Part 1

Economic Corruption; Unfair Trading Practices, & Neo-colonialism

By Kwame Nkosi Romeo

     

"Some of us seem to accept the fatalist position, the fatalist attitude, that the creator accorded us a certain position and condition, and therefore there is no need trying to be otherwise." - Marcus Garvey.

 

Labor Day in Antigua and Barbuda is a travesty of justice. Labor Day has lost its resistance to unfair employment policies and partisan politics. This day was an excellent time for LIAT (1974) Limited workers to assert their influence by organizing this vital moment with placards and speeches, assembling other workers with similar difficulties, and having one gigantic rally. On this critical day, the working class could proclaim solidarity and the beginning of needed change. But that was not to be! As affirmed by Karl Marx," Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains."

Chains imprison the workers' liberation and surrender the power of the working class to political organizations. The working class loss is the Antigua Labor Party (ALP) gain. Until that system of workers' separation is shattered, workers will be subservient to the powers that be.

Workers possess the power and have the right to organize and demonstrate self-sufficiency. This outline is precursory to the prevailing ideology of autocratic politics, economic disfavor, and disempowerment.

The Antigua Labor Party (ALP ) thrashed the United Progressive Party (UPP) almost seven years ago, winning two consecutive general elections on June 12, 2014, and the snap election on February 24, 2018. June 12, 2014, was ALP's third generational leadership change during ALP's 55-year rule since the right to vote in 1951. Finally, the constituencies removed ALP from office in favor of the Progressive Labour Movement (PLM) in 1971 and the United Progressive Party (UPP) in 2004 and 2009. ALP suffered overwhelming defeats in 1971 and 2004 but closed the margin of losses in 2009. Today, people are angry but lack the fierce resistance of 1968 and 1979.

Shortly after the general elections, parliamentary change was evident. That's as far as it goes in every election under each political party. The UPP was elected to enact constitutional change to enhance government accountability and transparency, exact justice on criminal politicians, and remove Queen Elizabeth II of England as the country's head of state, but these expectations never occurred. The jury is still out.

This UPP error gave ALP unfettered power to continue under newly elected prime minister Gaston Browne. Instantly, ALP tradition of transgression was apparent between Browne and the Chairman of the YIDA Investment Group, Yida Zhang, flagrantly signing a non-binding US$2 billion Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) on June 13, 2014, now languishing in limbo. The ALP banked on the worthless US$2 billion, 1,517 acres tourism mega-resort, including Guiana Island, Crump and Rabbit Island, and the Crump Peninsula.

At a subsequent time, Yida Zhang embarked upon a Hard Rock Cafe & Casino venture on Guana Island. At the groundbreaking ceremony on April 30, 2015, the vice president of Yida International, Kenneth Wok prejudices, exhibited a sad episode of brazen vulgarity, privateer insularity, and shameful arrogance while touting economic abundance:  

"… To all those of you who are in the minority that choose to stand in our country's way and to be on the wrong side of history, we have an unambiguous message for you. You and your families will be left behind in the ashes of the previous administration while we as a country rise like a phoenix towards real economic prosperity,"

Wok's racist assault was acceptable because the people elected a government that failed to understand the boundaries of morality and endorsed any act of gross indecency against the community. 

That mud-slinging began again from the leadership to investors, so there was no possibility of a reaction from prime minister Gaston Browne. On the other hand, then-existing UPP Opposition Leader Baldwin Spencer justly condemns Wok's callousness and indifference towards the population. (Yida executive issues warning to critics - Antigua Observer- May 3, 2015)

Ultimately, Yida Zhang corroborates capitalization problems by failing to accomplish the Hard Rock Cafe & Casino. 

In contrast, Viking Production Limited (VPL) of Jamaica, groundbreaking on April 17, 2016, opened a Hard Rock Cafe in Montego Bay, Jamaica, without difficulty on June 08, 2017. VPL generated more than 80 jobs. So it's beyond belief that Zhang was incapable of underwriting 0.15% - 0.25% towards a Hard Rock International (HRI) franchise costing between $2,995,000 and $4,910,000 million.

