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antigua-and-barbuda

Reduce EC Dollar or adopt US Currency – Agency advises

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – An international investment-rating agency has suggested that Caribbean territories should devalue the Eastern Caribbean currency or adopt the US dollar in an effort to address what it deems to be a “debt crisis” in the region. In a recently published report, Moody’s Investor Services said currency devaluation and the dissolution of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), while unlikely, could enhance the region’s competitiveness.

Economist: climate change creating higher food prices in A&B

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Regional economist McCarthy Marie believes a more volatile climate is a major reason residents have to dig deeper into their pockets for basic goods and foodstuff.
The former University of the West Indies (UWI) economics lecturer noted price inflation in Antigua & Barbuda is almost completely a result of global pressures.
“Given the fact that the weather around the world has been so chaotic, that has been driving down the amount of food produced,” Marie said.

What if ….

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - What would happen if the over 7,500 Antigua & Barbuda pensioners and others were deprived of the food and utility subsidy currently funded through the PetroCaribe arrangement which the country has with Venezuela? What would happen to our local airline, LIAT, if the Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) government cut off the substantial fuel subsidies it currently gives to its national carrier Caribbean Airlines (CAL)? What happens to the oil rich Gulf States if the price of oil continues to trade in the US $80 to US $100 range on the world market?

Antigua Prime Minister backs new WICB President to boost Windies cricket

ST.JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC-Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Baldwin Spencer says he is backing new West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) President Dave Cameron to advance the sport in the region. Prime Minister Spencer underlined his confidence in the new WICB president after wide-ranging talks between the two leaders in the Antiguan Capital. Spencer, who is also the chairman of Caricom’s Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Cricket, says cricket will benefit from Cameron’s track record in management and his years of experience with the WICB.

Rum fight will not be ours says Ambassador Colin Murdoch

St. John’s Antigua- One trade dispute before the World Trade Organization (WTO) is enough for Antigua & Barbuda; the nation will not be party to the escalating rum row brewing between regional distributors and the US. This revelation is coming from OECS Commissioner, Ambassador Colin Murdoch. “No, Antigua & Barbuda is not (a party). It is only two or three countries that are going forward with the matter formally. We have one case going forward at the moment, so we have our hands full,” Murdoch said in an interview with OBSERVER media.

Gov’t could be left with multimillion-dollar AIDS fight

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Health Edson Joseph has suggested, as international agencies withdraw funding, the government will soon be left with a multi-million dollar bill to fight HIV and AIDS. “Most of the funding agencies, the Global Fund, Clinton Foundation, they are gradually withdrawing the assistance we got and probably within another four years, we will see HIV programmes will have to be sustained by the government,” Joseph said. The health permanent secretary said he expects costs to gradually increase for the government here.

Partnership with IMF ‘successful’

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Coming to the end of the nation’s three-year stand-by-arrangement (SBA) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the minister of finance has deemed the partnership a “success.” “We knew what we had to do; we have done it. In June it is exit time and we believe it will place us on a footing to go forward. That is what we have done,” Minister Harold Lovell said in an OBSERVER AM interview yesterday. Last week, the IMF conducted its tenth and final review under the SBA, which was approved in 2010.

Linking the sightless with the blind

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.

LIAT CEO says salary increase for pilots still possible

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.

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