The Big Issues: Recent Episodes
The Big Issues Production Team
From the remote twin-island paradise of Antigua and Barbuda, weekly guest panels discuss the biggest issues of politics, economy, people and culture, that make its sun-kissed shores famous and infamous.
This programme is a NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM production.
In this episode, we discuss the reasons why many continue to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. This discussion was organised in partnership with Amplify Caribbean. The Big Issues is proud to provide a space where civil organisations such as Amplify Caribbean can engage in meaningful discussions on issues which are important to our society.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on March 6th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- A’Shante’ O’Keiffe, Head and Co-Founder of the organisation, Amplify Caribbean.
- Pete-Semaj McKnight, an attorney-at-law and Litigator. His areas of practice include, but are not limited to criminal, civil, and immigration. He is also a cohost of a radio program called Life Law & Music (LLM) which covers different areas of life, with a little law & Music
- Kadeem Joseph, a journalist, activist, and a United Nations (UN) gender advocate.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A mega wealth tax on local elites and wealthy economic citizens has been proposed as an alternative to the increasingly controversial citizenship by investment programme (CBI/CIP). In this episode, we ask: How viable is the idea of further taxing the wealthy in our society in order to improve the lot of all? could this really work in Antigua and Barbuda? Our guests explored the possibilities thoroughly and offered strong critiques throughout.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on March 6th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Anthony Stuart, the 2nd Vice President of the Democratic National Alliance, and one of its founding members. Anthony Stuart was formerly a government senator during the Spencer administration. He's a financial consultant, a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Fraud Examiner. He’s also an Adjunct Lecturer at the UWI Five Islands Campus.
- Dr. Thomson Fontaine, an economist currently working in South Sudan. As an economist, he also worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for 13 years. His work and writing have focused on growth, currency crises, development, fiscal management, and debt. He is from Dominica and was a Senator there previously.
- Peter Queeley, a Montserrat-based economic and financial analyst, and a social and political commentator. Peter Queeley once worked within the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda in the areas of budgeting and economic management.
- Dr. Dalano DaSouza, Assistant Lecturer in Economics at the UWI Cave Hill. Co-host of the ‘A Lawyer & a Policy Analyst Walk into a Bar’ podcast. This podcast raises awareness about Caribbean economic, political, legal and social issues in a way that any citizen can understand.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
One of Antigua and Barbuda's most renowned musicians and Calypso icons, Sir McClean Emmanuel marked his 80th birthday recently as it was suggested that he ought to be made a National Hero. Some ask if he is worthy of the status. In this episode, we ask: What defines a national hero? And when is someone worthy?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on March 6th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Krystle Howell, a Barbadian Certified Internal Auditor. She's an advocate for integrity and accountability in government.
- Barbara Arindell, an author, a literary enthusiast, and a cultural enthusiast as well.
- Professor Don Marshall, political scientist with a Professorship in International Political Economy and Development Studies. He is currently the Director of the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute at the Cave Hill Campus of the UWI.
- Rev. Canon Reid Simon, an Anglican priest serving in the island of Anguilla.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Disgraced Labour Party MP Asot Michael has won again in court, defending an injunction secured against the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), and triggering another rebuke of the MP from the Prime Minister Gaston Browne, his former political ally and personal friend. In Parliament, Works Minister Lennox Weston told Michael in jest that he should spend his own money to improve his constituency, saying it was the Labour Party that made Michael a millionaire. Government MPs casually laughed off the comment, even applauding it. Meanwhile, the United Progressive Party (UPP) and the ABLP are both promising solutions to the water crisis. Strangely, the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) is yet to reveal all its candidates, and both it and the UPP have dismissed collaboration in the upcoming election. In this episode, we discuss the politics of late and how it will impact upon the next election.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on March 6th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Carlon Knight, political and socio economic affairs commentator.
- Dr. David Hinds, political commentator; Associate professor of African and African American studies with a concentration on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies at Arizona State University.
