ISSUE NO.74 February 2003
The New Court House at the Government Complex
Income
Tax (Amendment) Act 2003 goes to Parliament
The Government has kept its promise to the Business Sector to
reduce the rate of Corporation Tax, the tax on mortgages and interest;
and to provide attractive incentives to encourage the expansion
of hotels on the twin-island state.
The promises are contained in the Income Tax (Amendment) Act 2003, which was
tabled in Parliament by the Prime Minister.
The Bill seeks to amend the Income Tax Act as proposed in the Budget Statement
to Parliament in April 2002. Some of the changes are recommendations by the
Tax Consultants working in the Ministry of Finance on loan from the Government
of India.
In keeping with the Budget Statement, the Government proposes to reduce the
tax on mortgages, debenture interest, rent, annuity or any other annual payment
to non-resident companies from 40% to 25%.
The rate of tax on companies will also be reduced. The tax on the chargeable
income of a company incorporated or registered will be charged at the rate
of 35% on every dollar of the chargeable income. The previous rate was 40%.
In addition, the Bill provides for the expansion of hotels. If a new hotel
property is erected or an existing hotel is extended after January 1, 2003,
the owners will be exempted from payment of income tax in respect of the income
arising from the hotel for a period determined by the room capacity of the
hotel.
The Bill also seeks to tighten up on the collection of taxes
due to the government. Over the years companies have eluded the
payment of taxes on company income by a variety of methods. These
include claiming deductables on the interest paid on loans; concealing
chargeable income by the payment of high rents to related companies,
shareholders and directors; paying very high salaries to directors,
shareholders and close family members in order to reduce the profit
levels of the companies that are eligible for taxation. The Bill
seeks to redress these problems. It seeks to give statutory effect
to guidelines issued by the Inland Revenue Department on the repayment
of loans. It proposes a ceiling of not more than 5% on chargeable
profits to be paid in rent to related companies, and it prevents
salaries, allowances and wages payable to shareholders, directors
and close family members to exceed 25% of profits.
Finally, the Bill also proposes treating foreign branches of
companies as distinct entities which carry on separate business.
In the past, headquarters and branches of foreign companies were
allowed to deduct headquarters and branch expenditure before ascertaining
the taxable income. This has resulted in loss of tax revenue because
of the misuse of the provisions.
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 Stanford
Group to invest EC$256 million in Antigua
On 6th February 2003, senior representatives of the Stanford
Financial Group met the Antigua and Barbuda Cabinet.
At the conclusion of the meeting the two sides issued the following
statement:
The participants of the meeting recalled with satisfaction the productive and
mutually beneficial relationship that has existed between the Stanford Group
and the people and Government of Antigua and Barbuda. Over the years the Group
has invested nearly EC$160 million in Antigua and Barbuda.
Mr Stanford formally advised Cabinet of his decision to relocate
the administrative headquarters of the Caribbean Star airline from
Antigua to St Kitts-Nevis. He emphasised that while the administrative
headquarters of Caribbean Star would be moved, the engineering
department and flight operations of the airline would remain in
Antigua. The relocation is part of the group’s move to spread its
investment portfolio to other parts of the region.
The Chairman of the Stanford Group also informed Cabinet of his
proposal to create an Investment Fund of US$2 billion for development
projects in the Caribbean. He revealed that the Headquarters for
the Investment Fund will be located in St. John’s, Antigua.
 In
addition, Mr. Stanford reiterated his confidence in Antigua and
Barbuda and its people, and his team unveiled plans to invest over
EC$256 million in new development projects that would be executed
immediately following the Cabinet’s approval.
Among the projects would be the establishment of a retail/entertainment
village across from the airport terminal at a cost of EC$40 million,
development on Maiden Island at a cost of $135 million, and the
completion of an FBO to service private aircraft at a cost of approximately
EC$7 million.
The Cabinet agreed to appoint a three-man Ministerial team to
complete negotiations with a team from the Stanford Group so that
contracts could be settled expeditiously.
