ISSUE NO.57 September 2001
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Antigua and Barbuda International
Institute of Technology
 PM
Bird sends letter to President Bush
Prime Minister, Lester Bird, was the first Caribbean Leader to
write US President George Bush about the atrocities that were inflicted
on that country on 11th September. Writing on the same day Mr Bird
said:
"On behalf of the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda, I send to
the people and Government of the United States of America our profound condolences
in this terrible tragedy that has befallen your great nation.
If, indeed, the horrific incidents at the World Trade Center (WTC) and other
strategic centers in the US are acts of terrorism, the people and Government
of Antigua and Barbuda roundly condemn and deplore them.
The people of the world must be able to conduct their lives free of acts of
terrorism and those who are responsible should be brought to justice.
Please accept the assurances of my highest consideration and also be assured
that my thoughts are with you at this moment of tragedy."
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 New
U. S. Chargé d'Affaires visits Antigua and Barbuda
New Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of the United States
of America, Ms Marcia Bernicat, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister,
Lester Bird, while on her first visit to Antigua and Barbuda. Ms
Bernicat replaces Roland Bullen who has been re-assigned to the
State Department in Washington DC.
Ms Bernicat brings to the service a wealth of experience. She
has served her country in Malawi, Liberia and Mali in numerous
diplomatic postings.
The new Chargé and the Prime Minister discussed a wide
range of topics and issues. Mr Bird reiterated Antigua and Barbuda's
sympathy and solidarity with the US, and highlighted the impact
of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on the economies
and societies of the world. The Prime Minister pledged Antigua
and Barbuda's full cooperation at the UN, OAS, and other international
agencies in fighting terrorism. Mr Bird also took the opportunity
to stress the additional security measures that have been taken
at the VC Bird Airport to comply with new FAA regulations.
US Chargé Marcia Bernicat pointed out that 43 countries,
including Antigua and Barbuda had sustained casualties in the attack
because New York was a microcosm of the world. She expressed gratitude
for the solidarity shown by Antigua and Barbuda.
Ms Bernicat also paid a call on Mr. Wrenford Ferrance, Director
of ONDCP.
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Terrorism
supporters go back home! Says PM Bird
Prime Minister, Lester Bird, speaking in an interview on the
Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Service (ABS), said he is very
disturbed about reports that certain persons who originate in the
Middle East had been drinking and celebrating in St. John's over
the terrorist attacks in the US. Three Antiguans and Barbudans
are among the thousands that were killed.
The Prime Minister made it clear that his government and the people of Antigua
and Barbuda will not encourage this behaviour in our society.
"Those who feel so strongly about this, go back to your
original country and do not stay in our country, where we adhere
to the Western concept of democracy", Mr Bird said.
On Friday 14th, Mr. Bird joined others in signing a book of condolence which
was opened at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Queen Elizabeth Highway
in St. John's.
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PM Bird tours airport
and addresses Security Officers
| PM Bird (right) commends American Airlines (AA) through AA
staff member, Ms. Agatha Dublin, for their assistance in helping
to strengthen security at the V.C.Bird International Airport |
 |
Prime Minister, Lester Bird, on 19 September paid a visit to the
V. C. Bird International Airport to see the improved security measures
now in place. He met security and airline personnel.
Officials at the V.C. Bird International Airport recently adopted new and stringent
rules, following a terrorist attack on the United States.
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Tighter
Security at OECS Airports
| Security Officer Peter Abraham (left) explains the improved
security measures to PM Bird (right) |
 |
Airports across the sub-region of the Organisation of Eastern
Caribbean States (OECS) have been given far-reaching recommendations
for upgrading security.
The Antigua-based OECS Directorate of Civil Aviation (DCA), which oversees
the operations of the region's airports, issued the recommendations and observations
on 18 September in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the United States and
the subsequent measures implemented by the US Federal Aviation Authority.
The DCA proposals include tighter baggage checks, including electronic screening,
and an immediate halt to off-airport check-in.
