分类： Politics

Parliament will convene next Thursday to debate the proposed multi-million-dollar investment in Jolly Beach Hotel.

Attorney General Sir Steadroy Benjamin confirmed the development after Cabinet discussions, which included input from Social Security Scheme officials David Matthias and Geoffrey Joseph. Both backed Cabinet’s plan for Social Security to invest in the resort’s redevelopment.

The officials cited the Social Security Act, which allows a committee, overseen by the responsible Minister, to manage the Scheme’s investments—requiring Cabinet approval.

Cabinet reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining fiduciary responsibility, recalling the 2010–2013 financial crisis that led to a $30 million IMF bailout. Under Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the Scheme has since stabilised, despite recent challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.

With 47,000 active contributors and a monthly surplus of EC $2 million, officials warned that longer life expectancy could impact the Fund’s long-term sustainability. The current contributions-to-payout ratio is 5.9:1—well below the ideal 10:1.

Plans are underway to strengthen the Fund through financial restructuring, property investment, legal reform, and regional partnerships.

The Social Security Scheme was introduced in 1965 by the Antigua Labour Party to replace the Poor Relief System with a more sustainable safety net.

Great store has recently been placed throughout the Caribbean in Jamaica making a petition to King Charles seeking a legal opinion from the Judicial Committee of his Privy Council on several questions relating to reparations for slavery.

Morality or political correctness has no business descending into the realm of the judiciary or worse the theater of the absurd.

It beggars belief that so many well thinking people have been blinded by what amounts to a fool’s errand for what is clearly and demonstrably a historical wrong and ancient debt in need of a decision of how much and when.

It amounts to diplomatic pussyfooting not a realistic effect to what is and should be a remedial timetable.

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is an appeal court now turned into advisors to King Charles by persons appointed by him. The Caribbean and Jamaica will have no role in what is essentially a private process.

Other than the UK Law Lords there are only two colonial occasional invitees from the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands.

Jamaican Prime Minister Holness recently appointed to the selfsame Privy Council in 2021 would not play any part in his petition to a part of the body he is a member of and has not resigned from in view of his petition.

The most recent appointments to the JCPC began with BVI national Dame Janice Periera in August 2024 and the Cayman Islands Sir Anthony Smellie in February 2025, both British Overseas Territories of the U.K.

At the time of Dame Periera’s appointment Lord Hodge stated that this arose from a revival of the practice of having a distinguished judge from one of it’s jurisdictions.

To be clear:

1. The appointments to the Privy Council thus far have only been from colonies or British Overseas Territories.

2. The practice of appointments ceased on former colonies becoming independent.

3. No judges have been appointed from Jamaica under this new or revived policy.

4. No judges have been appointed from other former,now independent,colonies.

5. These Caribbean judges have only been appointed to the Privy Council and not the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

6. These Caribbean judges may only sit occasionally and by invitation to the JCPC.

7. There have been only two appointments with invitations under the current policy.

The expectation of some bright, shiny decision, either way, is completely misguided.

Walk past the theatrics of legal advice from the King’s retinue and you are left with a plethora of unanswered questions starting from how much to the check is in the mail.

The U.K. Is not the sole country facing this persistent liability and the King cannot speak for parliament or the paymasters, the proper venue for this discussion.

Churches and universities have not waited on the JCPC to take action and neither should any government with blood and profits on their hands.

Who feels it knows it.

Peter Polack is the author of The Last Hot Battle of the Cold War: South Africa vs. Cuba in the Angolan Civil War (2013), Jamaica, The Land of Film (2017) and Guerrilla Warfare: Kings of Revolution (2018). He was a contributor to Encyclopedia of Warfare (2013).He has completed his latest book entitled Soviet Spies Worldwide: Country by Country, 1940–1988

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has firmly rejected rumours that he is grooming his wife, Works Minister Maria Browne, to succeed him as Prime Minister—a claim circulating following high praise for her ministry’s performance.

Speaking on the Browne and Browne radio programme, the Prime Minister clarified that his commendation of the Public Works Ministry was not endorsement of any political ambition for his spouse.

“I want to make it categorically clear: no, I’m not pushing Lady Browne to become Prime Minister,” he said, calling the speculation “vanity” and “nepotism” narratives being spread by critics. “When people say so, I’m not encouraging it.”

Browne highlighted that his praise was rooted in the ministry’s exceptional record on infrastructure and urban beautification. He noted improvements in road maintenance and cleanliness and a sharp rise in staff professionalism under Minister Browne’s leadership.

“You have to give credit where it’s due,” he said, citing recent upgrades, inclusive of patch-up works on major roads and revitalisation of public spaces. “She not only brings her circulation notes to Cabinet, she speaks the technical language. Not even I understand the technical language.”

The Prime Minister emphasised his admiration for the ministry’s methodical approach under Minister Browne and Public Works Director Collis King, who attends weekly meetings to review project progress.

“It speaks to her absorptive capacity and her rapport with technical staff,” he said. “We’re just happy with the leadership of Public Works and the performance of staff.”

Browne insisted his laudatory comments were in recognition of effective governance, not a political play. “This is not about pushing any individual to power,” he added. “This is about national development, not about succession planning.”

The Prime Minister closed by reiterating his confidence in Minister Browne’s stewardship but denied any suggestion of positioning her for higher office, stating firmly, “No, man. I’m not pushing her to become Prime Minister.”