- Dr. George Brathwaite, Lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology at The University of the West Indies, Cavehill. Former Consultant Editor at the Caribbean Times in Antigua and Barbuda.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A multi-sectoral committee has been invited by the Labour Minister to formally discuss the prospects for raising the minimum wage in Antigua and Barbuda. In this episode, we ask: What would raising the minimum wage achieve? Is it prudent at this time? Is it feasible and is it overdue?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 27th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Jeremy Stephen, a Barbadian economist and financial consultant.
- Samuel James, President of the Antigua and Barbuda Free Trade Union (ABFTU).
- Peter Queeley, a Montserrat-based economic and financial analyst, and a social and political commentator. Peter Queeley worked with the Ministry of Finance, Government of Antigua and Barbuda in the areas of budgeting and economic management.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A dispute over ride fare between a driver and an foreign medical student became violent with the driver caught on camera attacking the other man with a stick. The driver has now been charged. Yet, there are many issues to be explored. Has this sort of thing happened before? How many unassociated drivers are there running solo ride services and how can they be held accountable for their conduct? Why did it escalate to the point of such violence? What ought the driver to have done differently? In this episode we discuss these and other issues.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 27th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Elijah James, an Antiguan and Barbudan businessman and activist.
- Ian Joseph, President of the United Taxi Company (UTC) which operates from the V.C. Bird International Airport in Antigua. He is also vice chair of the public transportation union.
- Kadeem Joseph, journalist and Health editor here at the Daily Observer and the Observer Radio, and a past student of the America University of Antigua, A.U.A.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Russia has invaded its western neighbour Ukraine, with the Russian President Vladimir Putin vowing to "demilitarize" the country and remove its elected leadership. Though it had been building up to this point for months now, many still doubted the Russian leader would unleash a full scale war, but rather, thought that he was flexing, so to speak, in order to seek concessions from Ukraine. The invasion has sparked a crisis in Europe. Commentators expect refugees, death and carnage unlike anything the continent has seen in this century. In this episode we break down the historical and political dynamic between Russia and Ukraine and explore what lead us to this point. We ask: What are the implications of this conflict for the people on both sides? And for the rest of the world? What consequences will this war have for the liberal international order?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 27th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Ambassador Aubrey Webson, Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United Nations (UN). Until his appointment in 2014, Dr. Webson had a long career with Perkins International, serving as its Director since 2011.
- Dr. Mark Kirton, a retired lecturer in the field of international relations. He is a former Director of the Institute of International Relations at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, and today, joins us from Guyana.
- Jade-Mark Sonilal, a recent graduate of The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, where he studied politics and international relations at the undergraduate level. He is an activist, and a commentator on political, social and international issues.
- J’moul Francis, a researcher and a policy consultant. He is an Antiguan and Barbudan Commonwealth Scholar with professional and academic interests in Public International Law, European Union Law, CARICOM Integration Law, International Humanitarian Law, Constitutional Law, Public Policy, Diplomacy, and International Relations.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Antigua and Barbuda, Anthony Armstrong, has taken special leave from the office in the wake of a professional misconduct decision against him by a disciplinary body in Jamaica which the Attorney General says Armstrong intends to appeal. The ruling that he was guilty of "professional misconduct" was delivered on January 28th and stemmed from a long dispute between himself and a former client over the sale of property belonging to the client back in the 2000s. In this episode, we ask: How serious is the decision rendered against Armstrong? And how does the system keep check on the conduct of he of she who sits as DPP?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 20th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Ruggles Ferguson, attorney and a former President of both the Grenada Bar Association and the OECS Bar Association. He is the current President of OCCBA - the Organization of Commonwealth Caribbean Bar Associations.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The education minister Daryl Matthew has signaled that the government has no immediate plans to propose banning corporal punishment in schools, despite his and the Prime Minister Gaston Browne's staunch and vocal support for the same idea around mid-2021. In a heated moment during an interview on Observer Radio with Joseph Apparicio, he famously said that he wouldn't condone a school official beating any child of his. What changed? In this episode, we ask: Has the administration taken the right decision in leaving corporal punishment alone? And what could have prompted policymakers to keep the status quo.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 20th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Vernice Mack, retired principal, formerly principal of the Buckley’s primary school.