There is to be greater control of access to the airside of airports, with strict
monitoring and issuing of security passes, and increased security surveillance
of people using the area.
The proposals also include stepped-up monitoring of vehicles
used on the ramps and other parts of the airports' airside, and
greater control over vehicular parking on the outside, including
areas close to the Terminal building.
The Airport authorities would be expected to review recruitment policies for
airport security personnel. They would also stop in-Terminal Duty Free shops
from selling sharp edged objects.
The DCA proposals have been sent to OECS Ministers responsible for Civil Aviation,
their Permanent Secretaries, and Managers, Directors or Superintendents of
Airports.
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Antigua checks banks
for terrorist money: Reports no such accounts
In the wake of the terrorist attacks in the United
States on 11th September, the Antigua and Barbuda Government ordered
all banks, on shore and offshore, to check their records for any
accounts in the name of persons and organisations published by
the United States Government as terrorists.
The checks revealed that no accounts were held by the named persons
and organisations, and this was reported to the US Treasury Department
by Antigua and Barbuda's Financial Intelligence Unit, the body
with responsibility for supervising banks and other institutions
for money laundering.
Prime Minister Lester Bird wrote to US Treasury Secretary, Paul
O'Neill, telling him that Antigua and Barbuda would freeze any
such accounts found in the banking system and would confiscate
the assets.
In a statement to the nation on 28th September, Mr Bird said, "We
must ensure that our jurisdiction is never abused by any persons
or organisations for illegal activity associated with money laundering
and now with terrorism".
The Prime Minister revealed his government's plans for contributing to the
global fight against terrorism. He said, "My Government will introduce
legislation in Parliament to make terrorism a crime. This is as much a defensive
mechanism for ourselves as it is a contribution to fighting terrorism worldwide.
For, if terrorists recognise that any activities conducted in or through our
jurisdiction will lead to their extradition to an appropriate country, they
will think twice before attempting to use this country."
Mr Bird added, "I also propose to add terrorism to our Money
Laundering Prevention Act and to our Proceeds of Crime Act to provide
for freezing and confiscation of assets.
Relevant legislation will also be amended to allow the Government,
through its supervisory bodies, to monitor transactions suspected
of terrorist links and to exchange such information with foreign
authorities."
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Antigua
and Barbuda ready for E-Commerce, says Prime Minister Bird
 Antigua
and Barbuda's Prime Minister Lester Bird was one of the keynote
Speakers at the Miami Herald's Conference on The Americas which
was held in Coral Gables, Miami from 6th to 8th September.
In his presentation on the Conference Theme, "New Opportunities
for a New Century", Mr Bird said that Antigua and Barbuda
stands as a beacon of a small state that has taken advantage of
new opportunities in a new Century.
He told the Conference participants drawn from the private sector
and Governments in the US and Latin America and the Caribbean that
on a per capita basis, Antigua enjoys the highest Internet connections
of any country in the Caribbean, and more connections in volume
terms than all the countries in Africa except, South Africa.
The Prime Minister said that Antigua's telephone penetration
rate is well-over 60%. "This means that 6 out of every ten
people in Antigua and Barbuda have access to telephone connections
for direct dialling to any part of the world. That rate is comparable
to the United States", he declared.
 "Our
schools are producing children every year who are fully computer
literate and who have taken to the new digital world like ducks
to water. The result of all this is that in the area of international
financial services, and Internet related activity such as Internet
gaming, Antigua and Barbuda provides a well-regulated, low cost,
and highly competitive centre for services to the world." Mr
Bird said.
Making the case for the establishment of call centres in Antigua,
the Antigua and Barbuda leader said, "We also have the capacity
to provide low-cost, high performance call centres to companies
anywhere in the world in an environment of little or no taxation.
Our economy has grown throughout the 1990's and into the new Century
by taking advantage of new opportunities in technology."
