| ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda Joined United Nations: 11 November 1981 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 11/08/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Saint John's
86,754 (July 2010 est.)
Winston Baldwin Spencer
Prime Minister since 24 March 2004
Prime Minister since 24 March 2004
The monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch
on the advice of the prime minister;
Next scheduled election: None
on the advice of the prime minister;
Next scheduled election: None
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
Following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the governor general; last held 12 March 2009
Next scheduled election: 2014
the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the governor general; last held 12 March 2009
Next scheduled election: 2014
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Black 91%, mixed 4.4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9% (2001 census)
| RELIGIONS |
Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist
4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)
4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government with 6 parishes and 2 dependencies; Legal system is based on
English common law
Executive: The monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Legislative: Bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor general) and the House of
Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
Judicial: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and
presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction); member Caribbean Court of Justice
English common law
Executive: The monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Legislative: Bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor general) and the House of
Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
Judicial: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and
presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction); member Caribbean Court of Justice
| LANGUAGES |
English (official), local dialects
| BRIEF HISTORY |
Antigua was first settled by pre-agricultural Amerindians known as "Archaic People", (although they are commonly, but erroneously
known in Antigua as Siboney, a pre-ceramic Cuban people). The earliest settlements on the island date to 2900 BC [1]. They were
succeeded by ceramic-using agriculturalist Saladoid people who migrated up the island chain from Venezuela. They were later
replaced by Arawakan speakers, and around 1500 by Island Caribs. The Arawaks were the first well-documented group of
Antiguans. They paddled to the island by canoe (piragua) from Venezuela, ejected by the Caribs--another people indigenous to the
area. Arawaks introduced agriculture to Antigua and Barbuda, raising, among other crops, the famous Antiguan "Black" pineapple.
They also cultivated various other foods. The bulk of the Arawaks left Antigua about 1100 A.D. Those who remained were
subsequently raided by the Caribs. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the Carib's superior weapons and seafaring prowess
allowed them to defeat most Arawak nations in the West Indies--enslaving some, and cannibalizing others. The Catholic
Encyclopedia does make it clear that the European invaders had some difficulty identifying and differentiating between the various
native peoples they encountered. As a result, the number and types of ethnic/tribal/national groups in existence at the time may be
much more varied and numerous than the two mentioned in this Article. According to A Brief History of the Caribbean (Jan
Rogozinski, Penguin Putnam, Inc September 2000 ), European and African diseases, malnutrition and slavery eventually destroyed
the vast majority of the Caribbean's native population. No researcher has conclusively proven any of these causes as the real reason
for the destruction of West Indian natives. In fact, some historians believe that the psychological stress of slavery may also have
played a part in the massive number of native deaths while in servitude. Others believe that the reportedly abundant, but starchy,
low-protein diet may have contributed to severe malnutrition of the "Indians" who were used to a diet fortified with protein from
sea-life. The Indigenous West Indians made excellent sea vessels that they used to sail the Atlantic and Caribbean. As a result,
Caribs and Arawaks populated much of South American and the Caribbean Islands. Relatives of the Antiguan Arawaks and Caribs
still live in various countries in South America, notably Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia. The smaller remaining native populations in
the West Indies maintain a pride in their heritage. Christopher Columbus landed on the islands in 1493, naming the larger one Santa
Maria de la Antigua. However, early attempts by Europeans to settle the islands failed due to the Caribs' excellent defenses.
England succeeded in colonising the islands in 1632, with Thomas Warner as the first governor. Settlers raised tobacco, indigo,
ginger, and sugarcane as cash crops. Sir Christopher Codrington established the first large sugar estate in Antigua in 1674, and
leased Barbuda to raise provisions for his plantations. Barbuda's only town is named after him. In the fifty years after Codrington
established his initial plantation, the sugar industry became so profitable that many farmers replaced other crops with sugar, making
it the economic backbone of the islands. Codrington and others brought slaves from Africa's west coast to work the plantations
under brutal conditions. By 1736, so many slaves had been brought in from Africa that their conditions were crowded and open to
unrest. A slave called "Prince Klaas" (whose real name was Count) planned an uprising in which the whites would be massacred,
but the plot was discovered and put down. The whites caught Prince Klaas and four other accomplices and "broke" them "on the
wheel". According to www.torture-museum.com, "breaking on the wheel" was actually a common and popular form of punishment
in Europe at the time. According the site: The victim, naked, was stretched out supine on the ground or on the execution dock, with
his or her limbs spread, and tied to stakes or iron rings. Stout wooden crosspieces were placed under the wrists, elbows, ankles,
knees and hips. The executioner then smashed limb after limb and joint after joint, including the shoulders and hips, with the
iron-tyred edge of the wheel, but avoiding fatal blows. The victim was transformed, according to the observations of a
seventeenth-century German chronicler, "into a sort of huge screaming puppet writhing in rivulets of blood, a puppet with four
tentacles, like a sea monster, of raw, slimy and shapeless flesh . . . mixed up with splinters of smashed bones." Thereafter the
shattered limbs were "braided" into the spokes of the large wheel, and the victim hoisted up horizontally to the top of a pole, where
the crows ripped away bits of flesh and pecked out [the] eyes. Ironically, the location of this torture and execution is now the
Antiguan Recreation Ground. As an aside, this type of European practice probably strongly influenced the clause in the American
legal code protecting citizens from "cruel and unusual punishment". The slave-holders caught six other slaves and put them "out to
dry", another form of torture, which involves hanging the victims in chains and starving them to death. The slave-holders also burned
fifty-eight other slaves at the stake. During the 18th century, Antigua was used as the headquarters of the British Royal Navy
Caribbean fleet. English Dockyard, as it came to be called, a sheltered and well-protected deepwater port, was the main base and
facilities there were greatly expanded during the later 18th century. Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson commanded the British fleet for