The Cabinet also appointed a small group of Senior Officers from
the Ministries of Finance, Agriculture, and the Development Control
Authority to ensure that there are no bureaucratic delays to the
various projects.
Prime Minister Bird and Mr. Stanford are to remain in regular
contact throughout each stage of the negotiations and implementation
of the projects.
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 Workshop
on Legislative Measures to combat terrorism
On 10th February, Attorney General Gertel Thom declared open a
Commonwealth Secretariat-facilitated Workshop on Legislative Measures
to Combat Terrorism at the Rex Halcyon Cove Hotel.
The five-day workshop was attended by Parliamentary Draftspersons and Legal
and Foreign Affairs representatives from CARICOM. It examined the articles
of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 as they relate to the
implementation of legislation to combat terrorism along with the Rome Statute
of the International Criminal Court which was established in July 2002 to prosecute
and punish persons responsible for crimes such as genocide.
Attorney-General Gertel Thom during her opening remarks, said that the workshop
comes at an opportune time when Antigua and Barbuda is reviewing its obligations
under the various United Nations Conventions and Resolutions to ensure full
compliance with the various international instruments.
She said that Antigua and Barbuda has been one of the countries
in the forefront in the implementation of measures to Combat Terrorism,
pointing out that the country was among the first to enact anti-terrorism
legislation following the September 11 attacks in the United States.
Mrs. Thom noted that the country’s legislation on Terrorism prohibits the use
of the financial services of Antigua and Barbuda by persons designated as terrorists
or members of terrorists’ organisations and also makes provision for the freezing
and confiscation of assets.
She said that countries in CARICOM can play a key role in the prevention and
suppression of the financing of terrorism by ensuring that there are adequate
measures with respect to freezing and confiscating of assets related to terrorist
activities and financing.
She also mentioned that the government of Antigua and Barbuda
has put in place administrative measures to ensure that the various
legislative provisions relating to terrorism are implemented. She
pointed out the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control
Policy ONDCP which has been charged with the responsibility of
implementing the anti-terrorism legislation.
An Act is presently before parliament making the ONDCP a statutory
body giving it powers to investigate and prosecute serious criminal
offences including terrorist related offences.
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 Antigua
reiterates its position on OECD tax policy
The Antigua and Barbuda government has reiterated its position
that it would not participate in any work of the Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) until a meeting is
held to discuss the recent tax agreement amongst European states.
High Commissioner Sir Ronald Sanders has written the Paris-based
OECD objecting to the "Discussion Draft issued by the Co-Chairs
of the Joint Ad Hoc Group on Accounts, titled "Enabling Effective
Exchange of Information: Availability and Reliability Standard.”
The ad Hoc group had in its January 14 document called on St.
John’s and other jurisdictions to make comments on the draft by
February 14.
But in his letter, Sir Ronald said that Antigua and Barbuda had
called for "an urgent meeting of the Global Forum in the context
of the recent agreement amongst EU States on the exchange of tax
information and their timeframe for effective implementation".
"Until this matter is resolved and a level playing field
established, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has informed
the Secretary-General that it will not participate in any further
work of the Global Forum," the letter added.
Sir Ronald said however that he was also informing the Joint
Ad Hoc Group on Accounts, that it should not "form the view
that, in the absence of a written response to your letter of 14th
January 2003, Antigua and Barbuda is content with the Discussion
Draft issued by the Co-Chairs on Effective Exchange of Information.
This is far from being the case".
"We have very considerable reservations about the broad
thrust of the new draft and many detailed objections to specific
elements of the text. We do not believe that the current Draft
represents a way forward on this important matter and we object
strongly to efforts by the Secretariat to establish the Draft as
an international standard in this area," the letter stated.
Sir
Ronald’s correspondence with the OECD can be read by clicking
here.
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Antigua
and Barbuda gets Grade “A” from CFATF
Antigua and Barbuda will receive a grade “A” rating in the
fight against money laundering and terrorism financing from the
Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF).
This news comes out of the final round of negotiations between
representatives of the CFATF and Antigua and Barbuda in Port-of-Spain
on Wednesday 12th February.