He concluded a well-received presentation on the place of the
smaller Caribbean states in the Americas by telling the participants, "I
firmly believe that if the smaller economies of the Caribbean are
provided the chance to participate in the management of the globalized
and liberalised economy, our experience as democracies and our
traditions in free trade can help to steer the Americas in the
direction of a Free Trade Area governed by principles of equity
and justice that will improve the prospects for advantaged and
disadvantaged alike."
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 Sir
Ronald says OECD should initiate 'Confidence Building' Measures
Antigua and Barbuda's High Commissioner to London, Sir Ronald
Sanders, who is the country's lead negotiator on international
financial services, has responded to a revised 'harmful tax competition'
initiative by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD).
Delivering the main address at a PricewaterhouseCoopers Conference
on "Financial Services in Investment Practice" in The
Bahamas on Friday, 7th September, Sir Ronald lamented the fact
that while the OECD has informally written to several jurisdictions
indicating the terms of a revised initiative, the OECD Council
is yet to approve it.
He told The Bahamas meeting that his presentation to them was "the
first time that any Caribbean Government representative is discussing
the modified proposals with any section of the private sector." This
was because the OECD Secretariat officials, who circulated the
revised proposal, asked that it not be disclosed until the OECD
Council approved it.
"Yet, in less than two months, the OECD expect Governments
to make commitments which they have not had the opportunity to
fully ventilate in their countries with their social partners",
Sir Ronald observed.
The Antigua and Barbuda diplomat disclosed that the only modification
to the OECD initiative was the dropping of one criterion that the
new US government found unacceptable. That criterion stated that
a jurisdiction would be regarded as practicing "harmful tax" if
it registered companies and gave them a favourable tax regime even
though they did not have substantial activities within the jurisdiction.
Sir Ronald noted that if this criterion had continued, the US government
would have had to severely restrict the activities of States such
as Delaware and Montana which have been registering such companies
at huge profit for decades.
The High Commissioner disclosed that on 30th August he met representatives
of the OECD Secretariat in Paris and they were "anxious to
point out not only the modifications that have been made to the
'harmful tax competition' initiative, but also the fact that they
were offering technical and capacity building assistance to jurisdictions
that made a commitment."
Sir Ronald said, "I had to respond to them that technical
and capacity building assistance, while helpful, was more for their
purposes than for ours. Of far greater importance to us would be
measures that would encourage our jurisdictions to look more favourably
on giving a commitment to the world's thirty richest nations."
High Commissioner Sanders listed the following as confidence
building measures that the OECD should adopt to encourage the ready
participation of the jurisdictions they now wish to penalise:
- A clear declaration that it will shelve its 1998 Report which
details arbitrary factors for identifying tax havens.
- A plain statement that the OECD will not extend the scope of
the Initiative beyond geographically mobile services to include
legal and fiscal regimes which attract investment.
- An invitation to all interested countries to join its Global
Forum Working Group whether or not they make a commitment to
transparency and effective exchange of information. In this way,
the non-OECD countries would be able to see at first-hand the
nature and scope of the discussion and may be encouraged to make
commitments voluntarily and not by coercion.
- An unequivocal withdrawal of any list intended to name jurisdictions
as "uncooperative".
Sir Ronald said, "Such confidence building measures would
demonstrate good faith by the OECD countries and would show that
it has departed from its previously flawed process of forcing other
countries to accept standards and practices unilaterally devised
by the OECD".
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Arrangements
for Offshore Gaming and E-Commerce set on firm footing by Antigua
meeting
Antigua and Barbuda's lead negotiator on international financial
services, Sir Ronald Sanders, chaired meetings in Antigua during
the week of 24th September designed to set Internet Gaming and
other forms of e-commerce on a firm footing.
