ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are among several nations committed to a ministerial declaration and a three year action plan that aims, among other things, to create at least one biosphere reserve in each Caribbean Small Island Developing State.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Jeffrey Robinson, considered the world’s leading financial crime author, is warning the nation and all Caribbean countries that a “financial tsunami” will hit the region in a few years and the time to plan a response is now. “In the next three to five years, Fidel Castro will die and when he does Raul (Castro) will not be able to hang on,” he said. “The invasion of Cuba is now being planned and it will be massive. It will be something the likes of which no one has seen before.”
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Two well known individuals in the political sphere have declared that the controversial dealings involving the late Vere Bird Jnr – the elder brother for former Prime Minister Lester Bird – may have tarnished his political career somewhat. That was the sentiment echoed by Political Analyst Arvel Grant and Antigua Labour Party (ALP) Senator Lennox Weston on Sunday’s Big Issues. Both men, however, concurred that the son of the Father of the Nation had contributed to national development.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cabinet has decided to accord former member of parliament and attorney Vere Bird Jr an official funeral.
The information regarding the decision was conveyed to the media via press statement last evening.
Bird Jr, son of the nation’s founding father Sir Vere Cornwall Bird, and brother of former prime Minister Lester Bird, died on March 31 at the age of 76. He was diagnosed with liver cancer mere days before he died of heart failure, relatives said earlier.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Fewer, but more severe hurricanes, are predicted in the first major forecasts for the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
ImpactWeather has predicted this year could see fewer storms developing into hurricane strength, but more hurricanes intensifying to category 3 or higher.
The company normally offers advice to businesses in fields like oil and gas, petrochemical, healthcare and financial services.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Seven hundred and thirty-one local BAICO policyholders are slated to receive monies they have been awaiting for four years, in Phase II of the collapsed companies payouts. Local judicial manager for the defunct company, Cleveland Seaforth, said the governments of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) gave permission to release payments for Phase II of their BAICO Policyholders Relief Programme on March 25.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Finance Intelligence Unit heads from the English-speaking Caribbean will begin a major two-day meeting at the Jolly Beach Resort from April 3-4.
Up for discussion will be methods of tackling money laundering along with asset forfeiture and the proceeds of crime.
Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer, will deliver a keynote address at the opening ceremony today, which is being chaired by Lt Col Edward Croft.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – An accountant has been appointed to look into the business affairs of companies of former financier R Allen Stanford.
Hordley Forbes of Forbes & Associates, Chartered Accountants, will conduct investigations into Stanford Development Company (SDC) Ltd and three other affiliated companies who are registered owners of property in Antigua.
Attorney General Justin Simon QC on March 5 obtained a court order for the investigation.
Giving’ ST JOHN’S, Antigua – A “pioneer”, “passionate” and “giving” is how colleagues, friends and family described Vere Cornwall Bird Jr, who died on Easter Sunday at the age of 76.
The eldest son of deceased father of the nation, Sir Vere Bird Sr, and elder brother of former prime minister, Lester Bird, died of heart failure, just days after being diagnosed with liver cancer.
Remembering his brother, and admitted sometime rival, Lester Bird said it had been “a very good ride” for the siblings who were just two years apart, with Bird Jr being born in 1936.
conference ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – A two-day meeting allowing for the heads of Financial Intelligence Units from the English-speaking Caribbean to share best practices and experiences in asset forfeiture, money laundering and proceedings of crime, gets underway here on Wednesday.
The April 3-4 meeting will be addressed by Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer and Jeffrey Robinson, described by the British Bankers’ Association as ‘the world’s leading financial crime author’.