much of this time, and made himself unpopular with local merchants by enforcing the Navigation Act, a British ruling that only
British-registered ships could trade with British colonies. As the United States were no longer British colonies, the act posed a
problem for merchants, who depended on trade with the fledgling country. With all others in the British Empire, Antiguan slaves
were emancipated in 1834, but remained economically dependent upon the plantation owners. Economic opportunities for the new
freedmen were limited by a lack of surplus farming land, no access to credit, and an economy built on agriculture rather than
manufacturing. Poor labour conditions persisted until 1939 when a member of a royal commission urged the formation of a trade
union movement. The Antigua Trades and Labour Union, formed shortly afterward, became the political vehicle for Vere Cornwall
Bird who became the union's president in 1943. The Antigua Labour Party (ALP), formed by Bird and other trade unionists, first
ran candidates in the 1946 elections and became the majority party in 1951 beginning a long history of electoral victories. Voted out
of office in the 1971 general elections that swept the progressive labour movement into power, Bird and the ALP returned to office
in 1976. The islands achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1981, becoming the nation of Antigua and Barbuda. It
remains part of the Commonwealth of Nations, and remains a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Antigua
and Barbuda. In 1997, Prime Minister Lester Bird announced that a group of ecologically sensitive islands just off Antigua's
northeastern coast, previously proposed for national park status, were being turned over to Malaysian developers. The Guiana
Island Development Project deal, calling for a 1000-room hotel, an 18-hole golf course and a world-class casino, sparked
widespread criticism by environmentalists, minority members in parliament, and the press. The issue came to a head when a local
resident shot the PM's brother. Today, the proposed development is mired in lawsuits and politics. The ALP won renewed
mandates in the general elections in 1984 and 1989. In the 1989 elections, the ruling ALP won all but two of the 17 seats. During
elections in March 1994, power passed from Vere Bird to his son, Lester Bird, but remained within the ALP which won 11 of the
17 parliamentary seats. The United Progressive Party won the 2004 elections and Baldwin Spencer became Prime Minister,
removing from power the longest-serving elected government in the Caribbean. That domination was reiterated in 2009 elections.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Antigua and Barbuda
known in Antigua as Siboney, a pre-ceramic Cuban people). The earliest settlements on the island date to 2900 BC [1]. They were
succeeded by ceramic-using agriculturalist Saladoid people who migrated up the island chain from Venezuela. They were later
replaced by Arawakan speakers, and around 1500 by Island Caribs. The Arawaks were the first well-documented group of
Antiguans. They paddled to the island by canoe (piragua) from Venezuela, ejected by the Caribs--another people indigenous to the
area. Arawaks introduced agriculture to Antigua and Barbuda, raising, among other crops, the famous Antiguan "Black" pineapple.
They also cultivated various other foods. The bulk of the Arawaks left Antigua about 1100 A.D. Those who remained were
subsequently raided by the Caribs. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the Carib's superior weapons and seafaring prowess
allowed them to defeat most Arawak nations in the West Indies--enslaving some, and cannibalizing others. The Catholic
Encyclopedia does make it clear that the European invaders had some difficulty identifying and differentiating between the various
native peoples they encountered. As a result, the number and types of ethnic/tribal/national groups in existence at the time may be
much more varied and numerous than the two mentioned in this Article. According to A Brief History of the Caribbean (Jan
Rogozinski, Penguin Putnam, Inc September 2000 ), European and African diseases, malnutrition and slavery eventually destroyed
the vast majority of the Caribbean's native population. No researcher has conclusively proven any of these causes as the real reason
for the destruction of West Indian natives. In fact, some historians believe that the psychological stress of slavery may also have
played a part in the massive number of native deaths while in servitude. Others believe that the reportedly abundant, but starchy,
low-protein diet may have contributed to severe malnutrition of the "Indians" who were used to a diet fortified with protein from
sea-life. The Indigenous West Indians made excellent sea vessels that they used to sail the Atlantic and Caribbean. As a result,
Caribs and Arawaks populated much of South American and the Caribbean Islands. Relatives of the Antiguan Arawaks and Caribs
still live in various countries in South America, notably Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia. The smaller remaining native populations in
the West Indies maintain a pride in their heritage. Christopher Columbus landed on the islands in 1493, naming the larger one Santa
Maria de la Antigua. However, early attempts by Europeans to settle the islands failed due to the Caribs' excellent defenses.
England succeeded in colonising the islands in 1632, with Thomas Warner as the first governor. Settlers raised tobacco, indigo,
ginger, and sugarcane as cash crops. Sir Christopher Codrington established the first large sugar estate in Antigua in 1674, and
leased Barbuda to raise provisions for his plantations. Barbuda's only town is named after him. In the fifty years after Codrington
established his initial plantation, the sugar industry became so profitable that many farmers replaced other crops with sugar, making
it the economic backbone of the islands. Codrington and others brought slaves from Africa's west coast to work the plantations
under brutal conditions. By 1736, so many slaves had been brought in from Africa that their conditions were crowded and open to
unrest. A slave called "Prince Klaas" (whose real name was Count) planned an uprising in which the whites would be massacred,
but the plot was discovered and put down. The whites caught Prince Klaas and four other accomplices and "broke" them "on the
wheel". According to www.torture-museum.com, "breaking on the wheel" was actually a common and popular form of punishment
in Europe at the time. According the site: The victim, naked, was stretched out supine on the ground or on the execution dock, with
his or her limbs spread, and tied to stakes or iron rings. Stout wooden crosspieces were placed under the wrists, elbows, ankles,
knees and hips. The executioner then smashed limb after limb and joint after joint, including the shoulders and hips, with the
iron-tyred edge of the wheel, but avoiding fatal blows. The victim was transformed, according to the observations of a
seventeenth-century German chronicler, "into a sort of huge screaming puppet writhing in rivulets of blood, a puppet with four
tentacles, like a sea monster, of raw, slimy and shapeless flesh . . . mixed up with splinters of smashed bones." Thereafter the
shattered limbs were "braided" into the spokes of the large wheel, and the victim hoisted up horizontally to the top of a pole, where
the crows ripped away bits of flesh and pecked out [the] eyes. Ironically, the location of this torture and execution is now the
Antiguan Recreation Ground. As an aside, this type of European practice probably strongly influenced the clause in the American
legal code protecting citizens from "cruel and unusual punishment". The slave-holders caught six other slaves and put them "out to
