 |
||||
 |
|||
|
Informing The Uninformed....
|
|||
|
|||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
PRIME
MINISTER
THE
HONOURABLE
100
DAYS OF SUNSHINE
ADDRESS
TO THE NATION
NATIONAL
SIMULCAST
My
fellow citizens, and residents and friends of
99
days ago, on Wednesday, the 24th of March, I was sworn in as
On
that day, the 24th of March, 99 days ago, His Excellency, the Governor General,
invited me to form a government.
Tomorrow,
July 2nd, will thus be the precise date for the celebration of the first 100
Days of Government in the Sunshine.
I
have chosen to talk with you this evening because I leave the country tomorrow
for the CARICOM
I
have a number of assignments to complete as Chairman of the Conference of Heads
of the Community before handing over to my successor.
100
days ago, on Tuesday, March 23rd, the nation’s prayers for liberation were
answered.
On
that historic day, in a massive turnout of over 90%, the Antiguan and Barbudan
people voted, overwhelmingly, to change their government.
On
that historic day, the Antiguan and Barbudan people entrusted the task of
leadership to the United Progressive Party.
In
a very fundamental sense, the sun rose on a new nation on the morning of
Wednesday, the 24th of March, 2004.
The
mission to manage the stabilisation, the recovery, the reconstruction and the
renewal of our nation is by no means a 100-day assignment.
Still,
after only 99 days of Government in the Sunshine, the Antiguan and Barbudan
people have much to celebrate.
I
therefore have no quarrel with the country’s spontaneous two-day observance of
the United Progressive Party’s first 100 Days.
Perhaps
the difference that the first 100 Sunshine Days have made to
After
just 99 days, the UPP has profoundly changed, and for the foreseeable future,
the conduct and the character of governance in this country.
Transparency,
Accountability, Fiscal Restraint and Rectitude, Integrity and Decency, ideas
alien in the past, are now impregnably embedded in governance in this country,
and in the people’s expectations.
Today,
Antiguans and Barbudans, here and all over the world, are prouder people,
walking taller.
The
Sunshine Government is moving Antigua and Barbuda away from generations of
notoriety and winning the respect of the people and the governments of our
sister nations in the region, and in the international community of nations.
A
telling example of the character of your new government comes in a development
that was reported to me a couple of days ago.
Last
week, a member of the government promised to make sure that an investment
proposal would be routed expeditiously to the competent government official.
The
prospective investor, conditioned by prior experience with the previous
administration, wanted to know what the Minister wanted for his intervention.
To
his surprise, the Minister, my Minister, told that investor, “All we want is
that you should be a successful entrepreneur, a good employer, and a
civic-minded corporate citizen.”
In
fewer than 100 days, the character of government in
As
we come to the 100th day of United Progressive Party governance, the nation has
cause not just for celebration, but for jubilation.
To
reflect on these and other realities, Ministers of State and Parliamentary
Secretaries joined Cabinet Ministers in a two-day retreat over the last weekend.
We
could not have hoped for a more conducive environment for reflection and for
visioning than the beauty and serenity of Curtain Bluff, where Bernadette and
Rob Sherman generously hosted and housed us as their overnight guests.
I
thank Bernadette and Rob for their gracious hospitality.
The
warmth and the professionalism of every member of the staff at Curtain Bluff
last Saturday and Sunday represented the essence of the Antiguan and Barbudan
character.
Cal
Roberts, the general manager of Curtain Bluff, was an attentive host who would
be a prize catch for any hotel in the world.
He
is a model for ambition, drive and accomplishment for every Antiguan and
Barbudan.
Carl
Roberts, who was born and bred and still lives at Johnson’s Point near to
Curtain Bluff, is a distinct asset to one of the finest hotels in the region and
the world, and a credit to Antigua and Barbuda.
In
the context of role models in our country, Sir Viv Richards is perhaps the most
extravagantly talented son
I
am happy to confirm that Cabinet has designated this great Antiguan and this
international icon, Sir Vivian Richards, as
We
expect that Sir Viv’s legendary potency at the wicket will be reflected in his
efforts at creating goodwill, promoting tourism and attracting investment for
Sir
Viv’s appointment as Commonwealth Ambassador Plenipotentiary can be viewed as
a “Sunshine-100” recognition for
To
continue with the weekend Cabinet Retreat, our conference room was converted
into an impromptu chapel as we made time for meditation and prayer on Sunday
morning.
In
a special service that brought a special grace to our gathering, we were
reminded of our continuing commitment to inviting God to be our compass to our
government, in the same way that he was our compass when we were seeking the
opportunity to govern.
Fellow
citizens, residents and friends of
Statements
coming from a number of persons suggest that the United Progressive Party
Government was expected in our first 100 Days to put right 28 years of wrongs.
I
find it immensely flattering that people are looking for miracles from the
Government in the first 100 Days of the more than 1,900 days that the
Constitution allows the UPP in our first term.
We
expected we would find the state of the nation’s affairs in complete chaos.
We
were right.
The
reality is far beyond our worst fears.
The
previous administration’s perennial boasts of economic strength and overall
affluence were consistently spurious.
In
the absence of any public accounting on the country’s financial affairs, there
was no way to expose the serial official deception in these matters.
In
the United States of America, top officials stealing from their corporations,
hiding debt, covering up losses and concocting good-news financial reports have
been publicly handcuffed, and fingerprinted and charged with felonies.
They
have been prosecuted and they have plea-bargained and have returned millions
they stole from their organisations and their shareholders.