The Antigua and Barbuda delegation at the talks was led by Chief
Negotiator on Financial Services, Sir Ronald Sanders, and included
Director of ONDCP, Wrenford Ferrance and Legal Adviser Curtis Bird.
At the end of the negotiations, Sir Ronald revealed that negotiations on a
CFATF report evaluating Antigua and Barbuda started in Barbados in January.
He said, “The Report will be presented in March in Panama at a Ministerial
Meeting of CFATF, a grouping of more than 30 countries including the US, the
UK, Canada and France”.
“We have been found to be fully compliant with all the 40 Recommendations of
the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force and the 13 Recommendations of the
CFATF,” the Antigua and Barbuda senior diplomat said.
Sir Ronald explained that Antigua and Barbuda has constantly
upgraded its anti money laundering, anti drug trafficking and counter
terrorism financing machinery. “We have led the way in the Region
in establishing a well-regulated, well-supervised financial services
sector.”
“I was pleased to inform Prime Minister Bird of the outcome of these discussions
in Port-of-Spain for without his resolve we would not have been able to overhaul
the systems in Antigua and Barbuda in the convincing way that we have,” Sanders
said.
He concluded, “We deserve the rating that we were told we have
gotten”.
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Prime Minister Lester
Bird to help shape Governance of Caribbean Integration
Prime Minister Lester Bird is one of five Prime
Ministers appointed by CARICOM Heads of Government to give political
direction to the preparation of recommendations for the governance
of Caribbean regional integration.
Mr. Bird was unanimously selected by his colleague Heads of Government after
his thoughtful analysis of proposals for deepening and advancing Caribbean
integration during a meeting of CARICOM Heads in Trinidad in February.
It was Prime Minister Bird who first proposed the establishment
of a Working Group, comprising political and technical experts,
to produce recommendations designed to accelerate the completion
of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy and to decide on the
most appropriate structure of governance for the deeper economic
integration of the Community of Governing States of CARICOM.
Other members of the Committee are the Prime Ministers Patrick Manning of Trinidad
and Tobago, Owen Arthur of Barbados, Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the
Grenadines and P.J. Patterson of Jamaica.
The high-powered Committee will be supported by technical experts drawn from
the University of the West Indies, the CARICOM Secretariat and other regional
bodies.
The work of the Committee will begin immediately, and its recommendations
will be placed for adoption before the 24th Conference Heads of
Government of CARICOM in July.
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 Finance
Officials meeting in Trinidad
Antigua and Barbuda’s Financial Secretary, Whitfield Harris and
Budget Director, David Matthias attended a meeting of regional
finance officials in Port of Spain, Trinidad which looked at public
expenditure management in the region.
The Central Bank, the Ministry of Finance in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean
Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) jointly hosted the 15th and 16th
February seminar.
Mr Harris explained, "Quite a bit of time was spent on the Regional Stabilization
Fund (RSF). The Caribbean Heads actually placed the ball in the court of the
Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) which has been mandated to come up with
ways of putting the Fund in place.
Harris noted that while no concrete decisions were made regarding the RSF and
its implementation, such a fund would be useful as a safety net especially
for a number of small regional economies that have begun to feel the effects
of the downturn in the world economy.
He added, "Some are feeling it more than others because of size, but the
point is, we are all feeling it and the word is out that there are other Caribbean
countries that may well follow Dominica."
Also attending the meeting were participants from the International Monetary
Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDA), The
Department for International Development (DFID) and the European Union (EU).
Prime Minister Lester Bird, welcomed the finance meeting, noting
that although nothing was 'cast in stone,' serious consideration
must be given to the region's finances and the dialogue must continue
until a workable programme for the region can be found.
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Prime Minister moves
to strengthen Security and Law Enforcement
Prime Minister Lester Bird has moved to bolster security and
law enforcement.
The Prime Minister said that he has taken these actions in the
context of growing tensions in the international community and
the heightened possibility of increased terrorist activity.