Sir Ronald and a government team had three days of talks with
Operators of Internet Gaming to settle arrangements for a well-regulated
industry that is responsive to the global battle against money
laundering and other financial crime while providing a service
to persons world wide. The Government team included, Minister in
the Ministry of Finance, Senator Asot Michael, Chairman of the
International Financial Services Regulatory Authority Mr Lebrecht
Hesse, Commissioner of Inland Revenue, William Schouten, Commissioner
of Labour, Austin Josiah and Manager of the Telephone Department
of the Antigua Public Utilities Authority, Malcolm Greene.
Antigua and Barbuda is now amongst the best regulated centres
for Internet Gaming in the world. The Industry employs hundreds
of Antiguans in well-paying jobs and contributes significantly
to government revenues by licence fees and taxes.
High Commissioner Sanders said, "Antigua is a low tax jurisdiction
and we want to remain so. We want to provide a hospitable and predictable
environment for e-commerce, including Internet Gaming, that is
well regulated particularly to prevent money laundering. But, at
the same time, we want investors in e-commerce to operate in an
environment that allows them to make a healthy profit while providing
jobs for our people".
In the three days of talks in Antigua, the Government and the
e-commerce Operators settled matters related to the development
of a telecommunication infrastructure that would enhance e-commerce,
and established the framework for the relationship between the
Government's independent regulatory, tax and law enforcement agencies
and the industry.
At the end of the discussions, a memorandum was produced detailing
the understanding between Government and the industry, and both
sides declared their satisfaction with the outcome.
"The e-commerce industry in Antigua can now be grown on
a predictable basis with everyone understanding the rules",
Sir Ronald declared.
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 Statement
on alleged pornographic ring
Following sensational media coverage of an alleged pornographic
ring in Antigua involving children, the Minister of Health and
Social Improvement, John E. St. Luce issued the following statement
on Thursday 27th September:
"The Government has viewed with deep concern the media coverage
relating to an alleged pornographic ring currently under investigation
by the Police and the Ministry of Health and Social Improvement.
My Ministry wishes to point out that the alleged pornographic ring involving
under-age girls is not an isolated case of child abuse. Sadly, the Social Welfare
Officers and Counsellors in the Ministry have had to deal with a number of
such incidents. The difference in this case is that the allegations relate
to a possible pornographic and forced prostitution ring.
I used the words 'alleged' and 'allegations' because until a Court of Law hears
evidence to support the charges and convicts the suspects, no case has been
proved. All cases involving children are very sensitive and have to be treated
carefully for the benefit of the children and the accused.
It is obvious that if the names and photographs of the children are published,
they are in danger of being stigmatised for the rest of their lives, particularly
in a small community like ours.
Further, until a case is proved against the accused, they too are entitled
to protection. For, they could be attacked by irate persons in the community,
and if it turns out that they are innocent of the charges against them, they
would have suffered unnecessarily.
It is extremely important for the public to be aware that the Ministry of Social
Improvement works very closely with the police on all cases involving child
abuse and molestation. And, while culprits are brought to justice and are punished
by our Courts, these cases are handled with sensitivity and care to protect
the children and the accused until they are proven guilty.
This particular case is no exception. Both the Police and the Social Welfare
Officers in the Ministry have been investigating the allegations very fully
and thoroughly. Arrests have already been made and others will be made as,
and if, further information comes to our attention.
However, I have to emphasize that there is absolutely no truth to the claim
in certain sections of the Press and in the rumour mill that Government Ministers
and politicians are involved. These rumours are simply not true and they have
been created and spread for political purposes.
It is a shame that such a tragic and unwholesome incident should be twisted
for political gain.
Finally, I wish to assure the people of Antigua and Barbuda that
every member of the Government absolutely abhors this awful incident
and we are determined to provide the Police with every support
to bring the culprits to justice so that they suffer the full force
of the law.
In the meantime, the procedures that the Social Welfare Officers
and the Police employ in their investigations must be respected
so as to protect the children and the innocent. The Courts will
deal with the guilty as they have done in many other cases that
have not received this high level of media attention."
On the previous day, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Truehart Smith
said in a public statement:
"The Police have been investigating reports in which it
was alleged that teenage girls between 13 and 19 years, who were
recruited as fashion models, have been used in a pornography/prostitution
ring.
