It is extraordinary that, even in these times of international pretence and overlooking of deception in the interest of political correctness, the Government of the United States of America perseveres in ignoring the behaviour of one of its smallest and perhaps most determined enemies:  the sovereign island nation of Antigua and Barbuda.

On a short list of actions taken by its Government, there are:

  • Expropriation of American-owned properties and businesses.
  • Membership in ALBA (Chavez' answer to FTAA)
  • Support of Iran's right to nuclear power
  • Support of Japan's whaling position
  • Support of Castro's policies
  • Breach of Caribbean Basin Initiative
  • Breach of Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act
  • Association with international financial criminals, such as Vesco, Cooper and Stanford
  • Collaboration with R. Allen Stanford in defrauding thousands of US citizens, among other investor/victims
  • Non-compliance with extradition treaties by delaying legal process on Antigua
  • Legal action against the USA at the WTO on issue of off-shore gambling
  • Threat of sanctions against the USA for its compliance with its own laws on such activity
  • Money laundering
  • Sale of passports, involvement in the trans-shipment of arms and drugs, as well as human trafficking 

There is more.  Much more malgovernance and abuse of power that can be authenticated over the short life of this now independent member of the Commonwealth, which will be celebrating its 29th anniversary in November 2010.

The Government of Antigua has much to celebrate.   

For one thing, at least thus far, Antigua has got away with all the international transgressions committed by its Government, with no noticeable difference in actions between the opposing political parties that have both had a go at being elected to power.  

Antigua has established its development plan of international entitlement, where its "small, poverty stricken island state" status provides it with a most desired handicap:  help must be given by more developed nations and nothing is to be expected in return. 

All criticism must equally be suspended, let it appear to emanate from a colonial, master-slave and racially-charged prejudice. 

The question remains: how much longer will this status quo be maintained?

A breaking point could be the following development:

The Antiguan media has published photographs of US Attorney General, Eric Holder, shaking hands with Dr. Errol Cort, acting in his capacity as Chairman of Caricom's Council for National Security and Law Enforcement, at the inaugural event celebrating the signing of the treaty called the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative in Washington, on May 27th 2010.  

The intention of this treaty is to reduce, if not prevent, the infiltration of terrorism, money, arms and individual terrorists, into the Caribbean Basin and from there into the USA.

In addition to concerns over the cavalier treatment of earlier treaties with very similar names, there is also the matter of the individual appointed by Caricom to represent its commitment to the cause. 

The problem there is that Dr. Errol Cort has other achievements in his C.V, which are regularly left on the cutting floor of his public presentations.

It is true that he is currently the Minister in charge of National Security and Labour for Antigua, with oversight over a number of entities, many of which have openly breached international standards of behaviour.   Among other responsibilities, he oversees the FSRC.   

Until last year's elections, when he lost his seat in Parliament to ex-Prime Minister Lester Bird, Errol Cort was also Minister of Finance.  

As such, he was the prime force behind the Government's dealings with all matters financial, including those involving R. Allen Stanford, whom he also served as personal attorney. 

The official response to raised eyebrows over the "potential conflict of interest" was that during Cort's "service to the country", the retainer of thirty thousand US dollars per month was not paid by Stanford to Errol Cort directly; it was paid instead to Cort's legal firm. 

Never mind that he and his sister are the sole principals of the limited partnership and that Cort's wife runs the office.

Prior to his five years as Minister of Finance under the Spencer administration, Errol Cort was the Attorney General under Bird's administration from the time of Stanford's arrival on Antigua and during the time Bird first embarked on the adventure of expropriating American-owned private property and business to facilitate its transfer to friend and client, R. Allen Stanford.  

Now, Errol Cort is vouching for the security of American borders and the safety of American citizens.  Does that not fill everyone with confidence?

As for Antigua, it is another feather in its celebratory cap:  The U.S. Foreign Operations Appropriation Bill passed this year in Congress appropriated "no less than $37 million" for the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative.

The Obama administration's Fiscal Year 2011 foreign aid request allocates over $72 million for the Initiative.

Another spigot has been turned on!  Fill your cups, Ministers!  

A word of caution, however: do not drink and drive.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.