dry", another form of torture, which involves hanging the victims in chains and starving them to death. The slave-holders also burned
fifty-eight other slaves at the stake. During the 18th century, Antigua was used as the headquarters of the British Royal Navy
Caribbean fleet. English Dockyard, as it came to be called, a sheltered and well-protected deepwater port, was the main base and
facilities there were greatly expanded during the later 18th century. Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson commanded the British fleet for
much of this time, and made himself unpopular with local merchants by enforcing the Navigation Act, a British ruling that only
British-registered ships could trade with British colonies. As the United States were no longer British colonies, the act posed a
problem for merchants, who depended on trade with the fledgling country. With all others in the British Empire, Antiguan slaves
were emancipated in 1834, but remained economically dependent upon the plantation owners. Economic opportunities for the new
freedmen were limited by a lack of surplus farming land, no access to credit, and an economy built on agriculture rather than
manufacturing. Poor labour conditions persisted until 1939 when a member of a royal commission urged the formation of a trade
union movement. The Antigua Trades and Labour Union, formed shortly afterward, became the political vehicle for Vere Cornwall
Bird who became the union's president in 1943. The Antigua Labour Party (ALP), formed by Bird and other trade unionists, first
ran candidates in the 1946 elections and became the majority party in 1951 beginning a long history of electoral victories. Voted out
of office in the 1971 general elections that swept the progressive labour movement into power, Bird and the ALP returned to office
in 1976. The islands achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1981, becoming the nation of Antigua and Barbuda. It
remains part of the Commonwealth of Nations, and remains a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Antigua
and Barbuda. In 1997, Prime Minister Lester Bird announced that a group of ecologically sensitive islands just off Antigua's
northeastern coast, previously proposed for national park status, were being turned over to Malaysian developers. The Guiana
Island Development Project deal, calling for a 1000-room hotel, an 18-hole golf course and a world-class casino, sparked
widespread criticism by environmentalists, minority members in parliament, and the press. The issue came to a head when a local
resident shot the PM's brother. Today, the proposed development is mired in lawsuits and politics. The ALP won renewed
mandates in the general elections in 1984 and 1989. In the 1989 elections, the ruling ALP won all but two of the 17 seats. During
elections in March 1994, power passed from Vere Bird to his son, Lester Bird, but remained within the ALP which won 11 of the
17 parliamentary seats. The United Progressive Party won the 2004 elections and Baldwin Spencer became Prime Minister,
removing from power the longest-serving elected government in the Caribbean. That domination was reiterated in 2009 elections.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Antigua and Barbuda
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
Tourism continues to dominate Antigua and Barbuda's economy, accounting for nearly 60% of GDP and 40% of investment. The
dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor
shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for
export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium
term will continue to depend on tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and potential damages from natural disasters.
After taking office in 2004, the SPENCER government adopted an ambitious fiscal reform program, and was successful in reducing
its public debt-to-GDP ratio from 120% to about 90% in 2008. However, the global financial crisis that began in 2008, has led to a
significant increase in the national debt, which is expected to top 130% by the end of 2010. The Antiguan economy experienced
solid growth from 2003 to 2007, reaching over 12% in 2006 driven by a construction boom in hotels and housing associated with
the Cricket World Cup, but growth dropped off in 2008 with the end of the boom. In 2009, Antigua's economy was severely hit by
the global economic crisis, suffering from the collapse of its largest financial institution and a steep decline in tourism. This decline is
expected to continue in 2010 as the country struggles with a yawning budget deficit.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Antigua and Barbuda)
dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor
shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for
export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium
term will continue to depend on tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and potential damages from natural disasters.
After taking office in 2004, the SPENCER government adopted an ambitious fiscal reform program, and was successful in reducing
its public debt-to-GDP ratio from 120% to about 90% in 2008. However, the global financial crisis that began in 2008, has led to a
significant increase in the national debt, which is expected to top 130% by the end of 2010. The Antiguan economy experienced
solid growth from 2003 to 2007, reaching over 12% in 2006 driven by a construction boom in hotels and housing associated with
the Cricket World Cup, but growth dropped off in 2008 with the end of the boom. In 2009, Antigua's economy was severely hit by
the global economic crisis, suffering from the collapse of its largest financial institution and a steep decline in tourism. This decline is
expected to continue in 2010 as the country struggles with a yawning budget deficit.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Antigua and Barbuda)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
In 2007 Louise Lake-Tack became the first female to hold the position of Governor-General in the history of Antigua and Barbuda.
A Council of Ministers is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister, currently Baldwin Spencer. The
Prime Minister is the head of the government. Vere Cornwall Bird Sr., Antigua and Barbuda's first Prime Minister, is credited with
having brought Antigua and Barbuda and the Caribbean into a new era of independence.
Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the
Parliament. The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (seventeen-member body appointed by the governor general) and the
House of Representatives (seventeen seats; members are elected by first past the post to serve five-year terms). The last elections
held were on 12 March 2009, while the next are due in 2014. At the last elections, the Antigua Labour Party won four seats, while
the United Progressive Party won thirteen.
Since 1949, the party system had been dominated by the personalist Antigua Labour Party. However, the Antigua and Barbuda
legislative election, 2004, saw the defeat of the longest-serving elected government in the Caribbean. The Prime Minister, Lester
Bryant Bird and deputy Robin Yearwood had been in office since 1994, when he succeeded his father, Vere Bird. The elder Bird
had been Prime Minister from independence in 1981 and, before independence, had been Chief Minister of Antigua from 1960,
except for the period 1971-76 when the Progressive Labour Movement (PLM) defeated them in those elections.
Source: Wikipedia: Antigua and Barbuda
A Council of Ministers is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister, currently Baldwin Spencer. The
Prime Minister is the head of the government. Vere Cornwall Bird Sr., Antigua and Barbuda's first Prime Minister, is credited with
having brought Antigua and Barbuda and the Caribbean into a new era of independence.
Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the
Parliament. The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (seventeen-member body appointed by the governor general) and the
House of Representatives (seventeen seats; members are elected by first past the post to serve five-year terms). The last elections
held were on 12 March 2009, while the next are due in 2014. At the last elections, the Antigua Labour Party won four seats, while
the United Progressive Party won thirteen.
Since 1949, the party system had been dominated by the personalist Antigua Labour Party. However, the Antigua and Barbuda
legislative election, 2004, saw the defeat of the longest-serving elected government in the Caribbean. The Prime Minister, Lester
Bryant Bird and deputy Robin Yearwood had been in office since 1994, when he succeeded his father, Vere Bird. The elder Bird
had been Prime Minister from independence in 1981 and, before independence, had been Chief Minister of Antigua from 1960,
except for the period 1971-76 when the Progressive Labour Movement (PLM) defeated them in those elections.
Source: Wikipedia: Antigua and Barbuda
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
None reported.
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) |
None reported.
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
Considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial
center.
center.
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2009 Human Rights Reports: Antigua and Barbuda
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Antigua and Barbuda is a multiparty, parliamentary democracy with a population of approximately 100,000. In parliamentary elections on
March 12, which observers described as generally free and fair, the United Progressive Party (UPP) defeated the ruling Antigua Labour
Party (ALP), and Baldwin Spencer was reelected as prime minister. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the
security forces.
While the government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, there were problems in a few areas, including:
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Antigua and Barbuda is a multiparty, parliamentary democracy with a population of approximately 100,000. In parliamentary elections on
March 12, which observers described as generally free and fair, the United Progressive Party (UPP) defeated the ruling Antigua Labour
Party (ALP), and Baldwin Spencer was reelected as prime minister. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the
security forces.
While the government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, there were problems in a few areas, including:
- excessive use of force by police,
- poor prison conditions,
- some limits on press freedom,
- societal discrimination and violence against women,
- sexual abuse of children.
11 April 2007
COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Seventieth session
19 February - 9 March 2007
CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 9 OF THE CONVENTION
Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the initial to 9th periodic reports of Antigua and Barbuda and the opportunity thus offered to begin an open
and constructive dialogue with the State party. The Committee expresses appreciation for the supplementary information provided by the
delegation in writing, as well as the comprehensive and thorough answers to the wide range of questions raised by members of the
Committee.
Positive aspects
5. The Committee notes with satisfaction that the State party, in addition to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination, has ratified three of the core United Nations human rights treaties, namely the Convention against Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child
pornography. The Committee is confident that the State party will take the necessary measures to ratify the other human rights treaties.
C. Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the Convention
9. The Committee acknowledges the challenges faced by the State party, namely the increasing debt burden and the vulnerability to
natural disasters, including hurricanes and droughts, which impede progress towards the full realization of children’s rights enshrined in
the Convention.
Principal areas of concern and recommendations
8. The Committee notes with concern the declaration entered by the State party at the time of ratification of the Convention, in particular
its wording that acceptance of the Convention does not imply the acceptance of obligations going beyond the constitutional limits, nor the
acceptance of any obligations to introduce judicial processes beyond those provided in the Constitution.
The Committee encourages the State party to consider withdrawing the declaration entered upon acceding to the Convention.
Click here to read more »
COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Seventieth session
19 February - 9 March 2007
CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 9 OF THE CONVENTION
Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the initial to 9th periodic reports of Antigua and Barbuda and the opportunity thus offered to begin an open
and constructive dialogue with the State party. The Committee expresses appreciation for the supplementary information provided by the
delegation in writing, as well as the comprehensive and thorough answers to the wide range of questions raised by members of the
Committee.
Positive aspects
5. The Committee notes with satisfaction that the State party, in addition to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination, has ratified three of the core United Nations human rights treaties, namely the Convention against Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child
pornography. The Committee is confident that the State party will take the necessary measures to ratify the other human rights treaties.
C. Factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of the Convention
9. The Committee acknowledges the challenges faced by the State party, namely the increasing debt burden and the vulnerability to
natural disasters, including hurricanes and droughts, which impede progress towards the full realization of children’s rights enshrined in
the Convention.
Principal areas of concern and recommendations
8. The Committee notes with concern the declaration entered by the State party at the time of ratification of the Convention, in particular
its wording that acceptance of the Convention does not imply the acceptance of obligations going beyond the constitutional limits, nor the
acceptance of any obligations to introduce judicial processes beyond those provided in the Constitution.
The Committee encourages the State party to consider withdrawing the declaration entered upon acceding to the Convention.
Click here to read more »
Freedom In The World 2010 Report
Political Rights Score: 3
Civil Liberties Score: 2
Status: Free
Ratings Change
Antigua and Barbuda’s political rights rating declined from 2 to 3 due to the collapse of a massive fraudulent investment
scheme, which revealed how deeply the government had been influenced and corrupted by foreign business interests.
Overview
In 2009, the sudden implosion of the Stanford Financial Group due to an alleged $8 billion investment fraud exposed strong ties between
billionaire financier R. Allen Stanford and the government of Antigua and Barbuda. Several defrauded investors filed lawsuits claiming
that the government had benefited from the schemes and aided in the cover-up, heightening political tensions in the country.
The March 2009 parliamentary elections returned Baldwin Spencer and the UPP to power with 9 seats in the 17-seat lower house; the
ALP took 7 seats, while the Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM) retained the single seat representing Barbuda. The elections were
deemed fair and competitive by the Organization of American States, which sent an observer mission.However, the voting was preceded
by instances of violence, including the firebombing and vandalizing of three ALP offices.
In 2009, the collapse of the $8 billion Stanford Financial Group, run by U.S. financier R. Allen Stanford, revealed deep ties between
Stanford and the government of Antigua and Barbuda. The resulting scandal rocked the country’s politics. A consortium of defrauded
investors sued the government, claiming that top officials had been aware of the scheme and benefited from it. They specifically accused
the leadership of accepting preferential loans from Stanford’s companies in exchange for not investigating his operations. The company’
s high-profile collapse accelerated a 6.5 percent economic contraction in 2009that crippled the country’s finances.