The investigations, which have been thorough and extensive, have
so far resulted in the arrest of four accused persons.
The reports being investigated have not revealed evidence to suggest
the implication or involvement of any government minister or politician.
The general public is assured that the investigations are being
conducted with impartiality, transparency, and thoroughness and
with a high standard of professionalism."
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 Prime
Minister Bird condemns arson at Carlisle Bay Hotel: Offers $100,000
reward for information
Prime Minister, Lester Bird, has roundly condemned the firebombing
of several buildings at Carlisle Bay Resort which is now under
construction.
The incident occurred at about 1.00 am on Friday, 5th October.
For several months, a small group of persons claiming to represent
the Villagers of Old Road, which is adjacent to the Carlisle Bay
property, has been objecting to the $162 million investment by
Irish businessman, Pat Doherty.
In the beginning, the group objected to the construction of buildings
on the beach that they claimed were too close to the high-water
mark even though the Development Control Authority had given permission
for the construction.
After Doherty agreed, at considerable expense, to remove the
buildings that caused offence, the group then raised objections
to other buildings that they declared to be too close to a defunct
mangrove swamp.
The group barricaded the road to the property and several times
turned back trucks bearing equipment and material for the site.
Prime Minister Lester Bird and a party of Ministers went to the
Village to hold a "town hall" meeting with the group
and other villagers. It was evident that the group did not speak
for all the villagers, but they were nonetheless adamant that the
hotel project should not proceed because of damage that could be
caused to the mangrove swamp.
In the end, Police had to intervene to allow public access to
the road, but the group swore not to give up their crusade.
Prime Minister Bird said, "Those who did it (the firebombing)
are cowards. They do the wicked deed, but they hide their identities
because they know that there is no right on their side. They act
in the shadows and in the dark, for the light of right and truth
would expose their wickedness."
The Prime Minister declared, "The fact that no one perished
in this wanton act of terrorism is in no way due to those who perpetrated
this foul deed. For they were well aware that security guards and
others were present on the premises. Those people could have been
killed."
Mr Bird said, "Those who organised and executed this wicked
act are no better than those who committed the atrocities in the
United States on 11th September. The scale of the act is smaller
and, thanks to Almighty God, no lives were lost. But, the intent
of the act was no different. It was intended to terrorise all those
associated with the Carlisle Bay development project. It was intended
to accomplish by undemocratic and vile means the objectives of
a person or group who is determined that the Carlisle Bay development
should be crushed."
Declaring that his government "will not allow it",
nor will the society tolerate it, Mr Bird said, "This vicious
act must be one of its kind. It must never be repeated in our country
again."
He said, "The cowardly person or persons responsible for
it will be sought and found, however long it takes and how much
ever resources it requires."
Prime Minister Bird said that the Government is posting a reward
of $100,000 for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators.
He authorised the use of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force
to help the Police to seek out and arrest those behind the firebombing.
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Public
safety officials say news article baseless
Officials within the Ministry of Public Safety have described
allegations made in the Outlet Newspaper of Friday 21st September
2001 against Prison Officers and their superiors as baseless.
Public Safety Officials including Minister Steadroy "Cutie" Benjamin,
Permanent Secretary Eden Weston and Director of Internal Security
Brian Gonsalves carried out investigations into numerous allegations
made against Prison Superintendent Basil Chambers in a front-page
article in the Outlet newspaper captioned "Prison Descends
to Total Vulgarity."
The article alleges that the Superintendent is victimizing a
female member of staff, having romantic liaisons with officers
and is involved in gross misconduct.
The Ministry officials outlined that the allegations are designed
to discredit the excellent improvements at the prison and diminish
the high morale of senior and junior staff members. It was also
noted that individual visits made by the Director of Public Prosecutions,
Former Superintendent of Prisons Eric Henry and Ministry officials
have produced favourable comments on the improvements at the Prison
and the rehabilitation work being implemented.