- Carlon Knight, socio-economic and political commentator.
- Prof. Disraeli Hutton, retired lecturer. He was a lecturer in educational leadership and management, at the School of Education, University of the West Indies, Mona.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The Antigua Barbuda Labour Party's most scandalized MP, Asot Michael, lunched a stern rebuke of the Gaston Browne administration’s A+ rating of its performance, lavishing the government with criticism for what Michael says is the deliberate neglect of his St. Peter constituency. But whether or not he meant to do so, he was also casually acknowledging many of the ineffective, unethical and even underhanded ways in which politics is practiced in the country, and more importantly, by himself and by his own party.
He's continuing a trend, in fact. Since his fallout began with the Prime Minister back in 2020, ostensibly over Michael's scandals, their sparring in Parliament has revealed much about corruption, dishonesty, and clientelism in politics both during the current Gaston Browne-led ABLP administration and under previous administrations. In this episode we ask: What can we learn from Asot Michael’s contribution to the 2022 budget debate?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 20th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Akaash Maharaj, an Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption known also as GOPAC. GOPAC is an International nongovernmental organization made up of parliamentarians from across the world, working together to combat corruption, strengthen good government, and uphold the rule of law.
- Peter Wickham, Director of the polling and research firm, Caribbean Development Research Services. He has done numerous electoral polls in Antigua and Barbuda, and elsewhere in the region. He is a commentator on Caribbean political and social affairs. He is often retained by the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP).
- Dr. David Hinds, a political commentator and writer from Guyana. He is an Associate Professor of African and African American studies at the Arizona State University. His focus is on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies. His research interests include governance and politics in the Caribbean, and Black political leadership.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Two men are to be tried over the charge of perverting the course of justice after allegedly bribing an alleged sexual assault victim to drop a rape case against one of the accused. In this episode, we ask: How serious is the issue of bribery and hush money when it comes to sex crimes and efforts to escape criminal justice?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 13th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Naeemah Hazelle, Deputy Director of the National Counselling Centre in St. Kitts. She is a psychologist and a counsellor. She studied sociology and psychology at the University of the West Indies, specializing in gender and race. She has over 20 years of experience working with communities in St. Kitts and Nevis.
- Shelly Seecharan, an attorney at law and a Trinidadian living in Barbados. She has been a lawyer for almost 14 years and is called to the Bar in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica. She has also worked on cases in St. Lucia and Grenada, and has appeared before the CCJ.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
At many times over the last few months workers have found reason to protest, often over debts owed to them, or problems with their premises. In this episode, we explore the reasons behind some of the worker protest actions over outstanding pay or wage issues that have been in the news recently. We ask: What can these protests tell us about the state of the public sector, the private sector and the state of industrial relations?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 13th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, a political consultant, campaign organizer and media commentator. He is a psycho-therapist. He is a member of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP).
- Anderson Carty, management consultant specializing in business management, industrial relations and human resource management. He is also running as an independent candidate in St. John’s Rural West.
- Anthony Stuart, professionally, he is a financial consultant. Politically, is an active and founding member of the Democratic National Alliance and was formerly a senator during the Spencer administration.
- Sandra Williams-Jackson, former General secretary of Antigua and Barbuda Public Service Union, and a past president of the Antigua and Barbuda Trade Union Congress.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
In this episode our guests continue their analysis of the budget 2022 beginning with critiques by the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Jamale Pringle. He opened Thursday’s debate on the 2022 budget, by accusing the government of not being "people-focused". Pringle, the MP for All Saints East and St Luke, said that the XCD $1.64 billion "election budget" did not address direct assistance for residents who have been facing hard times since the pandemic, or how the administration plans to combat the high cost of living in the country - and it is rising.
