Antigua and Barbuda represent two of the most beautiful countries in the Caribbean and apart from their sea, sand, and other features and natural beauty, Antigua/Barbuda has transformed itself from its day as an independent country in 1931 and has moved from an agricultural economy where once sugar was the dominant sector.
Needless to say, like the rest of the region and the world, Antigua/ Barbuda has suffered significantly from the pandemic which has impacted both its tourism industry and its financial services significantly, but Prime Minister Dr. Gaston Brown has pledged to bring the country back to its glory and has established several initiatives to do that.
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Apart from its effort within the borders of Antigua and Barbuda, the country is supported by a large diaspora in North America and the United Kingdom, which matches and/or surpasses the population back home.
Antigua has a population of just around a hundred thousand, and the consensus is that there are well over 120,000 Antiguans overseas with a large number of them in the Bronx, New York alone.
Prime Minister Dr. Gaston Brown has said with regard to the Antiguan diaspora – we consider our diaspora to be an essential part of our country; we view our diaspora as national; we must be fully integrated into our development initiative, no doubt about that – the Antiguan diaspora in New York has made their mark and celebrates in their building, a magnificent brownstone in Harlem, New York, their continued support for their country and continued involvement in the affairs of Antigua.
Prime Minister Brown himself has been a strong voice within the regional leadership, a strong voice in the areas of climate change where he has been quite outspoken, also in the area of reparation for slavery that he has been a strong supporter of, and of course, Antigua has tangled with United States over its online gambling industry, which at its height employed more than 4,000 people and was a major contributor to the economy, but it has shrunk dramatically because of the restriction, says the Antigua government. The Antigua government has gotten favorable rulings from the World Trade Organization, but the United States has chosen to ignore that ruling.
So despite its setback concerning the pandemic and the world economic situation, Antigua is moving aggressively to restore its position in the region and has remained a strong voice. A determined and industrious population with a strong diaspora, the future looks strong for Antigua, and as Antigua celebrates its 41st year of independence, it is going forward strongly into the future and we wish Antigua, the country, and its people well as they celebrate its independence.