Antigua and Barbuda is an electoral democracy. The 1981 constitution establishes a parliamentary system, with a governor-general
representing the British monarch as ceremonial head of state. The bicameral Parliament is composed of the 17-seat House of
Representatives (16 seats for Antigua, 1 for Barbuda), to which members are elected forfive-year terms, and an appointed Senate. Of the
senators, 11 are appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister, 4 on the advice of the parliamentary opposition
leader, 1 on the advice of the Barbuda Council (an 11-member local government body that runs Barbuda’s internal affairs), and 1 at the
governor-general’s discretion. Antigua and Barbuda’s prime minister is typically the leader of the majority party or coalition that emerges
from the legislative elections. The Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) was established in 2008 to reform the country’s
electoral system, including introducing voter identification cards. Political parties can organize freely.
Click here to read more »
Political Rights Score: 3
Civil Liberties Score: 2
Status: Free
Ratings Change
Antigua and Barbuda’s political rights rating declined from 2 to 3 due to the collapse of a massive fraudulent investment
scheme, which revealed how deeply the government had been influenced and corrupted by foreign business interests.
Overview
In 2009, the sudden implosion of the Stanford Financial Group due to an alleged $8 billion investment fraud exposed strong ties between
billionaire financier R. Allen Stanford and the government of Antigua and Barbuda. Several defrauded investors filed lawsuits claiming
that the government had benefited from the schemes and aided in the cover-up, heightening political tensions in the country.
The March 2009 parliamentary elections returned Baldwin Spencer and the UPP to power with 9 seats in the 17-seat lower house; the
ALP took 7 seats, while the Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM) retained the single seat representing Barbuda. The elections were
deemed fair and competitive by the Organization of American States, which sent an observer mission.However, the voting was preceded
by instances of violence, including the firebombing and vandalizing of three ALP offices.
In 2009, the collapse of the $8 billion Stanford Financial Group, run by U.S. financier R. Allen Stanford, revealed deep ties between
Stanford and the government of Antigua and Barbuda. The resulting scandal rocked the country’s politics. A consortium of defrauded
investors sued the government, claiming that top officials had been aware of the scheme and benefited from it. They specifically accused
the leadership of accepting preferential loans from Stanford’s companies in exchange for not investigating his operations. The company’
s high-profile collapse accelerated a 6.5 percent economic contraction in 2009that crippled the country’s finances.
Antigua and Barbuda is an electoral democracy. The 1981 constitution establishes a parliamentary system, with a governor-general
representing the British monarch as ceremonial head of state. The bicameral Parliament is composed of the 17-seat House of
Representatives (16 seats for Antigua, 1 for Barbuda), to which members are elected forfive-year terms, and an appointed Senate. Of the
senators, 11 are appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister, 4 on the advice of the parliamentary opposition
leader, 1 on the advice of the Barbuda Council (an 11-member local government body that runs Barbuda’s internal affairs), and 1 at the
governor-general’s discretion. Antigua and Barbuda’s prime minister is typically the leader of the majority party or coalition that emerges
from the legislative elections. The Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) was established in 2008 to reform the country’s
electoral system, including introducing voter identification cards. Political parties can organize freely.
Click here to read more »
Summit of the Americas fails to address human rights
Fifth Summit of the Americas
20 April 2009
The fifth Summit of the Americas has failed to recognize that human rights must be placed at the centre of efforts to confront the many
fundamental challenges facing the region.
Governments from every country in the Americas, except for Cuba, took part in the four-yearly meeting held in Port of Spain, Trinidad
and Tobago, between 17 and 19 April.
The 34 heads of state and government discussed the Summit's three principal themes: human prosperity, energy security and
environmental sustainability.
The Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain was adopted by consensus at the close of the Summit on 19 April. Based on the three
themes, the Declaration fails to lay out a clear human rights framework for progress in these areas.
A number of governments, including Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Honduras, indicated that they were not prepared to formally sign
the Declaration. Leaders agreed to instead adopt it by consensus and have Trinidadian Prime Minister Manning sign on behalf of all
leaders.
The governments that had registered objections did not feel that the Declaration deals adequately with the current global economic crisis.
They also wanted to see strong references to the issue of Cuba's reintegration into Organization of American States (OAS) and the lifting
of the US embargo against Cuba.
Amnesty International delegates at the Summit urged the governments of the region to make a firm commitment to ensuring that all
measures taken in response to the current global economic crisis fully conform to their human rights obligations. But the recognition in
the Declaration of the responsibility governments have to address the crisis does not acknowledge human rights at all.
"At a time of global economic turmoil and with a new spirit of compromise in the air between the government of US President Barrack
Obama and other governments in the Americas this Summit offered an unparalleled opportunity to lay out a strong human rights vision
for the Americas," said Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, who was part of the Amnesty International
delegation at the Summit. "Instead, human rights have once again been pushed to the back."
Click here to read more »
Fifth Summit of the Americas
20 April 2009
The fifth Summit of the Americas has failed to recognize that human rights must be placed at the centre of efforts to confront the many
fundamental challenges facing the region.
Governments from every country in the Americas, except for Cuba, took part in the four-yearly meeting held in Port of Spain, Trinidad
and Tobago, between 17 and 19 April.
The 34 heads of state and government discussed the Summit's three principal themes: human prosperity, energy security and
environmental sustainability.
The Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain was adopted by consensus at the close of the Summit on 19 April. Based on the three
themes, the Declaration fails to lay out a clear human rights framework for progress in these areas.
A number of governments, including Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Honduras, indicated that they were not prepared to formally sign
the Declaration. Leaders agreed to instead adopt it by consensus and have Trinidadian Prime Minister Manning sign on behalf of all
leaders.
The governments that had registered objections did not feel that the Declaration deals adequately with the current global economic crisis.
