ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Former Prime Minister Lester Bird labelled the recently deceased Venezuelan president a “despot” and questioned the inner workings of Venezuela’s $200 million loan to the nation.
In an interview played on the Big Issues yesterday, Lester Bird said Hugo Chavez did not carry out “normal processes” of loaning money to Antigua & Barbuda through PetroCaribe and the Bolivarian Alternative of the Americas (ALBA).
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - There is an old time saying that “You never miss the water ‘til the well runs dry.”
This is true and with the death of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, we have been left to speculate whether the special arrangements between Venezuela and Antigua & Barbuda will soon run dry.
Perhaps this is mere conjecture, but the question concerning the future of the bilateral agreements between the aforementioned countries has been a sore recurring decimal since a friend of our country lost his fight with cancer.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – A regional expert on earthquakes said residents should not fear the natural happening, but rather, prepare for its inevitable arrival.
Following the revelation that two minor earthquakes hit near to Antigua & Barbuda in the last two days, Director of the Seismic Research Centre at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad, Dr Joan Latchman, said residents should not be alarmed because Antigua & Barbuda has always exhibited a “high level” of activity.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Pungent fumes drifting over Antigua from Montserrat’s volcano sparked alarm yesterday, prompting disaster chiefs to issue a health alert. The National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) told OBSERVER media that staff had received a number of calls from concerned members of the public complaining about a stench of sulphur. Director Philmore Mullin said a change in wind had blown gases from the Soufriere Hills volcano over to the island.
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - This year’s observance of International Women’s Day will be especially poignant for women across this country, coming as it does one week after the brutal slaying of a mother of five, while at work. Forefront in the minds of the women of this country must be that most basic of rights – the right to be safe in their homes, on the street and in the workplaces. A recently conducted informal survey indicated that fear is the overriding emotion in Antigua & Barbuda, especially amongst women who live alone.
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - This week much of our region is grieving. Flags across the Caribbean and Latin America are being flown at half-mast. Several countries have declared three days of official mourning. In many more, heads are bowed in sorrow and silent reflection. In Antigua & Barbuda and beyond, thousands are swathed in a wave of sadness as we come to terms with the loss of one of history’s most vibrant, vocal and vociferous leaders. Around the world, reactions to the news of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s death at 58 have been slightly more diverse.
St. John’s Antigua- The country is to observe three days of mourning for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez who died after a two-year battle with cancer on Tuesday. Flags across the nation will also be flown at half-mast in tribute to the flamboyant leftist leader, described by the Prime Minister as a “positive symbol of hope” for the region. PM Baldwin Spencer, in making the announcement last night, said the Caribbean owed Venezuela a “debt of gratitude” in return for Chavez’s generous fiscal policies which pumped money into several struggling nations.
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Antigua and Barbuda has made “significant progress” towards meeting the goals of its fiscal consolidation programme and reduce debt and that it expects the economic recovery to continue in 2013. An IMF mission headed by Geoffrey Bannister has ended a visit to the island to carry out a review of the multi-million dollar Stand By Agreement, St. John’s has with the Washington based financial institution.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Despite Antigua & Barbuda still owing 63 per cent of its contribution to the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), the funding agency is still in the process of developing a programme for the nation.
“Antigua & Barbuda is not yet in receipt of any country assistance programme from the CDF and that is something that we are hoping to address in this meeting, because Antigua & Barbuda has not paid up its full contribution as yet,” Ambassador Lorne McDonnough said in an interview with OBSERVER media at yesterday’s sensitisation meeting.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - AT their recent inter-sessional summit in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, Caribbean leaders called on the United States to comply with the ruling by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to end the long running dispute with Antigua on Internet gaming. They affirmed their “full support” for their CARICOM colleague in its fight against our giant neighbour to the north.
However, if past behaviour is any guide to future action, sceptics would be justified
in believing that the Barack Obama Administration will not behave any differently