Are we lawful captives of foreign capital? 

Very likely, since Browne's constant pronouncements and repeated abuse of power are sufficient evidence that the Chinese can colonize Antigua and Barbuda, "Tell them to bring the money and come."

Indeed, hoggish politicians and the social hierarchy are gobbling up billions in payoff through the Citizen by Investment Programme (CIP) that sells Antigua and Barbuda passports and land globally, emphasizing the Asian continent comprising 48 countries, specifically China along with elite resident business people, interest in the YIDA-controlled Antigua and Barbuda Special Economic Zone (ABSEZ). 

This agreement unsettles many who argue it should be a country above self-interest. ABSEZ contradicts the World Trade Organization (WTO) trade rules without discrimination. In contrast, Antigua and Barbuda won the gambling battle against the US determined by similar unfair trading practices. 

Yet, the ALP government authorized ABSEZ to scheme discriminatory trading practices to the detriment of local businesses. The ABSEZ is a cesspool of corruption and is contrary to Article XXIV:5(b) (c) of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT 1947)

(b) with respect to a free-trade area, or an interim agreement leading to the formation of a free-trade area, the duties and other regulations of commerce maintained in each of the constituent territories and applicable at the formation of such free–trade area or the adoption of such interim agreement to the trade of contracting parties not included in such area or not parties to such agreement shall not be higher or more restrictive than the corresponding duties and other regulations of commerce existing in the same constituent territories prior to the formation of the free-trade area, or interim agreement as the case may be; and

(c) any interim agreement referred to in subparagraphs (a) and (b) shall include a plan and schedule for the formation of such a customs union or of such a free-trade area within a reasonable length of time.

ALP MP Asot Michael exposed this nefariousness during the budget speech presentation on February 11, 2021, alluding to mercenary businesses allowed to generate enormous wealth by tax concessions on importing goods. Along with public procurement abuse, the monopoly of essential services points the finger at the misuse of public office:

"...take an honest look at these endless tax concessions to monopoly operations providing essential services to the people that simply transfer hundreds of millions of dollars from the limited spending power of the government into private wealth creation machines."

Michael forgot to mention that it's nothing new; these are issues that ACLM and Tim Hector constantly articulated in the past. 

Today, the last remaining independent voice of NewsCo-Observer radio and compelling late-night show, the Snakepit Night at Knight, host Mr. Dane Knight, is not absorbed by prime minister Browne's politics of distraction. 

Knight is carrying on the struggle and is an example of fighting the ALP propaganda and monopolizers of public procurement and wealth generation, such as the new migrants in the 2nd millennium of the 20th century, the Lebanese-Syrian community. The Lebanese arrived in Antigua in 1908, and the Syrians in 1958. 

Their economic trajectory occurred during the decades of the 1960s, the latter part of the 1970s to the present, with implicit government collusion choking the very same indigenous people with their increasing financial muscle. 

Despite the business competition between the Lebanese and the Syrian communities, neither one threatens the political status quo since they have benefited tremendously from the public treasury at the local people's expense. 

Also, former UPP Finance Minister Dr. Errol Cort was equally culpable in the sellout of state resources, for example, Antigua Masonry Products (AMP) and the Royal Antiguan Hotel. 

The UPP was forewarned but never noticed, as the hands of PM Baldwin Spencer hoisted in the air by benefactor Aziz Hadeed of the Hadeed Group of Companies (HGC) on Backstreet in St. John's after the UPP won the March 23, 2004 election, later there was a fallout. 

This result stems from the HGC-owned Antigua Power Company (APC) electricity distribution monopoly. Subsequently, Hadeed, upon returning to the ALP, became a vigorous opponent of Spencer and connected with turncoat Dr. Cort later.

Part 2......final upcoming