatar, was organized to address the concerns
of poorer nations. The major issues at the Hong Kong meeting include opening
farming and service industries to international competition, and a call by
the developed countries for the developing nations to open their telecommunications,
tourism and banking sectors to international companies.
RETURN
FCCA and the Norwegian Jewel spread the cheer of Christmas to charitable organizations
 |
| Children receiving
their Christmas gifts from the FCCA Representative |
On
December 7th, the technical staff of the Ministry of Tourism and
the crew onboard the Norwegian Jewel took time out to don their
hats as Santa’s helpers
spreading Christmas cheer to the children of five charitable organizations.
Children
from the Amazing Grace Foundation, the Good Shepherd Home, the
Sunshine Home for Girls, the Citizens Welfare Division, and the
Barbuda Pentecostal Church, were the recipients of a total of some
200 gifts.
The
gifts were distributed to the students after a brief ceremony during
which Director of Marketing and Promotions Joyce Henry praised
the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) for the initiative
which spans some three years.
Also
on hand to speak on behalf of the charitable organizations, which
fall under his Ministry, was Minister of Social Transformation, Hilson
Baptiste who took time out of his busy parliamentary schedule to
thank the organizers and more particularly the FCCA for the gesture.
Minister
Baptiste reported that Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer saw the occasion
as being most worthy of national attention and as such sent his
sentiments of gratitude on behalf of the nation of Antigua and
Barbuda.
Karen
Maybury, Chief Organizer and FCCA Representative spoke on behalf
of the organization, by relaying that it was all worth it to see
the smiles on the faces of the children and to know that you (and
your organization) are the cause of that smile.
The
children, who sang carols and interacted with Santa Claus, were
also treated to a dynamic performance by a juggler (crew member
on board the Norwegian Jewel).
RETURN
Land transfer deal paves the way for Hatton Bay Development
The transfer of lands, paving the way for a multi-million dollar
development at Hatton Bay in Antigua was completed last week in
Washington D.C with members of US development consortium of the
Federal/ Owens Group.
Mr.
McChesney Emanuel, Honorary Consul General for Antigua and
Barbuda in New York, attended the ceremony at the
Ronald Reagan Building in Washington DC.
The
land transfer ceremony and reception featured, tennis players,
Venus and Serena Williams who were brought on board to brand the
Ocean Grand Resort at Hatton Bay development in Antigua which
will commence construction by June 2006. The first phase
of the project includes a resort hotel, convention centre,
casino and international entertainment venue.
According
to Honorary Consul General Emanuel, the Federal/Owens Group is
the partnership of two real estate firms- Federal Development LLC
and Owens Development Inc. “This group specializes
in the master development of publicly-owned real estate assets.
The Williams sisters were brought on board to brand their
exclusive resort development,” he said.
According
to Consul General Emanuel, "meeting the Williams sisters was
great, but what is even more exciting is to have them as partners
in this project, which will be a huge boost for Antigua and
Barbuda's tourism product."
"My commitment is to continue working
hard to bring more celebrities on board to brand other
projects [that are] currently in the pipeline. This is one
of several projects I have been working on for the last
fifteen months [and] there will definitely be other announcements
in the coming months,” he said.
Consul
General Emanuel was instrumental in creating the synergy and lead
negotiations between the Federal/Owens Group in Washington
DC and local Antiguan businessman, Mr. George Martin
Jr. who are collaborating on the Hatton Bay project.
RETURN
Ministry of Finance and Economy officials return from
important CARICOM meeting
 |
| Financial Secretary, Whitfield
Harris |
Senator
Lenworth Johnson, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance
and the Economy and Whitfield Harris, Financial Secretary represented
Antigua and Barbuda at the first Special Meeting of the CARICOM
Council for Finance and Planning (COFAP) held in Kingston, Jamaica
on 12th December, 2005.
The
primary purpose of the meeting was to determine the modalities
and related financial issues for the operation of the Regional
Development Fund established under Article 158 of the Revised Treaty
of Chaguaramas. The Fund will provide financial and technical assistance
to Disadvantaged Countries, Regions and Sectors including the OECS
countries when the Caribbean Single Market and the Economy (CSME)
comes into force on 1st January, 2006.
