LETTER: Congratulations, Antiguans! You blew it!

I share the same sentiments. All they do is bad mind and envy and watch what the other person is doing and their things a get weh.

Why do these foreign hungry belly smaddy always rundown Antiguans instead of going back to their horse dung countries. This issue is not about qualified Antiguans, but this useless ALP government that is a wholly owned agent of foreign powers.

United we stand, divided…somebody else will come and do it better. Simple!

I can agree with this writer. The worse thing to do is offer advice to any Antigua, they see that as an attack, as you want to take their job or that you are saying to are more intelligent.

Honestly, I want to see more Antiguans with advance degrees in positions locally. I am excluding myself to remove the appearance that I am saying this for positions.

Imagine if expert economist, accountant, legal experts, social scientist, etcetera, were made parts of vital ministries, administrative agencies, political parties, etcetera.

I can see how wealthy Antigua and Barbuda would already be and how much easier locals would have it.

I do not see anything wrong with Advising locals they can now have better and demand better. But I do also agree, encouraging changes and better in Antigua may be a death sentence to that person. If you are not tough enough to take the pounding from the idiots, bullies, liars, deceivers and suckers.

After a time, you must decide to leave the locals to their decision, after trying to encourage change for nearly 2 decades. I am near there now.

Who are these Antiguans with the qualifications and experience to manage an international cruise port. This port is managed by an international company that is managing major ports around the world. They have a business to run and a reputation to maintain. What we should be concerned about in Antigua is the lack of a professional work ethic. Again, as I said in a previous post, sadly Antiguans, especially most of our young people, want jobs not work. Ask any employer in this country and they will tell you. Our educational system is not preparing our students for the world of work and our politicians seeking that X are also a big part of the blame.

So another Caribbean Islander is seen as a foreigner ? One thing in Antiguan people Slavic head and understanding is that if a Caucasian had to position them woulda shut up dem mouth and serve Massa without murmuring.

All I’m gonna say is God nuh lub ugly. So he had to hate the Antiguan they had there.
She got what was coming to her.

Well I do agree with the writer but hear this…as an Antiguan with one degree and many years of experience and qualifications in management, I have applied for so many jobs and haven’t gotten through with one. I am more than capable of running the cruise port and implementing positive changes to empower and motivate our people to operate optimally while presenting profesional services and exemplary customer satisfaction to our guests.

But guess what? I’m not a yes person, I don’t belive in vicimisong ppl. I don’t want no body brining no news to me….I don’t like when ppl abuse their authority. And not only that, the classism in this country stinks like cat shit because unless u are friend and company, or of their “class” to hell with your capabilities. I agree with what most people Commented but all Antiguans aren’t if the same mind set…..u have a few like my self who actually care. I veiw my Caribbean brothers and sisters as just that, but no one can blame someone who wants to see Antiguans thrive in Antigua….or see more Antiguans running Antiguan businesses. Alyou don’t see how everyone else come here and running things? The white man, the Syrian, the Chinese….other persons not born here….and the only is not because some people don’t want to work . We don’t get the privileges in our own country that other people come here and get. Case in point…..although taxi have to eat, look how people getting tickets for parking in town, do t we also have business to conduct on cruise ship days? Our whole system set WRONG. GVT SYSTEM, CHURCH SYSTEM, SCHOOL SYSTEM….ARE ALL OF COLONIALISM, HENCE WHY MOST PEOPLE ESPECIALLY THOSE IN AUTHORITY STILL HAVE THE HOUSE SLAVE MINDSET.
U SEE KING SHORTSHIRT SONG WHEN, POWER AND AUTHORITY AND NOBODY GO RUN ME…..THOSE SUM IT UP WELL.
AMEN AND THANK YOU

Most of the high paying jobs are attained by those who love kiss you know who ass. They not even anywhere near qualified for the position but they get it. Then you want to know why shit don’t get done properly.

On the other hand, Antigua people lazy no fk, they come in late and want leave early. When they on the job, they take their time doing everything, always on their phone. When they are in customer service positions they think have have a little power and it gone right to their heads and treat the customer like shit. I see a policeman lying down with his feet cock up on the couch. He see me at the desk and don’t say a damn thing or even acknowledge me. He was a fat overweight thing down a dockyard station. You know who he be.

That’s why people like to hire foreigners instead.

Antiguans are talented and intelligent people who have the capabilities of running all these things and doing expert work like anybody else. However, it is true that there is currently (it wasn’t always this bad) a crabs in a barrel, badminded, petty culture that causes people to spend too much time targeting other people at work, in communities etc. People don’t dialog, plan, work together, compromise, show understanding, negotiate, show empathy, help or train each other up etc. etc. Instead they wait gleefully for every little chance they can find to tear each other down. They team up with others sometimes but it’s to bully individuals they think of as threats to the status quo. It will be hard to solve problems and have real progress with that cultural mindset. HOWEVER, culture can easily be changed with a little effort e.g. secondary school students can be required to work in teams on business projects such as a local drinks stand competition where the team that works best together (good sales but also good teamwork) gets the highest grade, wins a prize etc. For the adults, more team-inspired social events could maybe help. But, who is actually going to organize any of this? So, I think Antiguans CAN do all of these jobs. But, sometimes when they get them they use the position to undermine others or they themselves are undermined by others.

As an Antiguan I agree with the writer on the account of Qualifications. Most Antiguans migrate with their qualifications to live in foreign nations that basically accommodate them better in regards to their salaries and additional perks. The rest that are left are usually under qualified and usually complain if a foreigner takes their position. Basically you have to have the papers to fill those seats not just the experience of being in a position for years and expect to get the top position with no qualifications. I’m sorry but as an Antiguan looking in it seems as though foreigners are more qualified and if so as a nation we need to stop making it a foreigner problem and blaming and find the right local with the necessary accolades to empower some form of pride amongst our people.

I think the government should form a group and basically advertise benefits to foreign Antiguans to entice them to return home and fill in the necessary gaps within society instead of putting in foreigners.

This is just my opinion so don’t bash me or curse me out. I’m entitled to my own opinion.

@Kesha…I just had a conversation with a lady(Caucasian) about our [habits] which became #norms, of our Culture.
We met at a Haitian Restaurant in Portland, and as we were discussing Caribbean Culture(s), American Culture(s), she was surprised when she asked me, about how I dealt with #RACISM, coming to America and living in the deep Southern USA; as I’ve always contended, and I told her “I don’t know #RACISM. I know #CLASSISM; since, the HUE of a person’s skin was not the major contributing factor, in the #stresses which keep and break our Communities apart in Antigua, it is CLASSISM.
I could not agree with you more, on that point and others, in what you have said.

Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard

Vere C. Edwards

You are on the ball with this. When they do team up, it’s to identify threats and eliminate them.
Antiguans gatekeep others’ success. They get somewhere and will stop at nothing to try to keep others down. They’re just plain evil.

@Ras smooth Bless you bro. We just have to keep doing our best and keep breaking these status quos.

ul rather a serian or Chinese man treat ul like dog in u own country an still support their business then they chase ull because they dnt want ul on their land or ever in their property..

These are the the kind of news that seem to excite the base of this particular “journalistic” rag sheet – how Antigua people suffer and bad-minded and love foreigners over ourselves. Shame on you guys. Thank God that there is an alternative source, NOT the Observer for goodness sake, but a responsible, respectful news source which covers ALL aspects of life in Antugua and Barbuda with intelligence, dignity and class.