The Hadeed Group of Companies (HGC), the country’s largest private sector entity, has made a donation of one hundred thousand US dollars (two hundred and seventy thousand EC dollars) to the government to assist with the vaccine purchase programme.
During a presentation ceremony on Wednesday, Prime Minister Gaston Browne highly commended the Hadeed Group for its generosity at this time when the nation is in the midst of a national crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
PM Browne said it was good that companies and individuals come forward on their own to assist the government to purchase additional vaccines to help stem the tide of the pandemic which has devastated the national economy, sickened hundreds and has led to more than twenty-five deaths so far.
“I take this opportunity on behalf of the government and people of Antigua and Barbuda to express sincerest gratitude to the Hadeed Group of Companies for this gesture. It’s a voluntary contribution as the government has not openly solicited contributions for this effort. However, there are a number of conscientious citizens and corporate entities who have been contributing to the acquisition of vaccines for the programme. It is important that these contributions are made at this time of crisis when we ought to be ‘our brother’s keeper and our sister’s protector.’ This is a timely contribution and nothing new as the Hadeeds have been contributing to all aspects of national life over the years,” he stated.
In making the presentation, Executive Director of the Hadeed Group, Francis Hadeed, said his family as well as the companies within the HGC are happy to assist the government at this time when the country is ‘at war’ with an invisible enemy.
“On behalf of the Hadeed Group of Companies we are very pleased, very happy to be making this contribution. COVID is a war; it’s the worst pandemic the world has seen since World War II. I must add that, Mr. Prime Minister, you have been a very good war-time leader. The WHO now says the economic devastation caused by COVID far exceeds that of World War II and everyone must join in this battle against COVID. We will continue to contribute and to help as our way of joining this national effort,” he remarked.
Antigua and Barbuda is seeking additional doses of vaccines to fully inoculate at least eighty per cent of the population. (POINTE XPRESS)
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Okay,great
So why give our vaccines to Grenada when they were donated and now people have to Buy ? 100,000.00 us ?? Chups.
Did you say the same when Dominica gave 5000 to us. Did you say the same when India gave 40000 to us. We get more then we receive. And it is a blessing to give rather then to receive
End of duty free cars
Nothing is free
Check the new law
Nah Mel the govt would do it for a cool million us dollars.
The Hadeed Group is to be congratulated. They are good corporate citizens, and they love Antigua.
@Sekunda X: Where do you think they made their riches?The people of Antigua and Barbuda have been supporting that Family Owned Corporation for over 50 years now.So giving back is good for them.When they sell some cars and aggregates. Those funds would be made back within the blinking of an eye.
When corporations give donations or charitable contribution it goes to bottom line of the company’s Profit and Loss. Thereby the amount on which corporation tax is paid is less. So you could argue part of the charity is your own tax dollars. When a private person gives it comes from his own wealth. Since we do not have personal income tax.
I would call on government to look at the law of the corporation tax and how this line item on the Profit and Loss is treated. What should be deductible as charitable contribution and whether the entire amount or just part of it. Suppose the owner of a business is part of a club and contribute to that club. He or she does that part because of his own interest. Actually in the USA many large corporations set up their own charity. Every year we see people going begging corporations for donations. Whether it is Carnival Troups or churches groups or even the Police. This begging need to stop. Perhaps their need to be a mandotory percentage of ones profit that should be spend on charity. At the Stanford Group it was the policy to spend 10 percent of the projected revenue on charity. St. Jude Children Hospital was the charity of choice. But Antigua also benefited from much of the charity dollars. That is why we have the Basket Ball Court. The Chatolic Pre School on Old Parham Road, the Fiennes Institute, The Royal Police force got about five vehicles. And many more that cannot be mentioned. Charity lowers your tax liability and is therefore infact tax dollars. Once agian the government should be looing at putting things in place to guide this line item on the P&L
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