“Whether or not a war in Iraq in the coming weeks results from
a UN Security Council Resolution or a decision by some States to
launch a pre-emptive strike, it is clear that there will be a backlash”,
Mr Bird said.
The Prime Minister declared, “As an open country and one that
is host to tourists from several of the countries that may be involved
in a conflict in Iraq, we have to take every possible step to strengthen
our security and law enforcement machinery”.
Mr Bird revealed that for several weeks now a team under the
chair of the Attorney-General and including representatives of
the Port, Police and Defence Force has been working on beefing-up
security at the Port.
On 25th February, the Prime Minister appointed a Permanent Inter-Governmental
Committee on Law Enforcement drawn from several agencies of the
government including ONDCP, the Police, the Defence Force, Customs
and Immigration.
“I want to see an integrated approach to security and law enforcement”,
Mr Bird explained. He added “Threats to our security come from
potential terrorist activity, money laundering, drugs trafficking,
terrorism financing and even the exploitation of local situations
as a cover for other more dangerous activity. Therefore, we must
be prepared to meet these threats. I have instructed the Permanent
Inter-Governmental Committee to begin its work immediately”.
Prime Minister Bird also announced that his Government is considering
prisoner transfer arrangements with countries such as the UK, Canada
and the US. He said, “This development arises from the fact that
increasingly we may find ourselves arresting nationals of these
countries who are dangerous. In such cases, it would be less taxing
on our resources and less perilous to our community, if such convicted
prisoners served their sentences in their countries of origin”.
This practice has already started in six CARICOM countries, and
several other Caribbean Basin countries including Cuba, the Dominican
Republic, and Venezuela have introduced the system.
The Prime Minister said that he is expanding the mandate of the Committee headed
by the Attorney-General to bolster Port security to include the Airport.
He warned, “There will be changes to the ease and lack of restrictions
to which we are accustomed as a people. But if we are to protect
our people and preserve our vital tourism industry and the integrity
of our financial services sector, it cannot be business as usual.
We will have to endure more stringent rules at Ports, at the Airport,
in banking transactions, in the way imported goods are treated
and in any other potential opportunities for terrorist activity
as the price for our safety”.
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 Government
to improve security at seaports
Government is taking steps to improve security at its seaports
including Heritage Quay and Nevis Street Pier.
This action is in keeping with government’s overall plan to strengthen
security provisions both at its sea and airport entries into the
country.
Executive Chairman of the Antigua Port Authority, Senator Llewellyn
Smith, is chairing a task force which has been given the mandate
of improving security at the country’s seaports.
Comprising the task force are National Security Advisor Brian
Gonsalves, Acting Commissioner of Police Elton Martin, Deputy Commissioner
of Police Winston Nathaniel, Colonel Trevor Thomas, Port Manager
Rafael Benjamin, Chief of Security Bill Abbott, Cameron Fraser
of Antigua Pier Group and Nathan Dundas of Brysons Shipping.
Mr Smith explained, “The task force will be looking at strengthening
security at all our sea ports with special emphasis placed on Heritage
Quay, Nevis Street Pier, and St. John’s Harbour. We are thinking
of installing cameras and new lighting for the areas. The various
checkpoints will have x-ray equipment and walk through metal detectors.
The guardhouses will be enlarged, while a new one will be built
at the Nevis Street Pier.
“A police command post will be at Heritage Quay to deal with
visitors’ complaints and to oversee the general security of the
area. Security will be stationed at these ports to keep the cruise
ship under surveillance.”
Mr Smith said, “This can be considered our pre-emptive action.
We are looking at our problems and correcting them immediately. ”
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 EU
$6.6m aid package to support educational development
Antigua and Barbuda will benefit from a $6.6 million aid package
under the Ninth European Union Development Fund.
The money is earmarked for human resource development, including
tertiary education. Part of the fund will be used for the establishment
of a Learning Resource Centre at the Antigua State College.
News of the fund came from the Head of the European Union (EU)
Delegation to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Ambassador John
Caloghirou. He revealed that the total aid package of US$60 million
for at least eight Caribbean countries will be signed on 1 March
in Castries, St. Lucia.