They also wanted to see strong references to the issue of Cuba's reintegration into Organization of American States (OAS) and the lifting
of the US embargo against Cuba.
Amnesty International delegates at the Summit urged the governments of the region to make a firm commitment to ensuring that all
measures taken in response to the current global economic crisis fully conform to their human rights obligations. But the recognition in
the Declaration of the responsibility governments have to address the crisis does not acknowledge human rights at all.
"At a time of global economic turmoil and with a new spirit of compromise in the air between the government of US President Barrack
Obama and other governments in the Americas this Summit offered an unparalleled opportunity to lay out a strong human rights vision
for the Americas," said Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, who was part of the Amnesty International
delegation at the Summit. "Instead, human rights have once again been pushed to the back."
Click here to read more »
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda: Child Soldier Global Report 2001
From the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers
In Antigua and Barbuda security forces consist of a police force and a small defence force. The police are generally organised and
supervised according to British law enforcement practices. There is no conscription into security forces, therefore recruitment is on a
voluntary basis only. The minimum age for voluntary recruitment is not known.
June 12, 2001 Multi Country Report
Antigua and Barbuda: Landmine Monitor Report 2000
Antigua and Barbuda signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified on 3 May 1999. The treaty entered into force for
Antigua and Barbuda on 1 November 1999. Antigua and Barbuda's Article 7 transparency report, submitted on 29 March 2000, states
that Antigua and Barbuda has "never stockpiled, transferred or employed the use of anti-personnel mines." No national implementation
legislation is in place. Antigua and Barbuda participated in the First Meeting of State Parties in Maputo in May 1999. Its Ambassador to
the United States, H.E. Lionel Hurst, made a statement on behalf of the fourteen CARICOM (Caribbean Community) member states. He
said these states "are of the view that we too can play a significant role by contributing our moral leadership to this very necessary task
of ending the scourge of landmines."
Click here to read more »
Antigua and Barbuda: Child Soldier Global Report 2001
From the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers
In Antigua and Barbuda security forces consist of a police force and a small defence force. The police are generally organised and
supervised according to British law enforcement practices. There is no conscription into security forces, therefore recruitment is on a
voluntary basis only. The minimum age for voluntary recruitment is not known.
June 12, 2001 Multi Country Report
Antigua and Barbuda: Landmine Monitor Report 2000
Antigua and Barbuda signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified on 3 May 1999. The treaty entered into force for
Antigua and Barbuda on 1 November 1999. Antigua and Barbuda's Article 7 transparency report, submitted on 29 March 2000, states
that Antigua and Barbuda has "never stockpiled, transferred or employed the use of anti-personnel mines." No national implementation
legislation is in place. Antigua and Barbuda participated in the First Meeting of State Parties in Maputo in May 1999. Its Ambassador to
the United States, H.E. Lionel Hurst, made a statement on behalf of the fourteen CARICOM (Caribbean Community) member states. He
said these states "are of the view that we too can play a significant role by contributing our moral leadership to this very necessary task
of ending the scourge of landmines."
Click here to read more »
PM Baldwin Spencer’s Statement to 65th Session of the UN Gen. Assembly
September 27, 2010
Distinguished delegates,
Today global governance relates not only to concerns about peace, security and self political determination. Importantly, global
governance embraces such imperatives as the elimination of hunger, disease and ignorance; as well as administering a stable and robust
international financial system; ensuring fair trade, adequate shelter and the preservation of our very delicate environment.
Never in the history of human existence has our planet been faced with a greater urgency to meet these objectives.
The scale of poverty, conflicts, global warming, the economic and financial crisis, migration, pandemics, terrorism and international
crime, demands a collective global effort employing common and coordinated strategies. The extent of these problems and the enormity
of their consequences are clearly beyond the resource and management capabilities of any one nation.
I believe that our United Nations, with its near universal membership, is the only global body that has the legitimacy and operational
structures to undertake the task of forging the necessary political and economic consensus to effectively tackle these problems.
Small Island Developing States such as Antigua and Barbuda, face a unique set of vulnerabilities related to our small size, relative
isolation, narrow resource base, and high exposure to global environmental threats.
To compound this, over the last five years we have suffered disproportionately from the financial, food and energy crises. Our
economies have been battered and many of our productive sectors wiped out.
But the hardship that has ensued for our people from all this, will pale into insignificance if the international community does not quickly
address the looming threat of climate change, which is already having a devastating impact all over the world.
We, the small island developing States, have already experienced loss of agricultural land and infrastructure – so too has many countries
in Africa.
We note the recent removal of Antigua and Barbuda from the so-called grey list. Our current listing among the countries that have
substantially implemented internationally agreed taxation standards, is a belated recognition of the steps taken by the current Government
of Antigua and Barbuda, over several years, to be in full compliance with all international standards in this respect.
Click here to read more »
September 27, 2010
Distinguished delegates,
Today global governance relates not only to concerns about peace, security and self political determination. Importantly, global
governance embraces such imperatives as the elimination of hunger, disease and ignorance; as well as administering a stable and robust
international financial system; ensuring fair trade, adequate shelter and the preservation of our very delicate environment.
Never in the history of human existence has our planet been faced with a greater urgency to meet these objectives.
The scale of poverty, conflicts, global warming, the economic and financial crisis, migration, pandemics, terrorism and international
crime, demands a collective global effort employing common and coordinated strategies. The extent of these problems and the enormity
of their consequences are clearly beyond the resource and management capabilities of any one nation.
I believe that our United Nations, with its near universal membership, is the only global body that has the legitimacy and operational
structures to undertake the task of forging the necessary political and economic consensus to effectively tackle these problems.
Small Island Developing States such as Antigua and Barbuda, face a unique set of vulnerabilities related to our small size, relative
isolation, narrow resource base, and high exposure to global environmental threats.
To compound this, over the last five years we have suffered disproportionately from the financial, food and energy crises. Our
economies have been battered and many of our productive sectors wiped out.
But the hardship that has ensued for our people from all this, will pale into insignificance if the international community does not quickly
address the looming threat of climate change, which is already having a devastating impact all over the world.