The Public Safety Officials also strongly denied that "Red
Band Positions" have been instituted at the facility. They
however outlined that the prison has in place Trustees as part
of the rehabilitation process, comprising prisoners who have exhibited
exemplary behaviour. These Trustees are governed by prison rules
and are evaluated regularly.
Allegations of a Matron being transferred to singly operate the
Rehabilitation Centre at the Botanical Gardens and unsupervised
visits by a newspaper driver have also been dismissed. It was outlined
that a female officer functioning alone is unthinkable in any prison
situation. The Matron was transferred as part of the Prison's programme
to expose staff members to various aspects of prison work.
It was also stated that Prison Officers were given an opportunity
to receive further training provided by the British Government
in Montserrat, which was accepted by six prison officers, with
the full participation of three officers.
The Ministry of Public Safety Officials also revealed that a
matter involving a prison driver presently on suspension, is pending
in the courts. It was also stated that all complaints from Prison
Officers are directed to the Permanent Secretary Mr. Eden Weston.
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 Labour
Minister to sue Outlet Newspaper
Labour Minister Steadroy "Cutie" Benjamin has initiated
legal proceedings against the Editor and Publisher of the Outlet
Newspaper
This follows the publication of a letter in the Friday 28th September
2001 edition of the newspaper purportedly written by a "Concerned
ALP Supporter," under the caption Misbehaviour in Public Office.
The letter suggests, among other things, that the Labour Minister
is promising a number of persons that he will employ them as security
guards upon the completion of government office complex at Queen
Elizabeth Highway.
The Minister categorically and emphatically denied that himself
or any member of his family promised anyone any form of employment
at the government complex.
He noted that government is solely responsible for the selection
and employment of individuals to operate as security guards.
Minister Benjamin said that he has had enough of the false information
being reported on him by the Outlet Newspaper, and has instructed
his solicitors to take the appropriate action to bring such malicious
reporting to an end.
He said that this latest article demonstrates the malicious intentions
of the Editor and Publisher of the Outlet Newspaper who are prepared
to defame persons through lies and innuendoes.
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Electoral
Reform Expert arrives
Carl Dundas, an Electoral Reform Expert arrived in Antigua on
Sunday 30th September and has begun work on reforming the country's
electoral laws, which will include the setting up of an Electoral
Commission.
Mr Dundas' services are being provided by the Commonwealth fund
for Technical Co-operation (CFTC).
The Jamaican-born Attorney who specializes in Electoral Laws
and Constitutional Review says that his immediate task is to review
the Electoral Legislative Scheme and to establish an Independent
Electoral Commission.
"I expect the electoral technicians to play a pivotal role
in indicating the problems, if any, and to give their views or
contributions to the solutions. Also the local peculiarities will
be very much informed by the experience of the technicians in Antigua
and Barbuda," the expert stated.
Mr. Dundas will work with legal officials within the office of
the Attorney General on a draft bill. The bill, when passed by
the Houses of Parliament, will pave the way for the complete re-registration
of all eligible electors in the country in early December and the
general improvement in the electoral system. The process is estimated
to be completed in 16 weeks.
The government of Antigua and Barbuda, based on recommendations
from a Commonwealth Observer Team, which observed the 1999 elections,
sought the assistance of the Commonwealth in providing an expert
to reform the country's electoral laws.
Carl Dundas has been involved in electoral reform throughout
the Commonwealth having worked in numerous countries including
Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Zambia, South Africa, and Bangladesh
and most recently in Lesotho with a similar mandate.
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PM BIRD supports AIDS
Consultation
| Prime Minister, Lester Bird, addressing delegates at the
AIDS Consultation and Planning Exercise held in Antigua on
the 1st and 2nd October 2001 |
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Prime Minister, Lester Bird, delivered the feature address at
the Aids Consultation and Planning Exercise which took place on
the 1st and 2nd October in Antigua.