The
Ministers of Finance of the Region (who make up COFAP) agreed that
a Technical team should be established to evaluate options for
the funding and structure of the Regional Development Fund and
how member countries will access the Fund. The Technical Team,
which is to be headed by Professor Compton Bourne, Chief Executive
Officer of the Caribbean Development Bank, will report to a second
Special Meeting of COFAP on 23rd January, 2006 just prior to the
CSME signing ceremony in Jamaica on the 24th January, 2006.
Meanwhile,
two CARICOM countries have pledged a total of US $12 million to
inaugurate the Fund on 1st January 2006. The first special Meeting
of COFAP also considered the Management Structure of the Petroleum
Fund set up by Trinidad and Tobago to provide relief to member
countries of CARICOM which are experiencing economic hardship because
of persistently high prices for crude oil and petroleum products
on the international market. Recommendations will be made to the
Heads of Government.
The
first Special Meeting of COFAP also considered options for the
establishment of an integrated Capital Market in the Community.
RETURN
Senior Officials bring Christmas Cheer to Health Institution
With the Christmas season fast approaching, senior government
officials are spreading Christmas cheer at health institutions. On
19th December Governor General Sir James Carlisle, Lady Emma
Carlisle, Health Minister John Maginley, Permanent Secretary in
the Ministry of Health Clara Emmanuel and other health officials
visited the Mental Hospital to participate in their annual Christmas
celebrations.
The
celebration which brought laughter and joy to the residents heard
Governor General Sir James Carlisle reminding the patients that
Christmas brings a message to everyone, and it is God’s unselfish
love for all mankind that brings tolerance, respect and real understanding
to the foundation of our society.
Sir
James Carlisle also added that he sees noticeable improvement in
the health institution and hopes that the staff and patients of
the institution will strive for excellence in their continual growth
of the establishment. The Governor General also encouraged
the staff to do their best with their patients despite the lack
of major working equipment.
He
wished the staff and patients a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous
New Year and says he looks forward to many more visits in the near
future.
The
Minister told the patients that Christmas is a time to share and
celebrate the birth of Christ with the rest of the world and reflected
on the joyous celebration that brings families, friends and communities
together. Minister Maginley also noted that his government
is planning on amending the Mental Health Legislation Act. The
Minister said that this new Act is getting the assistance
from Health Canada, the Pan American Health Organization, as well
as the Acting Superintendent Clarence Pilgrim and other health
care professionals.
Permanent
Secretary in the Ministry of Health Clara Emmanuel urged volunteer
groups to donate food supplies and gifts to the health institutions
to make life more comfortable for the residents and staff of the
homes.
RETURN
Minister Cort promotes Antigua and Barbuda business readiness at WTO Ministerial Conference
Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Finance and the Economy,
Dr. Errol Cort, led a slate of ministers and representatives from
the Caribbean region, including Belize, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis
and St Vincent and the Grenadines, in addressing the plenary of
the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong.
Minister
Cort’s address comes at a time when trade ministers from
149 countries and customs territories are trying to salvage a partial
agreement aimed at, among other things, cutting taxes on
poor countries' exports, liberalizing trade in cotton, ending agricultural
export subsidies and linking lower tariffs for manufactured goods
to lower tariffs for agricultural products. It also comes at a
time when a particularly acrimonious dispute has broken out over
the extent to which countries should be required to let foreign
competitors into their markets for services like banking, telecommunications,
hospital management and computer programming.
In
his statement to the plenary, Minister Cort began by responding
to the challenge of the Director General of the WTO, Pascal Lamy,
who called on WTO members to be prepared to take some risks; to
improve the rules; and to level the playing field in the quest
for free and fair trade and to preserve development at the heart
of the Doha Round.
“Antigua
and Barbuda has heard and heeded [Director General’s] battle
cry and I hereby reaffirm our commitment to work assiduously to
address the issues at hand. I do so secured in my belief that the
Doha Development Round provides Members of the WTO with an opportunity
to make trade an essential tool for economic growth and development,” said
Minister Cort.
