OPINION: Could Prime Minister Gaston Brown be on to something with his economic powerhouse concept.

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Joseph, Greene, Browne upon return from China

Editor’s Note: The author has asked that his name not be included in this article.

Could Prime Minister Gaston Brown be on to something with his economic powerhouse concept.

PM Gaston Browne is not known to be a screwed negotiator.

There are a lot of interesting nuggets to be found in these agreements. Until we see the details we do not know if he gave away the store, or he took the Chinese for a ride.

AGREEMENT No.11. This Agreement is the Master Agreement. Not all the agreements have a specific obligation. The Master Agreement governs most of the other Agreements.

This agreement is being discussed out of sequence due to its relative importance and Agreements Nos. 2,3 5,7 and 11 can be grouped into a single category.

The Maritime Transport Agreement: The Prime Minister has been struggling to get a regional transportation system up and running.

He has floated a few ideas none of which has materialized since he decided to go his own way. despite the occasional false starts on LIAT 2020 to be financed by Caribbean Development Bank and African interests.

The Maritime Transport Agreement is a viable alternative. Under this agreement China it appears will provide ferry/ boats, that are able to handle large amounts of passengers and cargo; traveling and servicing islands and Countries up and down the Caribbean including non-CARICOM countries.

Ironically while Prime Minister Gaston Browne was in China having these agreements signed a new Consortium CARIBE CONNECT operating out of Barbados announced a water surface transporting company scheduled to operate from Guyana south the Anguilla north including Antigua.

The Maritime Transportation Agreement could have the same impact on CARIBE CONNECT. The Maritime Transport Agreement will be in direct competition with CARIBE CONNECT; producing what I call the R. Allen Stanford effect; like a previous scheme Gaston supported against LIAT 1974

I do not believe Prime Minister Gaston Browne was aware of CARIBE CONNECT. The PM and the Chinese Government arrived at a comprehensive plan that offered mutual economic benefits to both parties. These agreements I believe were reached without his  knowledge of CARIBE CONNECT

China to supply both boats staff and training to locals Antiguan and Barbudans as well as our Caribbean brothers and sisters who will be employed on their respective islands. It’s a LIAT on the on the Caribbean seas rather than in the Caribbean sky transporting passengers (and freight)

China will have an avenue to extend it Belt and Roads Initiative program into Caribbean Countries whose Ports its Ferry service will visit and service.  Unlike CARIBE CONNECT operating out of Barbados and which is owned by private entities, financed by Private Equity funds; The Maritime Transport Agreement Ferries will be financed by China, providing China with another avenue of penetrating not only CARICOM countries but also the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

With the Chinese running the show: their money, their assets (Ferries); their staff and their maintenance operation. This could introduce a level of efficiency, with work ethics, and a profitable operation, not readily seen across the Caribbean.

If a water borne Ferry service originating in Antigua and Barbuda dominating overwater transportation across the entire Caribbean from East to West form North to South with reasonabl  priced and dependable high-quality service; then the idea of an economic powerhouse may not be as crazy as we may have thought.

If such Ferries are fast with high quality service, they could be a game changer for interisland transportation. The system would require getting the requisite approvals from its CARICON counterparts. Most of them would have not choice for they are already in the Belt and roads programs with China ready to pull out its vise grip.

Agreement No.7 Mou/ agreement for the provision of equipment for the Port of St. John’s for aiding in the Anti-Narcotics Laboratory Project funded by China.

Currently an overwhelming majority of the freight and cruise passengers arriving at the Port of Saint Johns are from North America, much of which are inspected prior to their departure from the US.

This Agreement Mou/ Agreement for the provision of equipment for the Port of St. John’s for aiding in the Anti-Narcotics Laboratory Project funded by China. This inter island Fery service will need sophisticated anti-narcotics detection systems to prevent the Saint John’s Harbour to be flooded with narcotics arriving on the inter- island ferries.

 

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12 COMMENTS

  1. If the writer’s opinions are correct these Agreements will have widespread implications and affect the entire Caribbean.

    The Caribbean media needs to pay attention to these developments and offer grounded analysis rather than enabling the uninformed to control the narrative.

    On a lighter note: Everyone in the photo is wearing BLUE. What happened? On such an auspicious occasion, with a group photo designed to impress the followers back home; why are the red jackets and red ties missing?

  2. They are a bundle of confusion but where they have a common interest is in the self-enrichment scheme; they smell money.

  3. Having all the frills of riches, but ignoring the very one thing thats a mark of good Governance,
    and that’s the people,folks!!!

    All this talk about economic benefits for the rich, but yet still the hard working folks of your country are suffering.

    What’s the sense of an economic powerhouse, when everyday people can’t even afford the basic commodities to survive?

    Yes, flash all these riches in front of a fool, and he will lap it up like a hungry dawg.

    So Gatson Browne and CO must be thinking they are talking to fools.

    Are y’all fools fellow Antiguan’s, are you?

  4. Another case of Antigua government wanting to do its own thing. Don’t tell me the PM did not know of Caribe Connect. He has to have known. This means that two entities will be competing for the same business which could ultimately result in the failure of both. Why bring China into the equation with China controlling every aspect of the venture? If the rest of the Caribbean do not allow these Chinese ferries into their ports then what? Did Gaston have an agreement with the other islands before he signed on to this venture?

  5. Antigua government can’t even maintain a public toilet forcing our visitors to go to the bush. Then they say they want AI. These people are an embarrassment.

  6. Tell Gaston what we want are police vehicles patrolling the country night and day to catch the criminals. We are tired of hearing they don’t have transportation. Simple as this. We want to sleep at night and run our businesses without fear of gunmen.

  7. I’m not a supporter of gas tank administration, but that’s a great idea. You people must be very dumb to ignore the real benefits. A Barbados business is bound to have high prices, with no competition they’ll charge whatever and not be able to meet their obligation.
    I support having another sea transportation. Once it’s funded by China and not the plane funded by Africa.
    Antiguans are very dumb, y’all ignore the 17% ABST, increase in social security, agriculture lands given away but want to highlight boats your money won’t pay for?

  8. You are quickly losing your freedom. Your Prime Minister has sold his sole and your country to a communist regime.

  9. I don’t think the idiot finance minister has much of a choice, nor did Chet Green and Molwyn Joseph. He has essentially borrowed us into such a hole that its either IMF or the Chinese or both. No reputable lending agency will trust a person who never takes responsibility for ANYTHING, even when to any rational mind he is culpable.
    The man knows nothing about finance but spits all kinds of hogwash, swallowed only by the locals who are benefiting from questionable actions.
    NOTHING good will come out of ANY deals this guy is involved in.

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