We, the small island developing States, have already experienced loss of agricultural land and infrastructure – so too has many countries
in Africa.
We note the recent removal of Antigua and Barbuda from the so-called grey list. Our current listing among the countries that have
substantially implemented internationally agreed taxation standards, is a belated recognition of the steps taken by the current Government
of Antigua and Barbuda, over several years, to be in full compliance with all international standards in this respect.
Click here to read more »
OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE OMBUDSMAN FOR ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
FOR THE YEAR 2002
1. INTRODUCTION
It is my duty and privilege to present this my seventh Annual Report in keeping with the requirements of the Ombudsman Act. It gives
an overview of the activities of my Office for the year 2001 which I am happy to share with the Antigua and Barbuda public, the
Caribbean region and indeed the wider world.
As is often quoted “No man is an island ” and this reality becomes more and more evident in this era of globalisation. Our offices
worldwide can learn from each other be they large or small for what is clear is that human nature is to a large extent similar judging from
the similarity of complaints observed in reports from the various countries.
It was again considered important to include as usual in the Appendix for ease of reference a copy of Section 66 of the Antigua and
Barbuda Constitution (1981) Appendix (I) which makes provision for the establishment and functions of the Ombudsman, and the
Ombudsman Act No. 5 of 1994 (Appendix II) which gives effect to the Constitution. It should be mentioned that having been in the post
for six years now, I felt able on the basis of practical experience to submit recommendations to the Constitutional Review Commission
(Appendix III). Prior to this, I had useful discussions with Professor Albert Fiadjoe of the Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies
(U.W.I.) Cave Hill, Barbados who had a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) mandate to assist generally with the work of
constitutional review in Antigua and Barbuda. It is left to be seen whether any of my recommendations will be taken on board.
Interestingly enough, this was submitted long before a proposal was made for me to sit as a member of the Commission to enquire into
the operations of the Medical Benefits Scheme. I declined the offer of appointment when it became clear that the country was divided on
the issue mainly on the basis of the interpretation of Section 66 (1). There were differing legal opinions on the interpretations which
should be given to the Section and I therefore felt duty bound to stand down to avoid any controversy which could have the possible
effect of bringing the Office of the Ombudsman into disrepute.
Click here to read more »
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE OMBUDSMAN FOR ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
FOR THE YEAR 2002
1. INTRODUCTION
It is my duty and privilege to present this my seventh Annual Report in keeping with the requirements of the Ombudsman Act. It gives
an overview of the activities of my Office for the year 2001 which I am happy to share with the Antigua and Barbuda public, the
Caribbean region and indeed the wider world.
As is often quoted “No man is an island ” and this reality becomes more and more evident in this era of globalisation. Our offices
worldwide can learn from each other be they large or small for what is clear is that human nature is to a large extent similar judging from
the similarity of complaints observed in reports from the various countries.
It was again considered important to include as usual in the Appendix for ease of reference a copy of Section 66 of the Antigua and
Barbuda Constitution (1981) Appendix (I) which makes provision for the establishment and functions of the Ombudsman, and the
Ombudsman Act No. 5 of 1994 (Appendix II) which gives effect to the Constitution. It should be mentioned that having been in the post
for six years now, I felt able on the basis of practical experience to submit recommendations to the Constitutional Review Commission
(Appendix III). Prior to this, I had useful discussions with Professor Albert Fiadjoe of the Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies
(U.W.I.) Cave Hill, Barbados who had a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) mandate to assist generally with the work of
constitutional review in Antigua and Barbuda. It is left to be seen whether any of my recommendations will be taken on board.
Interestingly enough, this was submitted long before a proposal was made for me to sit as a member of the Commission to enquire into
the operations of the Medical Benefits Scheme. I declined the offer of appointment when it became clear that the country was divided on
the issue mainly on the basis of the interpretation of Section 66 (1). There were differing legal opinions on the interpretations which
should be given to the Section and I therefore felt duty bound to stand down to avoid any controversy which could have the possible
effect of bringing the Office of the Ombudsman into disrepute.
Click here to read more »
Two Families, Two Nations, and To Heck With the Youth, Maan…
POWA Line
01 November 2010
We think it is important, even a week after the fact, that POWA goes on record with its endorsement of the Court of Appeal decision in
the Election Petition Cases. Not for the partisan reason of roll-call, but for what it means in settling a nation that has stood on tip-toe for
19 months, with its political and economic muscles cramping from the strain.
The judgment not only put an end to the wait, it answered – and definitively so – the general speculation, the legal consternation, and the
political disinformation. And whatever one’s personal preferences regarding the outcome, it is over.
After such a period of bitterness in a population so small, most of us welcomed the chance to take off battle gear, de-camp from our
polarized positions, and become not only civilians again, but civil and civilized. But our presumption that, the game having been decided,
the opposing teams would shake hands manfully, thank the referee, and get on with the bigger business of nation-building appears, now,
to have been foolish. For we forgot, or gave too much credit to, the character of the team leaders. …
On Sunday, the Lord’s Day, the day before the 29th anniversary of this nation’s independence, we were chagrined to hear not one, but
two, disheartening and deeply disturbing announcements on radio. One advertised that, on Independence Day – the day when all
citizens, nationals and those who choose to live here should have marked a single point of celebration – the station would be featuring the
100 “most raw-ish and dutty political calypsos” of our time. The second was what we can only describe as a “come out from among
them and be ye separate” proclamation that ordered supporters – whom it described as the “ALP family” – to attend an exclusionary
celebration, not of the nation’s birthday, but of the defeated party.
What a fine message to send our young people in the Year of the Youth: That nastiness should supersede decency and patriotism and
political loyalty should always trump the national interest. …
We wondered whose interests are being served by these divisive and destructive practices? Not the ordinary man, woman and child of
this country, surely. We wondered, as well, whether, given a different outcome from the Court and, possibly, the by-elections, the
leaders of the ALP would have come to the people of this country and appealed for unity in the interest of the nation, or simply
continued on the business of division and destruction.