The
Minister noted that in order for the twin island nation to benefit
fully from trade that it needed to put in place the necessary structures
to nurture the seeds of economic growth and development. He also
noted that his government had embraced a path of macro-economic
and social reform; introduced fiscal consolidation; taken steps
to reduce the deficit while establishing an efficient tax system;
established a priority public sector investment programme; created
an enabling environment for the private sector to flourish; introduced
social protection of the most vulnerable in our society; and had
embarked on a programme of legal reform.
“My
government’s goal is to increase Antigua and Barbuda's attractiveness
as a place to do business, with good governance and transparency
as the building blocks of the programme. Concomitant with this
are ongoing efforts to reduce economic vulnerabilities, eliminate
barriers to competitive global trade and investment, increase competitiveness
in the private sector, improve domestic employment, and enhance
our capacity for sustainable growth in the face of external circumstances,” he
said.
The
Minister also sought to underscore the unique concerns of the nation’s
economy, which he characterized as “small, vulnerable, [and]
highly open,” and which he said would “… require
flexibility and policy space for implementing the provisions and
commitments of various WTO agreements.”
He
also noted that an economy such as ours needs “…longer
transitional periods for implementation [of these agreements] and
fair market access for [its] products and services,” and
expressed alarm at “the prospect that [the country] could
be forced into liberalization of tariffs without a suitable timeframe
and without the necessary flexibility to institute and complete
needed tax reforms…”
Touching
on the all-important issue of services, Minister Cort said that “…Antigua
and Barbuda’s services export in value terms was in the order
of 900 to 1. Services today contribute over 80% to our Gross Domestic
Product. Given our relatively smaller manufacturing and agricultural
base, the services negotiations are extremely important for Antigua
and Barbuda, since the services sector present one of the greatest
opportunities for economic progress in this the Doha Development
Round.”
The
Minister concluded by noting that in order for there to be any
progress in the negotiations on services, “…all WTO
Members [will need] to make quality offers that address constructively
the requests of trading partners in a commercially meaningful way.
Major trading nations must lead by example through the offers that
they make, thus allowing others to commit further for the mutual
benefit of all. In the same vain, we must also preserve the individual
right of countries’ to regulate domestic sectors in accordance
with international best practices in pursuit of their own developmental
goals.”
RETURN
Minister Cort describes agreement reached at the WTO Ministerial Conference as “modest”
After
six days of intense negotiation, Ministers from the 149 member
nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO) reached agreement
on a series of narrow but troublesome issues that have blocked
a global trade agreement for the last three years.
“There
was some progress in a number of areas,” said Minister of
Finance and the Economy and head of the Antigua and Barbuda’s
delegation to the talks, Dr. the Honourable Errol Cort. “But
the consensus view -- which I share -- is that the overall agreement
is not enough to make the meeting a true success. In particular,
it falls far short of the ambitious deal that we had all originally
hoped to reach in Hong Kong: Agreeing on formulas for cutting farm
and industrial tariffs and subsidies,” he said.
“I
am particularly disappointed that, at the end of six days of talks,
significant obstacles remain in the way of a comprehensive global
trade agreement and a lot more work needs to be done in areas of
agriculture and market access. At least, wave a proposed date --April
30, 2006 -- as a deadline for reaching a draft for the Doha round,” he
added.
The
agreement, which has been endorsed by the United States, the European Union
and a coalition of developing nations led by Brazil, calls for:
- The
worldwide end to all agricultural export subsidies by 2013.
- The
elimination by industrialized countries of their tariffs and
quotas on 97 percent of their import categories for goods coming from the world’s
poorest 50 nations.
- The
elimination by the end of next year of all cotton export subsidies
and a series of moves to help West African cotton-growing nations, whose complaints
had led to the collapse of the previous W.T.O. ministerial conference two years
ago in Cancun, Mexico.
- Several
billion dollars a year in aid from the United States, the European
Union and Japan to poor countries to help them expand exports and adjust to
rising global competition.
- New
rules designed to streamline further negotiations early next
year to achieve a global agreement reducing tariffs on manufactured goods and
allowing greater international competition in services like banking, insurance,
telecommunications and express package delivery.