But what should a budget try to achieve in the first place? Besides being an estimate of what the government will spend, a budget is also a policy statement. One of our guests stresses in this episode that a budget should target poverty, unemployment, the cost of living and the quality of life. To what extent do this year's policies take specific aim at these ongoing issues? Another guest stresses how little room the government has to maneuver with a buddle of welfare obligations to too large a low income bracket, a massive wage bill from a bloated public sector, and static tax policies. Private sector growth meanwhile, remains is elusive. Why?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 13th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Carlon Knight, socio-economic and political affairs commentator.
- Dr. Thomson Fontaine, an economist currently working in South Sudan. As an economist, he worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for 13 years. His work and writing have focused on growth, currency crises, development, fiscal management, and debt. He is from Dominica and was a Senator there previously.
- Petra Williams, an economist and statistician by training. She is also a business management consultant.
- David Spencer, commentator and community activist. He is also the co-host of Movement Radio, a weekly programme on Observer Radio dedicated to social and political activism on a range of issues.
Comments from the host:
What becomes apparent in this discussion is that not much is changing in terms of how the government approaches its job. The social programmes seem to remain unchanged. The size of the fiscally burdensome public sector remains unchanged. The development strategy that relies on hotel investment remains unchanged. Tax polices tend to remain unchanged. Our labour force and education polices remain unchanged. Salaries and wages in the public sector remain unchanged. The bankruptcy at Social Security and the the endless list of debts to public servants remains unchanged. So much of how the government spends its money and the polices it pursues remains largely unchanged from year to year. So, is it having the desired effect on the society?
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The case of a policewoman caught shoplifting has created controversy in recent days as the severity of the consequences she ought to have faced for the offense became a subject of great debate both within and outside the police force according to media reports. One paper, POINTE EXPRESS, reported that after what it termed “countless appeals to Commissioner of Police Atlee Rodney for leniency on behalf of the 56-year-old corporal”, the decision was taken to “allow her to resign” instead of being fired, so as to avoid losing her pension. In this episode, we ask: What fate should have befallen the cop? And can it ever be truly ensured that there is no double standard when the police are tasked with pursuing one of their own?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 6th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Nuffield Burnette, former Assistant Commissioner of Police. He is now retired from the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, and is a frequent commentator on issues of crime, policing and public safety.
- Brenton Smith, policeman in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (currently on leave); President of the Police Welfare Association in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The Jolly Beach Resort and the stalled Callaloo Cay hotel project are both to be taken over by the government, or that is at least the government's hope according to a recent announcement. In this episode, we ask: What are the risks the government is taking to rescue both Jolly Beach and Callaloo Cay? And will it be worth the benefit?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 6th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Greg Phillip, the CEO of Nevis Sun Tours, a tour operator and destination management company in St. Kitts and Nevis; former CEO of the Nevis Tourism Authority; author of the book, The Truth About Early Birds and Worms - How Travel Business Survive and Thrive After Covid-19.
- Elijah James, an Antiguan and Barbudan businessman and community activist.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The government has unveiled the 2022 budget with a gargantuan deficit, promising an increase in its capital spending, a faster economic recovery, and the customary raft of planned private investments. Of an XCD $1.6 billion budget for 2022, the government intends to borrow roughly $0.6 billion of that amount. That means more than a third of this years spending is intended to come from borrowing as opposed to recurrent revenue. In this episode analysts take their first look at budget 2022 to see what can be gleaned from its numbers, its policies and the politics of what many assume to be an election year.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 6th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Carlon Knight, Socio-economic and political affairs commentator.
- Dr. Dave Ray, an elections analyst and campaign organizer. He was a Campaign Field Organizer for the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign. He is an internationally known Cosmetologist.
- Dr. Thomson Fontaine, an economist currently working in South Sudan. As an economist, he worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for 13 years. His work and writing have focused on growth, currency crises, development, fiscal management, and debt. He is from Dominica and was a Senator there previously.