Antigua and Barbuda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Chet Greene, has voiced concern over what he sees as a breakdown in regional diplomatic protocol after former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley was stopped twice by immigration authorities at VC Bird International Airport without the Antiguan government’s prior knowledge.

Rowley, who stepped down from office in March, revealed this week that he was flagged during two separate visits to Antigua—on July 13 and again days later while returning to Trinidad from Montserrat. On both occasions, he was asked to wait by immigration officials and later told he had been placed on a list, which he initially believed to be an Interpol watch list.

He said during the first encounter, despite presenting his diplomatic passport, he was escorted to an executive lounge by Antiguan security officers after what he described as a significant delay. A second encounter allegedly involved a similar stop, though a supervisor reportedly explained it was a case of mistaken identity.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the reports emerged, Minister Greene said he was disappointed that Antigua and Barbuda—a sovereign Caribbean state—was neither informed of Rowley’s travel plans nor given the opportunity to formally acknowledge a former regional leader.

“There were no provisions made especially or particularly for Dr Rowley passing through,” Greene said. “And you know that in itself is where we have a concern because we would like to know that our protocol is extended to persons who would have served this region.”

He described the incident as regrettable, noting that Antigua had now been drawn into what he termed a “local political matter”.

Greene declined to comment on whether Dr. Rowley had, in fact, been placed on any security list, noting that he had not spoken directly to immigration authorities and that any further comment would be inappropriate. “Antigua and Barbuda does not have any comments to make on this matter, which seemingly is, even from Dr Rowley’s account, a local political development,” he said.

In Trinidad and Tobago, both the Police Commissioner and Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander have denied any government involvement in flagging the former prime minister.

“Just like everybody else, I am wondering from whence that came,” Alexander said. “We have no information about that. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago did not put anybody, from my knowledge, on any watch list… not that particular individual (Rowley) or anyone else.”

He emphasized that Interpol operates independently, and that the government does not interfere with its procedures. While no formal investigation is planned, Alexander said the matter may still be examined internally.

CABINET NOTES- The Cabinet was briefed on what it unequivocally described as bureaucratic tactics being employed by shareholders of the Eastern Caribbean Amalgamated Bank (ECAB) to block the conversion of the government’s 25% preference shares into ordinary equity shares.

Cabinet strongly condemned these actions as intentional and obstructive, asserting that the bank’s shareholders are actively undermining the government’s rightful equity position. This calculated resistance is viewed as a profit-hoarding maneuver designed to erode and dilute the government’s ownership stake over time.

The Cabinet issued a direct call to ECAB shareholders to cease this obstruction immediately and to facilitate the rightful conversion without further delay. It made clear that continued resistance will not be tolerated.

Once the conversion is executed, the government intends to divest a portion of its ordinary shares to the public, in line with its commitment to domestic economic empowerment and broader citizen ownership of national assets.

In conclusion, Cabinet underscored that it will pursue all available political and legal avenues—without hesitation—to secure and protect the interests of the people of Antigua and Barbuda.

CABINET NOTES- The Cabinet welcomed the Director and Deputy Director of the Social Security Scheme, who presented a detailed report on the Scheme’s performance over the past 15 years. From the outset, both officials voiced strong support for the Cabinet’s decision of Social Security investing in the redevelopment of the Jolly Beach Resort. They cited provisions in the Social Security Act, which establish a Social Security Fund Investment Committee responsible for managing the Scheme’s investment portfolio under the guidance of the Minister responsible—i.e., the Cabinet.

The team emphasized the clear legal framework governing the Fund:

• The Cabinet and responsible Minister retain ultimate authority over the Fund’s strategic direction and investments.
• The Investment Committee and Board provide oversight; however, Cabinet approval is required for all investment decisions, particularly following legislative amendments made in 2016.

The importance of maintaining fiduciary responsibility and safeguarding the solvency of the Fund was repeatedly underscored.

Cabinet was reminded of the Scheme’s prior financial crisis between 2010 and 2013, during which it was unable to meet pension obligations. The then administration was forced to secure a $30 million injection from the IMF to prevent collapse. In contrast, under the stewardship of Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the Scheme was stabilized and restored to solvency—even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when monthly contributions fell from EC $12 million to EC $7 million. Despite this downturn, the government kept its payments to the Scheme up to date.

As of now, the Scheme has reached a historic milestone with 47,000 active contributors, the highest in its history. This has enabled a monthly surplus of EC $2 million. However, this positive status remains fragile due to structural and demographic challenges—particularly the sharp increase in life expectancy. When pension eligibility was first set at age 60, most males did not live beyond that age. Today, many pensioners live into their 70s and 80s, drawing benefits for up to 20 years, making the current structure financially unsustainable.

Led by Prime Minister Browne, the session featured robust discussions on the financial sustainability and reform of the Social Security system, covering long-term investment strategies, demographic realities, and regional integration within the OECS. A critical point was that the current contributions-to-payout ratio is 5.9:1, whereas a ratio closer to 10:1 is necessary for long-term viability.

The meeting concluded with consensus that the session was a strategic and forward-thinking engagement, focused on securing the future of Antigua and Barbuda’s Social Security Fund through financial restructuring, real estate investments like the Jolly Beach Resort, legal oversight, and regional collaboration. The overarching goal is to ensure the system remains viable, resilient, and responsive for current and future generations.

At the conclusion, the Honourable Attorney General informed Cabinet that a formal debate on the government’s support for the Social Security Scheme’s investment in the Jolly Beach Resort will be held on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.