Honourable Asot MichaelMinister of Tourism, Economic Development & EnergyGovernment of Antigua and BarbudaAntigua & Barbuda DiasporaRemarksGood evening ladies and gentlemen...
Thank you for coming to meet me.
I am very grateful and very pleased to see you all.
I
bring you greetings from home where we are embarked upon a
transformational process to rebuild the economy and return prosperity to
our country. .
This is my first visit to Canada as Minister.
I could not let the opportunity pass without meeting you all.
This afternoon I metmy Canadian counterpart, the Hon Michael CoteauMinister of Tourism.
We
agreed that,over the decades,the people of Canada and the people of
Antigua and Barbuda have enjoyed a mutually rewarding relationship.
Indeed,
there are many Antiguans and Barbudans living in Canadawho helped build
the Canadian economy - - while supporting family members at home.
All of you in this room are part of that number.
We
thank you and commend you for the loyalty you have shown to your native
land even as you rightly contribute to your new homeland.
My friends, a fresh wind is blowing across our home country.
The
vast majority of the people hasplaced confidence in the Antigua and
Barbuda Labour Party and our Prime Minister the Honourable Gaston Browne
as he tackles the demanding task of charting Antigua and Barbuda's
road to recovery.
In turn, he is keen to reciprocate the
people's confidence by putting in the hours of work, the intellectual
rigour, and creative thinking that are required by a leader determined
to deliver a better life for his people.
It is no exaggeration
to say that Prime Minister Browne is the first person at work in the
morning, and the last person to leave at night.
Even then, his work is his constant travelling companion and his duty to the people of Antigua and Barbuda his first obligation.
We
thank God for his youthfulness, energy and drive, particularly because
the situation we have inherited as the government is not good.
With
each passing day we have discovered the severity of the country's
fiscal shortfall; the extent of a huge debt burden from over-borrowing;
and the loss of revenues through poor policies.
Indeed, we found a Treasury that was basically empty.
But,
we do not intend to linger in the past; our resolve is to move forward;
to fix the problems that beset our nation and to return it to
viability.
One of the ways that we are doing this is by attracting new investment – both foreign and local.
More investment, means more jobs, more jobs means more spending in the economy, and the creation of even more jobs.
Putting the people back in to work, particularly our young people between the ages of 18 and 35 is a top priority.
Prime
Minister Browne pledged to the people of Antigua and Barbuda that his
administration when elected would bring tangible investments that will
generate much needed economic growth.
He is determined to make
our country an economic powerhouse in the Caribbean and we are committed
to the pursuit of every single undertaking in our campaign manifesto,
'The People's Rescue Plan'.
Economic Development and foreign investment is a key part of my own portfolio and it has my full attention.
Already,
we have embarked upon a number of initiatives to increase the number of
hotel rooms; to establish new facilities; and to increase the marketing
of our islands in many countries including Canada.
Hundreds of
millions of dollars are being invested by the Government in enlarging
capacity, ensuring a more modern infrastructure, and improving the
visitor experience.
Several new hotels will be built, enlarging
the number of available rooms and beds; and several existing properties
will be refurbished and placed back into the stream of commerce.
The
Royal Antiguan will be sold shortly, and an additional hotel constructed
on the property. The Hodges Bay Club will also be resuscitated. The
Half Moon Bay Hotel has attracted new interests with a great likelihood
of it being resurrected.
The St. John's Harbour and the lands
encasing the inland sea will be transformed. A boardwalk, shops,
restaurants, and a hotel are to be constructed on the seafront making
the area far more picturesque and economically vibrant.
At Nelson's Dockyard, my Government intends to create a
New Economic Development Zone.
That
newly-legislated Zone will encourage very low-density winter housing,
not unlike the successful yacht and boat basin, witnessed by members of
my Government, around the island of Sardinia, close to the Italian
mainland.
We have signed a memorandum of understanding with
China's Yida International Investment Antigua for a US$2 Billion resort
development that includes the construction of five-star hotels, a golf
course, 1,300 residential units, shopping facilities, a modern
conference center and a casino.
We will also early in the
new-year break ground for a 400 room “Beaches” Resort as part of our
expansion with the Sandals Resorts International group.