- Peter Queeley, a Montserrat-based economic and financial analyst and a social and political commentator. Peter Queeley worked with the Ministry of Finance, Government of Antigua and Barbuda in the areas of budgeting and economic management. He has lectured in the areas of Micro & Macro Economics, Caribbean Business Environment, Banking and Risk Management for the UWI through the Antigua State College and the UWI Open Campus. His training is in economics and in financial management.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The young woman suspected by police to be late Piccadilly resident, Jane Finch’s killer has been deemed unfit to stand trial due to a reported psychological disorder. The homicide happened in October last year (2021). Finch was posting to Facebook in the moments before her death alerting her community that a woman she described as "deranged" was breaking into her home at that very moment. In this episode, we ask: What does the newest development mean for those seeking justice for Finch’s killing and what does it tell us about mental health in our society?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 30th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Jo-Nelle Walsh, Clinical psychologist and counsellor.
- David Spencer, political and social commentator and activist. He is also the co-host of Movement Radio, a weekly programme on Observer Radio dedicated to social and political activism on a range of issues.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A family seeks answers after the death of its matriarch at a nursing home not long after beginning her care there, and under circumstances loved ones say they have reason to question. It's suspected that she caught COVID-19 in the home, but the issue is wholly unclear. They say too many of their queries have been ignored and that Health Ministry officials have been unhelpful. We ask: What ought to be done when controversies of this nature in care and nursing homes arise? Who regulates these institutions? And who investigates claims of neglect or lapses?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 30th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Arvel Grant, Public Health and International Development Specialist; social and political commentator.
More Background:
The woman was 69-year-old Camella Horsford, a mother of six. According to Denise Caleb, daughter of the late Camella Horsford, the family received word on November 13 that the woman had passed. She was reportedly taken to the nursing home on November 3rd, as a "day patient". Denise Caleb said the the family felt that the details being shared by personnel at the nursing home about her mother’s death were cloudy, so to speak. She also charged that the home had shown a lack of compassion in regard to the mothers passing the family’s desire to understand the circumstances.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Oops. We were meant to host a debate on this episode with three candidates running for St. Peter. But the favored Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) nominee and the United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate participant separately withdrew for unrelated reasons. Hopefully it can happen in the future. So instead we sat for a discussion with Chaniel Imhoff, the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) candidate for St. Peter. Commentator Carlon Knight joined us.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 30th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Chaneil Imhoff, the Democratic National Alliance candidate in St. Peter.
- Carlon Knight, Political and socio-economic affairs commentator.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Badly beaten in the snap election of 2018 and seemingly determined fare better at the polls this time, the main opposition party, the United Progressive Party (UPP), has launched its campaign at the beginning of what is anticipated as an election year. Some wonder if their campaign engine will ware out too early. Others see it as the right political move. In this episode we ask political commentators: Has the main opposition party taken a too great a risk, or could the decision give them an advantage?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 30th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. George Brathwaite, Lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology at The University of the West Indies, Cavehill. Former Consultant Editor at the Caribbean Times.
- Carlon Knight, Political and socio-economic affairs commentator.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley secures another 30-seat victory in the snap elections recently held in Barbados, meaning that her Barbados Labour Party (BLP) has again denied the opposition even a single seat. In this episode we ask why she and the BLP won so convincingly, and we ask whether the same resounding victory for the incumbent is likely to happen in Antigua and Barbuda as well.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 23rd, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Dave Ray (PhD), an Antiguan and Barbudan joining us from New York. He is an elections analyst and campaign organizer. He was a Campaign Field Organizer for the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign.
- Dr. Kristina Hinds (PhD), Senior Lecturer in Political Science and International Relations at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cavehill.
- Dr. George Brathwaite (PhD), Lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology at The University of the West Indies, Cavehill. Former Consultant Editor at the Caribbean Times in Antigua and Barbuda.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Laid off LIAT workers have started the new year (2022) with no resolution to the question of severance and entitlements owed to them by the defunct company. Many former employees here are pointing the finger at the government of Antigua and Barbuda, a major shareholder. But the government here says it isn't interested in pumping any more money into meeting the obligations of a doomed entity beyond all that it has already sank into the company over so many years.
Despite its tradition as a shareholder government of coming to the rescue whenever LIAT is in turmoil, it's made it clear for months now that this time, the same relief is not going to be extended. But what does that mean for workers? It means they continue to wait to collect their severance and entitlements out of whatever will be leftover from the ongoing resolution of LIAT's assets and debts, whenever that happens.
