Antigua and Barbuda

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - The aviation industry in the English-speaking Caribbean has always been one that meddling West Indian politicians find irresistible. Our leaders seem to stumble over each other in their eagerness to be identified with what is generally regarded as a glamourous business. It matters not that our politicians are clueless about the business of running a profitable airline. This is particularly unfortunate when one considers that even professional airline managers find the industry a difficult one.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Hours after coming under heavy criticism for his remarks on the issue of increased pay for LIAT’s pilots, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Captain Ian Brunton said the company has not made any decision on the matter.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – A suggestion that regional carrier LIAT should be put under the umbrella of essential services, has been pegged as a move to deny workers’ right to withdraw their labour when there is a deadlock over a dispute.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has announced that it will continue to benefit from the PetroCaribe agreement.
According to a Government statement, at the recently concluded 9th Ministerial Meeting of PetroCaribe and the Summit of Heads Venezuelan it was agreed that the PetroCaribe programme will continue in its current form .

The Organisation of Amercan States (OAS) Secretariat through the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Program (CSEP) and the Energy Efficiency Working Group of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), hosted a workshop on energy efficiency designs for office and public buildings in tropical climates. The event took place at the Bay Gardens Inn in Rodney Bay from February 28th through March 1st, 2013. The CARICOM Secretariat is a Partner of the CSEP Project.

ST JOHN_ Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister John Maginley will speak to Chinese authorities later this month in Beijing about renewed efforts to tap into their tourism market. The announcement came as newly appointed Chinese ambassador to Antigua and Barbuda Ren Gongping paid a courtesy call on the tourism minister. Maginley believed the time had come for Antigua and Barbuda and, by extension, the Caribbean to do more to attract the attention of Chinese holidaymakers, adding that such a lucrative market would augur well for small states like his.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Minister of Labour Dr Errol Cort has reassured the aviation industry that “extensive” consultations would have to take place before government acts on suggestions to designate that industry an essential service.
“I am aware of the recent call by the CEO of LIAT for the aviation sector to be named an essential service in this country,” Dr. Cort said.
“While we are open to all ideas before we move ahead of anything, there will certainly be extensive consultation on that and any other matter.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Noted financial crime expert and money-laundering author Jeffrey Robinson said if Caribbean governments wait it out, the United States’ Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) will not be around in five years.
“FATCA worldwide is still born. FATCA will eventually die because there will be too many big jurisdictions who will simply refuse to comply,” he said.
“It won’t work because there will be non-compliance by the Caymans and there will be non-compliance by Switzerland … The Chinese are not going to report.”

WASHINGTON D.C., United States – A major United States publication says Antigua and Barbuda will be a “Caribbean headache” for President Barack Obama’s new nominee of chief trade negotiator - Michael Froman.
Bloomberg Businessweek says Michael Froman has “plenty of negotiating work ahead of him.
“With so many challenges ahead, you can forgive Froman if fixing a dispute with the tiny country of Antigua and Barbuda doesn’t rank high on his to-do list.”