This signing ceremony will coincide with a meeting of African,
Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP) and the European Union, which
will be addressed by EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy.
The main focus of the regional indicative programme is to support
regional integration. Special emphasis will be placed on Caricom/Cariforum
strengthening, the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Regional Negotiating
Machinery, private sector via Caribbean export, and developing
links between the region and other countries.
The European Union will also be lending support to actions against
drugs and assisting in disaster management.
The European Commission (EC) will be signing a new financing
agreement for US$8.5 million to support sustainable tourism in
the Caribbean shortly.
The EC is also financing a US$70 million programme to support
the Caribbean Rum Industry.
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Plans
moving ahead for re-registration of voters
The Electoral Commission of Antigua and Barbuda is moving ahead
with the re-registration of voters.
Following a consultation with members of the Electoral Commission,
Prime Minister Lester Bird and Opposition Leader Baldwin Spencer,
agreed that some amendments needed to be made to the Representation
of the People Amendment Act.
As a result the required amendments were passed in Parliament
this month.
There were three main changes to the Act.
The first relates to a complete change of the application form
to be used for registration.
The second allows eligible voters in Barbuda to register in order
to exercise their franchise at the Barbuda Local Council Elections
due on 24 March.
The Third amendment deals with an extension of the statutory
deadline for registration from 31 March to 30 June.
The Electoral Commission stated that the preliminary voter’s
register will be available by 31 March, but the extension to 30
June will allow more than ample time for claims and objections
to be heard and settled.
It is also anticipated that Antigua and Barbuda and Jamaica will
sign an agreement, which will allow Jamaica to lend technical assistance
to the Electoral Commission in setting up its electoral machinery.
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Potter’s
candidacy up for discussion by the UPP
Opposition United Progressive Party Senator Ralph Potter is
facing mounting calls to decline the UPP candidacy for the constituency
of All Saints West, due to allegations of fraud in the Antigua
Football Association (AFA) of which he is President.
However, political Leader of the Opposition United Progressive
Party Baldwin Spencer said, “the UPP is dealing with the matter
internally.”
Senator Potter has already been ratified by the party’s convention
to run in the constituency of All Saints West, a seat now held
by the ALP’s Hilroy Humphreys.
The simmering controversy involving members of the AFA has been
generating concerns among some members of the UPP about the possible
fallout this could have on Potter as it relates to the forthcoming
political general elections.
However, Senator Potter continues to protest his innocence in
respect of the myriad of accusations being levied against him and
the AFA General Secretary, Paul Chet Greene.
He said there is no reason for him to decline the UPP’s endorsement
as its candidate for All Saints West Constituency in the General
Elections.
At the 1999 general elections, Senator Potter lost to Humphreys
by 131 votes.
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LIAT management agrees
to 10 percent pay cut for six months
Senior management officials of LIAT have agreed to take a ten
per cent pay cut over the next six months, in order to assist the
cash-strapped regional airline in cutting costs.
The disclosure was made by the airline's Chief Executive Officer,
Gary Cullen. He said the management pay cut takes effect in March
and was part of a package of measures aimed at keeping cash-spending
down to a minimum.
He said a similar pay cut was currently under consideration by
LIAT employees, including pilots and engineers, who have already "given
a lot" and have been rallying behind the airline's management.
However, Cullen admitted that further assistance would be needed
from shareholders in order to prevent LIAT from cutting back on
its operations.
The Antigua-based airline is said to be indebted to the tune
of nearly EC$100
million (US$37 million) and needs an immediate cash injection of EC$25 million
(US$9.25 million) in order to remain in the skies over the next three months.
Cullen said since the beginning of the year 2000 the company
has managed to reduce costs by 25 per cent and staff numbers by
35 per cent to 670 employees.
But the airline is badly in need of capitalisation. "We need action to
be taken and we need it to be taken fast," he said.
Ironically, the airline is reporting a positive swing in market
share since November.