In the meantime - which has been a very long meantime thus far - the government is deflecting blame for the collapse of the airline, heaping responsibility instead on pilots, unions, other governments and management. The unions are decrying the government's position as cruel, asking that it accept responsibility for meeting its defunct company's obligation to former workers. Both parties spar in the media over the issue.
Recently though, the government has offered a partial life raft to former workers in the form of "compassionate" payout packages to support them financially, but is doing so unilaterally, and seemingly without wishing to be drawn in to any arrangement in which it acknowledges a concrete obligation to do so on the basis of its stake in the defunct company. On this episode we ask: What is LIAT’s position now? And is an amicable resolution any closer to being realized?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 23rd, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- The Hon. Lennox Weston MP, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Minister of Public Works. In Parliament, he is the member for St. Phillip’s South, as has been since March 2018. He is a member of the board of LIAT, representing the government of Antigua and Barbuda.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A controversy erupts over a roadside shop in Parham demolished by order of the Development Control Authority. The young men who owned it say they are being stifled while trying to make a living. The DCA says the men went far beyond what they were authorized to do, and they were given fair warning that the structure needed to come down. So in our first segment we ask: What should we make of the incident? And can we avoid disenfranchising small traders, even as we strengthen planning and development control?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 23rd, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Colin John-Jenkins, an architect by profession trained in both architecture and project management. He is also an advocate of sustainable development practices. He is the principal of the firm, CJC & Associates.
- Dr. Asad Mohammed (PhD), a former Coordinator of the Graduate Programme in Urban and Regional Planning, UWI, St Augustine and is currently Director of the Caribbean Network for Urban and Land Management. He has provided policy and technical advice to many Caribbean governments on planning issues including the OECS and Antigua and Barbuda. His experience in Antigua and Barbuda covers regularization of informal development.
- Allanson Cruikshank, an experienced environmental and planning consultant, as well as a lecturer. Professionally, his areas of focus include disaster risk reduction, urban and regional planning, sustainable development, research and project management. He is a graduate of the University of the West Indies' Mona, St. Augustine and Cave Hill Campuses, where he earned degrees in geography and urban and regional planning, among others.
- Alistair Alexander, the President of the Barbados Association of Retailers, Vendors and Entrepreneurs known as BARVEN.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A wave of COVID-19 infections moving forward in many Caribbean islands, including in Antigua and Barbuda. At the same time, the Omicron variant has been detected in a number of islands as well. We ask: How does Omicron differ from past variants? And what will it mean for the COVID-19 situation here in A&B and in the wider Caribbean region?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 16th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Carlene Radix, medical doctor, and Head of the Human and Social Division at the OECS Commission.
- Dr. Jerrol Thomson, medical doctor, and a specialist on infectious diseases. He serves as an advisor to the St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Covid-19 Task Force.
- Dr. George Roberts, medical doctor here in Antigua and Barbuda, and an ear nose and throat specialist.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The current debate over the legacy of the late former Premier and national hero Sir George Walter, sparked by an attack on Sir George by the Prime Minister Gaston Browne, has exposed the challenge of agreeing on the legacies of national icons amidst pervasive political tribalism and the dominance of rhetoric. In this episode, we ask: What must be done to overcome these often politically charged disputes over legacies in the public psyche?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 16th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dorbrene O’Marde, a director and producer of theatre and music. He is a playwright, a columnist; and a calypso writer, judge and analyst. Among his principal interests are Caribbean History, and Black political thought. He is a Pan-Africanist and is currently the chairman of Antigua and Barbuda's Reparations Support Commission.