This means more jobs and more opportunity for our people.
In the general election campaign, we undertook to provide 500 houses in 500 days.
What
we did not know at the time was that the previous government had
committed all government-owned lands to a single foreign operator in a
deal that we are reviewing at the moment.
This reality has set back our plans for 500 homes in 500 days, but it has not stopped us.
Already
we have raised $25 million to purchase such lands as are required to
get the housing projects started until the deal signed by the previous
government is fully examined and resolved.
It was our intention –
and it remains our intention – that local contractors should be the
principal beneficiaries of the contracts awarded for the construction of
the 500 homes.
It is also our intention that the prices at
which these houses are sold must be beneficial to our people, not to
transient investors who will syphon off profits abroad.
This is not to suggest in any way that investors – foreign or local – are not entitled to profits.
They are, and my government will uphold their right to transfer profits legitimately made.
But
where a significant part of any project is government resources,
especially land, we expect the benefits to accrue first to the people of
Antigua and Barbuda.
Tourism is our main engine of growth and
as the Minister with the responsibility for the Tourism portfolio, I am
charged with ensuring that tourism increases employment for our
nationals, earns more foreign exchange, provides revenue for our
government and raises the national income.
It is hard work but my team and I have hit the ground running.
I
have already had discussions with airlines and cruise ships in the
Florida area to increase the number of airplane landings and Crusie Ship
calls.
While I am in Canada, I am also talking with Air Canada
and WestJet in the context of both the number of calls in to Antigua and
cost of doing so.
I am also pleased to tell you that we will be
opening a brand new Airport terminal, which will be the largest in the
Eastern Caribbean by March of 2015.
The Airport will be equipped with Jet Bridges and high-end duty free shops.
The
terminal will greatly improve the visitor experience, with the
potential for us to double the current capacity of visitors that pass
through our international Airport.
My friends, Antigua and
Barbuda has always been a second home to Canadians escaping the
unbearable winters that often beset Canada.
We will continue to open our doors to all Canadians – including Antiguans and Barbudans who now live here.
And, we open the doors not only to tourists but to investors.
Among such investors is the Antigua and Barbuda community throughout Canada.
You have an advantage over other Canadians wishing to invest in Antigua and Barbuda because you will be investing at home.
For
instance, I invite groups of you to form yourselves into a company that
can purchase land and build retirement or holiday homes in Antigua and
Barbuda.
Acting collectively, you can acquire land to build
gated, residential communities with all the facilities you enjoy in
Canada but with year-round sunshine, easy access to delightful beaches,
and if you have a mind to – a good shot of Cavalier rum.
Should you wish to pursue that option, the government would be happy to facilitate it.
The only thing I am happy to tell you that we cannot guarantee is snow!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We
are determined to transform the economic and social lives of our
people, and in fulfillment of that noble task we are well and truly
launched. Investment is the key component, and while tourism is our
main industry, and the industry which now attracts our priority
attention, it is not the only area of our focus.
We also want to
take advantage of our natural resource – the Sun – to reduce our
dependence on oil, and to develop renewable energy such as solar.
We
must reduce the cost of oil and disel – even for our road transport
vehicles that account for as much as 60% of our costly oil consumption.
We
have been in office now for only two months, but despite the setbacks
and crises that we found, we have marched on... determined to deliver;
resolved to rebuild our economy and restore our nation's place of pride
in the world.
In delivering the goods and services to which our
people are rightfully entitled, we also want to restore the values of
our traditional Antigua and Barbuda society, including respect for our
elders; regard for our national symbols and institutions; discipline
among our youth; community spirit and involvement; and pride in
ourselves.
So even as we rebuild our economy, we know that we must also rebuild our society.
In
this regard, education, social development and giving a helping hand to
the less well-off are all part of the duty of care we have, as a
government, to all our people.
My friends, I have been delighted
to share with you some of the maps we have drawn and the roads that we
have started to build toward the restoration of our country; its economy
and its social fabric.
I feel a deep sense of privilege to be
part of the rebuilding team, and I encourage you, as brothers and
sisters, to join the team in any way that you think you can.
You would be most welcome.
Thank you