LIAT officials say six out of every 10 regional customers have
been choosing LIAT, and compared to the previous year, load factor
has been up 34 percent in December, 23 per cent in January and
19 per cent in February.
In terms of on-time performance, LIAT is running at 75 per cent
at the moment, added David Stuart, the airline's Director of Corporate
Development.
He said LIAT was also the carrier of choice for international
airlines operating in the region.
Cullen partly attributes the encouraging performance to a focus
by regional governments on cutting out predatory pricing in the
marketplace and creating a level playing field, as well as the
carrier enjoying a good share of the regional business from long
haul feeder carriers.
Though encouraged by the "huge amount of goodwill" and
long-term commitment, Cullen admitted the airline is simply living
from "day to day".
"Hopefully, the shareholders will do what the shareholders
have to do," he said.
To date no financial commitment has been made by regional shareholder
governments to meeting the airline's short-term financial needs.
But Cullen aid governments have agreed to carry out a forensic
audit of LIAT's books and to conduct a review of its business model,
which is to be completed in three months time.
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 Category
One for airport: Upgrading discussions held with Directorate
of Civil Aviation
Discussions are in progress with the OECS Directorate of Civil
Aviation (DCA) and an aviation expert towards moving V.C. Bird
International Airport from a category II to a category I airport.
On 24th February, Donald McDonald, an aviation expert, met Attorney-General
Gertel Thom, officials from the Directorate and Brian Challenger
from the Ministry of Aviation.
“McDonald is to look at the legislative aspect of bringing the
Directorate in line with its international requirements. He will
be going through the existing laws that we have and devising more
modern and updated ones, which would bring the OECS in line with
international standards,” Challenger explained.
The Directorate of Civil Aviation, which is based in Antigua,
is the institution within the OECS that is set up to regulate air
safety.
“The OECS Directorate of Civil Aviation has been working to upgrade
all airports holding category II ratings, following the last United
States Federal Authority (FAA) inspection. This inspection reported
that the OECS DCA did not satisfy certain of the legal and other
requirements to adequately meet its international obligations in
terms of civil aviation,” Challenger said.
Challenger said that once the legislation is passed by each member
country, the V.C. Bird International Airport will be upgraded from
category II to category I.
Attorney-General Gertel Thom said that the OECS had recruited
McDonald to assist member countries, but Antigua and Barbuda was
taking the lead. “We want to bring V.C. Bird International Airport
from category II to category I as soon as possible,” she said.
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Portuguese airline
to serve Antigua
| (left to right) Paulo Jeorge Moreara – Manager of Programming
of Air Luxor Tours; CEO of Caribbean Star Mr. Paul Moreira;
Tourism Minister Molwyn Joseph and Executive Vice-President
of Air Luxor Joao Santos |
 |
Another international airline will begin service to Antigua and
Barbuda later this year.
Air Luxor, an airline based in Portugal, will begin its direct
flight service to Antigua and Barbuda from Lisbon in June.
Tourism Minister, Molwyn Joseph, made the disclosure at a press
conference at the Sticky Wicket Restaurant on 11th February.
Joseph said Chief Executive Officer of Caribbean Star Paul Moreira
played an instrumental role in getting Air Luxor to add Antigua
and Barbuda to its list of destinations.
“I would wish to thank Paul Moreira of Caribbean Star and he
has to get the credit for making this initiative. It is somewhat
historic because I think it is the first time a feeder airline
has actually taken the initiative to introduce new business in
this destination in Antigua and Barbuda,” Joseph said.
Minister Joseph explained that the acquisition of Air Luxor’s
services to Antigua and Barbuda has provided the nation with the
opportunity to expand its tourism product into more European markets.
“We believe that this is a good beginning and offers the opportunity
for even bigger growth in Europe,” he said.
 “This
airline comes out of Lisbon, Portugal, a country with a population
of 11 million people and with good marketing strategy there is
no reason why we cannot benefit from increase visitors to Antigua
and Barbuda,” he added.
