Good morning, Antigua and Barbuda. The election is in the rearview. The questions it raised are not.
CBI programme: still on the agenda, still under pressure
Citizenship-by-investment programmes remain the policy question that the recent campaign foregrounded but did not resolve. UPP leader Jamale Pringle had promised during the campaign to work directly with Washington on the issue. The US State Department’s pressure on Antigua and Barbuda — including the visa suspensions imposed earlier this year — has not abated. The minimum investment of roughly US$100,000 has long been contested by US and EU officials, who argue that applicants with dubious backgrounds capitalise on the visa-free travel the Antiguan passport unlocks. Whatever the new political configuration looks like, the CBI question is still the pressure point.
Wage floor moves up, public service interim raise approved
Earlier in the year, the government raised the minimum wage from EC$9 to EC$11.50 per hour, with a phased plan toward EC$13. An interim 5% salary increase for public servants was approved in late March. Both measures remain in the public conversation as the cost-of-living debate continues into the new political cycle.
ECVA volleyball: senior teams compete
Senior beach volleyball teams from the federation participated in the ECVA Senior Beach Volleyball Championship held in Saint Lucia from May 1 to 3. Joseph Clercent and Sheldon Descartes — the reigning champions from the host country — were the favourites; Antigua’s pairs put up strong performances. The regional sports calendar continues to deliver moments worth watching.
Crown land purchases for long-term occupants
The government’s policy allowing people who have occupied Crown land for over ten years to purchase up to a quarter-acre at a low cost remains in implementation. The intent is to formalise tenure, improve infrastructure access, and bring informal settlements into the legal system. The execution is, as is often the case, the test.
Mother’s Day
Sunday is Mother’s Day. In St. John’s, in Codrington, the families are gathering. The celebrations are quieter than Carnival but the warmth is the same.
— Tradewinds Brief Newsroom