The Exercise was facilitated by Ms. Claudette Francis, a senior official in
the Caribbean AIDS Programme. The two-day consultation was designed to pool
ideas from all levels of the society and to put in place a plan of action to
assist the Government and the National AIDS Secretariat in controlling the
spread of the disease in Antigua and Barbuda
In delivering the Feature Address, Prime Minister Bird said that
the AIDS situation has brought a great deal of fear to the Caribbean
Region, adding that the fabric of society is in deep trouble because
of the negative, social and economic implications of the disease.
He said that there is a need to fight this disease, not only on
the domestic level, but also on a regional and international level.
"We are committed to providing the requisite resources within our capabilities
to assist in the fight", Mr. Bird concluded.
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 Antigua
and Barbuda Institute of Technology Building opened
Antigua and Barbuda formally opened a building housing the Institute
of Technology on Thursday, 27th September.
The building is located in the Free Trade Zone at Coolidge.
Over the last four years, the Institute has been operating in
temporary accommodation and has trained, free of charge, government
workers and any student who could not afford to pay for tuition.
The Institute has trained 1500 persons, ranging in age from 18
to 65 representing the diverse walks of life and all shades of
the political spectrum. It now offers courses leading to a degree
level. The facility includes an IT Department as well as a Software
Engineering Department.
At the formal opening of the Institute's new premises, Prime
Minister, Lester Bird, observed that "Governments of several
of our regional neighbours have already indicated a keen interest
in utilizing the facilities of the Institute for the training and
development of students from their countries"
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Global recession requires
wage and prices freeze in Antigua: Tourism hard hit
The global recession, which was apparent before the terrorist
attack in the US on 11th September and which has consequently worsened,
has impacted negatively on all Caribbean economies including Antigua
and Barbuda.
Tourism has been the hardest hit industry. The recession had
already caused a downturn in tourism as people shied away from
holidays preferring to keep savings for expected hard times. In
the aftermath of the 11th September atrocities, there has been
a significant decline in travel from the US and hotels have experienced
massive cancellations.
Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Lester Bird told the nation
in a broadcast on 28th September that "It is obvious that
this is a time to control inflation both on prices and wages."
Mr Bird said, "A time of global economic recession is not
a time when employers, faced with declining revenues, can accommodate
demands for increasing expenditure. A time of global recession,
when many suffer the hardship of no job, is not a time for employees
to demand more for the jobs they are fortunate to have. A time
of global recession is also not the time to raise prices for essential
commodities upon which the community as a whole depends."
The Prime Minister disclosed that the Government intends to discuss
these matters with the private sector and the trade unions so that,
together, we might plough new seeds in this difficult ground, and,
in doing so, reap later the harvest of a stable economy.
Mr Bird pointed out that "Tourism was always a fragile plant.
Its fragility is now even more pronounced."
He revealed that the Government had already decided to give considerable
help to the hotels. They will receive $2.5 million in bed night
taxes over the next three months to help them offer a competitive
price in the tourist markets. The Government has also agreed to
absorb a significant portion of the cost of utilities.
With the US market now in serious decline, a strategic decision
has been made to try to bring more European tourists to Antigua.
Key to accomplishing this objective is securing more flights from
the UK to Antigua on a weekly basis.
 High
Commissioner in London, Sir Ronald Sanders, has already held discussions
with British Airways and is exploring other avenues including charters
to fly into Antigua over the forthcoming winter period and beyond.
The London Office has also revisited its marketing programme
and has created a campaign that would go into September 2002. This
would result in a quadrupling of the money spent in the UK on marketing
Antigua and Barbuda. Approval for the funding is now being sought
and once this is received the new campaign will start in earnest.
"The objective is to keep the hotel workers in Antigua and
Barbuda fully employed over this winter and well into next year.
To do so, we have to ensure that our hotel rooms are full",
said Tourism Minister Molwyn Joseph who is working closely with
the London Office to generate additional business from the UK.
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