Caribbean Union Bank Opens New Branch at Starlings Business Centre on Factory Road

1. Congratulations on the expansion. How about a branch in Barbuda, and Falmouth.

   • The opening of a branch in Antigua is something good. As for Barbuda I dont know about that since Barbudans dont want anything good for Barbuda.

     • Sad but true. All they want is confusion, sloth, ignorance, seafood and backwardness. Let them stay in the dark ages and see what becomes of Codrington. While Trevor Walker gets rich, they continue to wane and languish.

   • King Trevor Walker will not approve. He want no development for Barbuda. He likes them how they are because he and a few other must be the only wealth ones

     • You can say the same for Antigua and Antiguans.

       • The same cannot be said for Antiguans. After a hurricane, we don’t sit around waiting on the government and other entities for help. We help ourselves in trying to rebuild our damaged properties.

         • Yeah? Not so. What we did was to give an inexperienced junior minister 10s of millions of dollars to buy building materials of which most was stashed in a European offshore center. Then we begged the Intl. community for more materials and even asked Stanford to chip in with generators.

           Barbuda does not have any lumber yard or plumbing and hardware stores. They do not even have a reliable and consistent ferry or air service.
           So tell me wise one how exactly are they to help themselves as you put it????

   • Notes From A Native Son Of The Rock! “With Good management, this little pristine island could increase its economic standing in the world by attracting vast numbers of people from all over the world to enjoy its wonders.” Joy Lawrence, Barbuda and Betty’s Hope; The Codrington Connection!

     “Who am I to sail against the wind around the treacherous shoals, reefs and rocks surrounding this low lying, windswept “small place” with an area of 68 sq miles and a population of 1,625 souls (2011 census, 853 males & 772 females in 545 households)! Barbuda is reported to have an unemployment rate of 4.4%. Some 36% of the population is less than 20 years of age. 10% are seniors over the age of 60 or more years. The majority 54% vary from 20 to 59 years of age.” JFII 08082014!

     Some suggest that there were 1,638 souls on Barbuda prior to Irma’s arrival! Others say 1800 souls were evacuated before Jose blew his devastating hurricane force winds off the low lying, windswept “small place!” At the upper limit, one can assume that some 1,152 persons will require Banking Services! With ACB filling that Space what is the Business case for The CUB to enter the client dearth, save for an ATM or two strategically placed in available business and commercial environments! Have we learned nothing from the existing foreign Banks that are saying fare thee well!

     On Antigua, that The CUB has chosen to open the nation’s first named Engagement Bank: their third branch on the island – at The Starlings Business Center on Factory Road is a Business decision the Financial Institution made in preference to Falmouth! This mere voice in the wilderness will not quibble with the data and analyses that culminated in the Factory Road location being a higher business priority over Falmouth with its Hospitality and Tourism Activity and the possible number of Engagement Transactions from potential clients in the surrounding Catchment Area of Bethesda, Piccadilly,English Harbour, Falmouth, Liberta, Tyrells, Swetes and John Hughes! That would be asking too much of the Policy Makers of the Self Engagement Strategy as they embrace the movement from “Entrepreneurial Socialism” to “Enrichment Capitalism!”

     Critical Referent Points: The purchase of Antigua Syndicate Estates in 1967 and The closure of the Sugar industry in 1971 saw an explosion in unplanned settlements around St. John’s and huge ribbon development along Valley Road, All Saints Road, Factory Road and Old Factory Road Corridors! These continued unabated well into the 21st Century with the “Golden Mile” along the Friars Hill Corridor providing “Enrichment Capitalism” to the descendants of the very Planters who had raped the land, devastated the ecology and enslaved our African Ancestors!

     No one was diligently abiding the Physical Planning Act 2003! To rectify this blatant flouting of any Development Planning Regulations, The Sustainable Island Resources Management Zoning Plan for Antigua and Barbuda (including Redonda) completed in 2011 was enacted in 2012 (SIRMZP)! Clearly, neither the Past or Present governments have read or will Pay any or very little attention (Hanzard will show a Minister stating that he didn’t need to follow any consultant document when he already knew what to do) to the Vision and Goals which were formulated to 2030! Maintain and Enhance Eco-system Integrity; Foster Economic Development and Engaging Livelihoods; Enhance Livability; Improve Accessibility; and, Promote Efficient and Effective Governance!

     Here’s what’s said on IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY! “Ease of access to schools, employment opportunities, stores and recreation facilities is critical to the success of any living environment. This is generally achieved through proximity planning whereby services that are needed on a daily basis are close at hand, while those that are required on a less frequent basis may be reached by efficient road infrastructure and public transportation system. // Ribbon Development along highways, fragmented land use and dispersed settlements effectively increase transportation demand unnecessarily in Antigua and Barbuda. Development controls that favour compact cohesive mixed use settlements would enhance opportunities for proximity planning and the operation of efficient public transportation services.” – SIRMZP 2012!

     Was all that consultation and planning thrown onto Cooks Dump! Surely it was not perfect! It was a Good Start to begin arresting the Past Planning and Development Failures! “The unpreparedness of the educated classes, the lack of practical links between them and the mass of the people, their laziness, and, let it be said, their cowardice at the decisive moment of the struggle will give rise to tragic mishaps.” ― Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth!

2. All yuh waan come over Barbuda to take away Barbuda money to bring it Anteega.

   • “Barbuda money”??? Wah money Barbuda hab??

3. And that last comment alone says it all.

4. ANTIGUA on the move under Hon. Gaston Browne administration. Gaston Browne Administration best for Antigua / Barbuda . Blessings.

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