ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Political Leader of the Antigua Labour Party (ALP) Gaston Browne has stoutly rejected the request by Attorney Vere Bird III to contest the next general elections on the ALP ticket. Browne, in a brief conversation with OBSERVER Media, said, “Not on my ticket,” when questioned about Bird’s interest. Bird made his interest known during a branch meeting last week and was awaiting a response from the executive of the party.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Aircraft supplier ATR and LIAT have jointly announced a deal for three planes.
According to the release, the deal is valued at over 100 million US dollars.
LIAT officials say the first of the 48-seater ATR 42-600s is to be delivered in June.
The deal also reportedly includes the option to purchase two 68-seat ATR 72-600.
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - Almost all of the countries of this region depend on tourism but the industry does not dominate the economies of all of the Caribbean countries. Jamaica exports bauxite; St Lucia produces bananas and manufactures lights, and Barbados, described as having a well-developed mixed economy also has offshore finance and information services as important foreign exchange earners.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The Antigua and Barbuda Investment Authority (ABIA) says negotiations are continuing with investors for the establishment of a US$75 million poultry farm here. A statement posted on the government website said the project, which will focus mainly on the export market, will provide direct employment for approximately 800 people. ABIA chairman Dr. McChesney Emanuel has commented on reports here that the Ciboney Poultry Company (CPC) multi-million dollar project would adversely affect the local poultry industry.
The Third General Assembly Meeting of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) was held on 13-14 January 2013 in Abu Dhabi, and the CARICOM Secretariat represented by its Programme Manager, Energy, participated as an Observer. Four CARICOM Member States were also represented, viz, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Guyana, and St. Vincent and Grenadines.
DALLAS, Texas, CMC – The receiver for jailed Texas financier Allen Stanford’s assets has sought approval from a US federal judge for interim payment to swindled investors. In a filing in a federal district court, Ralph Janvey, the court-appointed receiver, asked Judge David Godbey for his permission to pay more than 17,000 investors an initial distribution of US$55 million. If approved, Janvey said investors swindled by Stanford may receive an interim distribution payment worth a penny on the dollar of their losses.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Two international airlines have committed scheduled flights to Antigua, increasing total airlift to the country, Tourism Minister John Maginley reported.
German airline Condor and Italian airline Blue Panorama both have scheduled flights to Antigua for the current winter season.
Maginley, speaking during the Budget debate in Parliament yesterday, was responding to charges by the opposition that arrivals to Antigua have been falling.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The main opposition Antigua Labour Party (ALP) has unveiled a “rescue plan” for the island that it says will generate an additional EC$100 million (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) annually.
Opposition Leader Gaston Browne responding to the 2012-13 tax free national budget presented to Parliament last month by Finance Minister Harold Lovell, said the additional revenue would come as a result of consolidating ministries and legislating a mandatory investment in the country by offshore financial banks.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The Caracas initiative, which provides cheap fuel to Antigua & Barbuda will continue – Venezuelan ambassador Carlos Perez Silva has confirmed – even as speculation persists over the health of the Venezuelan leader.
The St John’s based diplomat in an exclusive interview with OBSERVER Media, firmly rejected that the PetroCaribe will end and brushed aside rumours of a Hugo Chavez that is not making progress.
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - The United States of America has long been regarded as the land of milk and honey, by the lesser-off inhabitants of the Caribbean and of Latin America. Many people of these countries have tried every trick available to them to enter and remain in this land. Some have been successful in gaining entry and others have not met with any success. Of those who have been successful in their quest the odds have been in the favour of some, to better their economic condition, for others, the odds have been most unfavourable.