As
is now coming to light, the conspiracy among members of the previous
administration to conceal the truth about the state of the economy is just as
despicable, and has inflicted infinitely more pain and suffering on more people.
They
drove the economy to suffocation under billions of dollars debt which they never
revealed to the people.
Antigua
and Barbuda has been delinquent in its financial obligations to every regional
and international organisation in which we have membership or to which we are
affiliated.
In
2003, interest payments on the country’s Public Sector Debt was well over $100
Million, and well over 25% of recurrent revenue.
The
Recurrent Account Deficit last year was close to $100 Million.
All
of this is a direct consequence of the economic collapse that had long ago
began.
A
direct consequence of all of this is that large numbers of young people have had
no hope of finding employment; even as the employment rolls of the state sector
were bloated with political appointees past retirement, many of them
double-dipping and receiving multiple pay packets from the government.
Every
Cabinet Minister, every Minister of State, every Parliamentary Secretary, every
member of the UPP Executive, is constantly besieged by constituents seeking
jobs.
It
is particularly heart-rending for all of us to find young people left in a
jobless state in such large numbers while the state catered to
so many retirees on second careers and so many double dippers.
None
of this has developed in one hundred days.
It
has been endemic in the system that the UPP met on coming into office.
The
unemployment figures that the former administration reported were spurious.
They
were nothing but concoctions.
The
country’s economy has long been seriously ill.
It
cannot be easily or readily reconstructed.
We
have made a start.
Major
proposals, policies and programmes are now subjected to rigorous assessment by
Standing Committees of Cabinet.
There
is no semblance of one-man rule in my Cabinet.
We
are evaluating a number of project proposals from foreign investors.
We
will not approve any investment proposal before completion of the due diligence
that we consider essential to projects that promise to create jobs and grow the
economy.
There
will be no replays of the Royal Antiguan and the Asian Village fiascos during my
watch.
We
are told that the Government of Antigua and Barbuda owes a staggering $200
million debt on the Deep Bay.
This
project has put a great deal of wealth in the pockets of elected politicians and
other public officials.
The
debt on this deal is a continuing burden on the people of Antigua and Barbuda.
All
of this was taking place while the government could not fund supplies for
Holberton Hospital.
All
of this, not hurricanes, is the accumulated cause of to the government’s
inability to pay public servants or to complete the Mount St. John Medical
Centre.
We
are devising means of stimulating the economy instead of increasing the public
debt to fund budget deficits.
As
we put proper fiscal controls in place, we are offering local investors an
automatic ten-year tax holiday on new investments implemented between now and
the end of October.
Despite
the state of the economy, we have provided $7.5 Million for the School Uniform
programme.
This
will provide primary school students with $350 Uniform Grants and secondary
school students with $500 Uniform Grants.
We
have provided just over $13 Million for the School Meals Programme.
Approximately
$3 Million is in place for pension increases for our senior citizens.
We
are undertaking these programmes in delivery of our campaign pledges.
We
will keep these promises through judicious fiscal management.
There
will be no discrimination in the delivery of these benefits.
ALP
households as well as UPP households will enjoy these benefits.
We
will invite the world to celebrate with us in the next 120 days.
This
will be when we welcome Antiguans and Barbudans from all over the world for our
first Independence Homecoming Festival.
The
centre piece of the Independence Homecoming Festival will be the inaugural
“Antigua World Gospelfest.”
Antigua
World Gospelfest will bring together Gospel artistes from all over the region
and the world.
The
inaugural “Music of the Americas Festival” will link with the inaugural
Antigua World Gospelfest.
The
inaugural series in the Community Pride competition will peak at and be part of
the inaugural Independence Homecoming Festival.
The
Community Pride Programme will involve all communities across the country and
will generate economic opportunities for residents of our communities, cross
country.
The
Community Pride Programme will also encourage self identity and self expression,
help to define a national identity, and will foster national cohesion.
The
Steering Committee for Antigua and Barbuda’s inaugural Independence Homecoming
Festival Committee will include Senator Chester Hughes; the Honourable Winston
Williams; the Honourable Eleston Adams; Ambassador
Mac Chesny Emmanuel, Ambassador Ian Sweeney, Mr. Gordon Derrick , and
saving the best for last, Mrs. Mitzi Allen.
The
Steering Committee will report to an inter-Ministerial team which will include
the Minister of Tourism; the Minister of Culture; and the Minister of Social
Development.
The
Prime Minister will be the convener of this team.
We
will build a strong nation by building stronger communities.
The
Independence Homecoming Festival has the capacity to generate economic benefits
for the people, and to strengthen the economy.
The
Independence Homecoming Festival has the capacity to build strong communities
and to build a stronger nation.
The
Independence Homecoming Festival has the capacity to foster national cohesion,
and a strong sense of national identity.
I
invite everyone listening to me this evening, I invite everyone in Antigua and
Barbuda, to embrace and be involved in this national project.
There
really should be no political divide in this national mission.
Though
the new Antigua and Barbuda has only just begun, all in our nation have
something to celebrate.
As
we celebrate the shaping of a new political culture and a new character of
governance, let us give all glory to God.
Let
us work together to build a Better Antigua and Barbuda over the next five
hundred days; and over the next five thousand days.
Let
us pray for a united nation.
Let
us work to build one another, together.
Thank
you.
Good
night.
May
God bless you and your loved ones.
May
God bless Antigua and Barbuda, the land that we love.