It was instructive to note that, apart from suspended Electoral Commissioner Lionel “Max” Hurst, not a recognizable leader or
spokesman could bother to present himself at the Ceremonial Parade, a largely military exercise, to represent Her Majesty’s Loyal
Opposition – this after their often conspicuous presence at other events of lesser national significance, such as the Officers’ Mess
Dinner. It causes one to wonder, as one must, whether patriotism is a cloak put on simply to hide – temporarily – their naked political
ambition.
While the non-commissioned officers in the party have their own pellucid agenda, we worry about the rank and file who are being
manipulated this way and that and who, ultimately, will be the ones to record the losses.
First, they were guaranteed a victory – no ifs, ands or buts – in the Election Petition Cases and were left, by the puppeteers, unprepared
for any other outcome. Now, to assuage the personal and political embarrassment of the string-masters, the people – those whose navel-
strings are buried in the dirt of Antigua & Barbuda, those aspiring to navel-string status, and those demanding navel-string privileges –
are being ordered to ignore and even degrade the obligations and duties of nationhood and citizenship (Do they think any Republican
would dishonour the Fourth of July just because a Democrat sits in the White House?)
Why not carry the separation a step or two further, we wonder. Why stop at hawking political phlegm to spit on the national
celebration? Wouldn’t it be a stronger statement to order ALP supporters to strip their children of the government-provided uniforms
and books and, better yet, take them out of government schools altogether until the ALP returns to power? So that the dyed-red
pensioners do not feel left out, why not coax them into returning to their pre-raise(s) pension levels? Why not advise the party faithful to
seek private treatment only, and reject the services provided at the government clinics and hospital? Since Christmas is around the
corner, why not instruct them to wait until February, preferably, to import their barrels, the better to avoid accepting Government’s
$1.00 duty? And when Carnival rolls around again, as it must do, why not forbid them to sing a calypso, don a costume, or
acknowledge the holiday at all?
Click here to read more>>
POWA Line
01 November 2010
We think it is important, even a week after the fact, that POWA goes on record with its endorsement of the Court of Appeal decision in
the Election Petition Cases. Not for the partisan reason of roll-call, but for what it means in settling a nation that has stood on tip-toe for
19 months, with its political and economic muscles cramping from the strain.
The judgment not only put an end to the wait, it answered – and definitively so – the general speculation, the legal consternation, and the
political disinformation. And whatever one’s personal preferences regarding the outcome, it is over.
After such a period of bitterness in a population so small, most of us welcomed the chance to take off battle gear, de-camp from our
polarized positions, and become not only civilians again, but civil and civilized. But our presumption that, the game having been decided,
the opposing teams would shake hands manfully, thank the referee, and get on with the bigger business of nation-building appears, now,
to have been foolish. For we forgot, or gave too much credit to, the character of the team leaders. …
On Sunday, the Lord’s Day, the day before the 29th anniversary of this nation’s independence, we were chagrined to hear not one, but
two, disheartening and deeply disturbing announcements on radio. One advertised that, on Independence Day – the day when all
citizens, nationals and those who choose to live here should have marked a single point of celebration – the station would be featuring the
100 “most raw-ish and dutty political calypsos” of our time. The second was what we can only describe as a “come out from among
them and be ye separate” proclamation that ordered supporters – whom it described as the “ALP family” – to attend an exclusionary
celebration, not of the nation’s birthday, but of the defeated party.
What a fine message to send our young people in the Year of the Youth: That nastiness should supersede decency and patriotism and
political loyalty should always trump the national interest. …
We wondered whose interests are being served by these divisive and destructive practices? Not the ordinary man, woman and child of
this country, surely. We wondered, as well, whether, given a different outcome from the Court and, possibly, the by-elections, the
leaders of the ALP would have come to the people of this country and appealed for unity in the interest of the nation, or simply
continued on the business of division and destruction.
It was instructive to note that, apart from suspended Electoral Commissioner Lionel “Max” Hurst, not a recognizable leader or
spokesman could bother to present himself at the Ceremonial Parade, a largely military exercise, to represent Her Majesty’s Loyal
Opposition – this after their often conspicuous presence at other events of lesser national significance, such as the Officers’ Mess
Dinner. It causes one to wonder, as one must, whether patriotism is a cloak put on simply to hide – temporarily – their naked political
ambition.
While the non-commissioned officers in the party have their own pellucid agenda, we worry about the rank and file who are being
manipulated this way and that and who, ultimately, will be the ones to record the losses.
First, they were guaranteed a victory – no ifs, ands or buts – in the Election Petition Cases and were left, by the puppeteers, unprepared
for any other outcome. Now, to assuage the personal and political embarrassment of the string-masters, the people – those whose navel-
strings are buried in the dirt of Antigua & Barbuda, those aspiring to navel-string status, and those demanding navel-string privileges –
are being ordered to ignore and even degrade the obligations and duties of nationhood and citizenship (Do they think any Republican
would dishonour the Fourth of July just because a Democrat sits in the White House?)
Why not carry the separation a step or two further, we wonder. Why stop at hawking political phlegm to spit on the national
celebration? Wouldn’t it be a stronger statement to order ALP supporters to strip their children of the government-provided uniforms
and books and, better yet, take them out of government schools altogether until the ALP returns to power? So that the dyed-red
pensioners do not feel left out, why not coax them into returning to their pre-raise(s) pension levels? Why not advise the party faithful to
seek private treatment only, and reject the services provided at the government clinics and hospital? Since Christmas is around the
corner, why not instruct them to wait until February, preferably, to import their barrels, the better to avoid accepting Government’s
$1.00 duty? And when Carnival rolls around again, as it must do, why not forbid them to sing a calypso, don a costume, or
acknowledge the holiday at all?
Click here to read more>>
| Click map for larger view |
| Click flag for Country Report |
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Queen since 6 February 1952
Queen since 6 February 1952
Louisse Lake-Tack
Governor General since 17 July 2007
Governor General since 17 July 2007
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
None reported.