- A
broad agreement to ban all fishing industry subsidies that lead
to over-fishing.
“At
the outset, we were urged to "act decisively and with real
urgency" to create a freer and fairer global trading system,” said
Dr. John W. Ashe, Ambassador to the WTO. “But while there
are some elements of the agreement that can be viewed as positive,
I think that by failing to eliminate all export subsidies by the
developed countries we may have missed an opportunity to
tackle one of the root causes of poverty in developing countries,” he
said.
“We
had hoped that this meeting would have paved the way for a global free trade
treaty in 2006,” said Dr. Carl Roberts, Deputy Permanent Representative
to the WTO. “Instead the WTO will need to hold further talks on issues
such as reducing import tariffs on agricultural produce and freeing up trade
in industrialized goods after making no headway,” he added.
Taking
a more sanguine view, Elliot Paige, Minister Counsellor, OECS office – Geneva,
said: “This was a modest but not insignificant deal which
could be a driving force to make real cuts in agricultural subsidies,
and while the meeting did not make a great deal more progress,
it did not end in failure like Cancun and Seattle."
The
Hong Kong document is intended to guide ministers in further negotiations,
with the goal of approving a final trade liberalisation deal and
completing the current round of negotiations by the end of 2006.
Cuba
and Venezuela expressed reservations about the agreement, objecting
to the potential future liberalisation of services industries such
as banking, insurance and tourism.
As
the meeting was winding down, the magnificent harbour-side conference
centre where the meeting was held was totally sealed off, with
police out in force to prevent more rowdy anti-WTO protests after
clashes on Saturday in which 116 people were hurt, according to
authorities.
Police
used tear gas, fire hoses and pepper spray Saturday to hold back
hundreds of demonstrators led by militant South Korean farmers,
some of whom were armed with bamboo sticks and metal bars. More
than 1,000 people were detained, according to Hong Kong police.
Nearly 200 of them had been released as of late Sunday. The violent
scenes were highly unusual for Hong Kong and were not repeated
during a protest on the final day that drew 6,000-7,000 people. It
was conducted amid a heavy police presence.
RETURN
Antigua and Barbuda to commence issuing Machine Readable
Passports in January
Photo:DSCF0227.jpeg
 The
Government has completed preparations for the issuing of Machine
Readable Passports in January 2006.
The
passports which meet International Civil Aviation Organisation
ICAO regulations will be issued in three colours and categories:
- Regular
Passport – blue in colour;
- Official
Passport – green in colour;
- Diplomatic
Passport – red in colour.
The
passports bear the CARICOM logo, which identifies Antigua
and Barbuda as a member state of the regional grouping and the
Coat of Arms of Antigua and Barbuda which will be on the cover
of the document.
The
Passport Division within the Office of the Prime Minister outlined
that the last date for accepting the old passport application forms
will be December 30. The new application forms will be available
for distribution from January 3, 2006 with the first set of machine
readable passports to be issued from January 16.
The
Passport Division pointed out those persons holding valid passports
will be allowed to continue to do so until a phased out period
is announced.
The
Division also announced the fees structure for the Machine Readable
Passports. The fees payable are as follows:
New Passports
- Passports for
persons 16 years and over (32 pages) £50.00
- Passports for
persons 16 years and over (64 pages) £100.00
- Passports for
persons under 16 years (32 pages) £25.00
Replacement Passports
- Passports
for persons 16 years and over (32 pages) £100.00
- Passports
for persons 16 years and over (64 pages) £200.00
- Passports
for persons under 16 years (32 pages) £50.00
Emergency Issue of Passports
- Passports
for persons 16 years and over (32 pages) £100.00
- Passports
for persons 16 years and over (64 pages) £200.00
- Passports
for persons under 16 years (32 pages) £50.00
The
new standard in the issuing of passports (machine readable) is
essential for meeting ICAO global objectives, to minimize delays
in border-crossing formalities and to safeguard international civil
aviation operation against acts of unlawful interference.
Machine
Readable Passports are readily recognized by officials at security,
immigration and customs check points and by embassies and consulates
worldwide, and thus make it easier for a person to obtain visas
for travel and to be cleared at airports.
RETURN
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