Moreira said the new partnership with Air Luxor is an opportunity
which Caribbean Star Airlines capitalised on and it would bring
thousands of visitors to Antigua and Barbuda during the off-season.
“We (Caribbean Star) had an opportunity, given the challenges
that we see in some of the downturn in the US market in particular,
to aggressively look at other markets. This will bring a minimum
of 3,000 additional tourists from Europe to Antigua during the
low season,” Moreira said.
He said the other neighbouring Caribbean islands would also benefit
from Air Luxor’s service to Antigua and Barbuda, as Caribbean Star
will serve as the feeder airline into other Caribbean destinations.
“The benefits are not only for Antigua, but it is also for our
neighbouring islands. The representatives from Air Luxor have also
travelled to St. Kitts, St. Maarten, Tortola and Barbados and will
be travelling to St. Lucia, because if we have strength within
our islands this will be very successful,” Moreira said.
Air Luxor is currently operating out of two Caribbean territories – Cuba
and the Dominican Republic.
Executive Vice-President of Air Luxor, Joao Santos, said the
Portuguese airline is happy to add Antigua and Barbuda to its list
of destinations.
“It will be a short operation for the first year, which will
be from the end of June to the end of September, but in the near
future I hope we can manage to make a larger operation,” he added.
“From what I have seen in the Caribbean and particularly in Antigua,
I have a very good idea that the Portuguese people will love it
because it is a nice island with beautiful people, good food and
has all the ingredients that will make the destination a success,” Santos
said.
Air Luxor will begin its non-stop flights to Antigua on 28 June until the end
of September.
Joseph also disclosed that government has made a financial commitment
in the promotion and marketing of Air Luxor and Antigua and Barbuda
in Portugal.
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 The
Very Reverend William Lake, Dean of the Cathedral of St John
the Divine is laid to rest
“Dean Lake was a faithful and distinguished Servant in the service
of the Lord. He was a warm and considerate leader who played an
active role not only in the Anglican community but also in the
nation as a whole.
His memory will endure and he will be greatly missed by all.
On behalf of the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda, and on my own
behalf, I extend sincere condolences to his wife, their children, members of
their family and the Church as a whole.
May his soul rest in peace".
Those thoughts were expressed in a letter to the Nation by Prime Minister Lester
Bird when he learnt of the Dean’s passing on 13th February.
On Saturday 22nd February members of the Anglican community of
the North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba (NECA), Prime Minister Lester
Bird, the Governor-General, Ministers of Government from his place
of birth, St Kitts, together with other well-wishers of other religious
and secular organisations, congregated in the Cathedral of St.
John the Divine to pay their last public tribute to the Very Reverend
Dean William Lake.
 In
an impressive and solemn procession from Barnes Funeral Home, Clergy
of the Diocese of the North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba (NECA),
members of the Antigua Christian Council, family members of Dean
Lake and choirs from the Cathedral Parish made their way to the
Cathedral via a route which took the procession past the official
residence of the Dean on St. John’s Street.
The St John’s Cathedral, which is the head church of NECA and
the seat of power of the Dean, was filled with thousands of mourners
as they celebrated Mass of praise and thanksgiving for the life,
work and witness of Dean Lake.
The senior churchman was reported to have personally prepared
his own funeral service months before he died. The hymns which
were predominantly selected from the Ancient and Modern Hymnal,
were all chosen by the late Dean.
The Chief Celebrant of the Mass, the Right Reverend Errol Brooks,
delivered the sermon in which he called upon the congregation to
let their lives reflect the religious principles and practices
that the late Dean strove so hard to instil in his parishioners
and others with whom he came in contact.
“He loved God, he was loved by all men. He realised that the
grace of God behind his life gave him courage and that kept the
light in his eyes, and to the very end, he never lost sight of
the fact that God was holding his light.”
Following the mass, the last remains of Dean William Lake were
borne to the burial site in grave-yard of the St. John’s Cathedral.
Dean Lake, who was also the Chaplin to the House of Representatives occupied
the Dean’s Stall of the St. John’s Cathedral from 1 October, 1986 to 13 February,
2003.
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