- Dr. James Knight, former Editor of the Outlet Newspaper, along with the late Leonard Tim Hector. The paper functioned as a weekly organ of the Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement (ACLM). For the ACLM the newspaper played a very important role and in its heyday, Outlet claimed a circulation of around 5,000 copies.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne is being accused of side dealing. It has emerged that Browne and his son each signed separate deals with a wealthy Indian investor, "Mr. Singh" to rent to Mr. Singh properties in Jolly Harbour and in Villa, for US $20,000 a month, and US $12,000 a month respectively. The first of these deals - the one between PM Browne and Mr. Singh - was singed a mere three days after the PM issued a license order to Mr. Singh's company for a new and highly controversial special economic zone (SEZ). In real terms, PM Browne and his son together will earn XCD $1.036 million dollars a year from these two deals with Mr. Singh in addition to upfront payments.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 16th, 2022. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Anthony Astaphan SC, attorney and Senior Counsel. He represents numerous Prime Ministers including Gaston Browne and has ties to the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP).
- Akaash Maharaj, An Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption known also as GOPAC.
- Dwyer Astaphan, attorney and retired MP from St. Kitts and Nevis. He was also a cabinet minister there for 13 years.
More Background:
As a professed millionaire businessman, Gaston Browne is accustomed to making business deals with anyone he wants. But as Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, and as the only PM to have ever publicly encouraged ministers to "enrich" themselves "legitimately" and "by virtue of your creativity" whilst they are in office, it can often be difficult not to appear opportunistic or rapacious when the public learns of any deal he enjoys which seems more a result of his public office than of his shrewd negotiating skills.
To be clear, using one's public office in any way to secure personal benefits in private business is entirely corrupt. But Browne flatly denies having had any such motive or in any way using his office to secure these business deals. This, despite such conclusions being reached by members of the opposition. His defense? The PM says it was by chancethat a mutual friend of his and Mr. Singh's happened to be assisting Mr. Singh to find a luxury property to rent, and that it was by chance that the man happened to take a liking to his Jolly Harbour home.
He claims it was at this mutual friend's insistence that he reluctantly accepted the US $20,000 deal to rent the home to the same man to whom he had just issued a SEZ license order mere days before on behalf of the government. Interestingly, the PM has yet to offer any explanation as to how his son happened to be so well informed that he too snagged a second deal with the same investor for another property in Villa, a mere week after the PM inked the first deal for his house in Jolly Harbour. Another honest coincidence perhaps?
Remember Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather: Part II? Think back to the when Don Fancucci, dressed in his iconic white suit, tells a young Vito Corleone that the Don ought to be paid a fee by Vito and his friends for allowing them to operate on turf the Don claims as his own. Fanucci said, "Tell your friends I don't want a lot. Just enough to wet my beak."
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Despite her Barbados Labour Party's near total control of parliament, Barbados' Prime Minister Mia Mottley has called an early snap election citing a need to "unite" a "divided" country. What did that really mean? Is this early election merely a bit of political opportunism? Or is there actually a need for Mottley to seek a fresh mandate? And what is the outcome of this election likely to be? This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 9th, 2022.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Professor Cynthia Barrow-Giles, Professor of Political Science at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill. Her research areas include Governance and democracy in the English-speaking Caribbean, political party and elections campaign spending, elections in the English-speaking Caribbean, Women and politics in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Corruption in the Caribbean.
- Krystle Howell, a Certified Internal Auditor, a Member of the Thorne Commission on Local Governance, and an advocate for integrity and accountability.
- Peter Wickham, Director of the polling and research firm: Caribbean Development Research Services. He has done numerous electoral polls in Antigua and Barbuda, and elsewhere in the region. He is a commentator on Caribbean political and social affairs.
- Dr. Isaac Newton, a political analyst, campaign manager, and a public policy advisor. He is currently President of the firm, Paramount Communications. In Antigua and Barbuda, he has advised both ABLP and UPP governments.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Having been acquitted at trial on two serious criminal charges, MP Michael Browne appeared live on Facebook recently to address the public, dismissing the allegation of his accuser as false, stating it was was concocted to "blackmail" and extort him, and accusing current and former police officers of being complicit in what he described as an orchestrated attempt to ruin him. Browne was arrested and charged in November of 2020 and only recently acquitted at trial in December 2021. The judge was not satisfied that the charge against him had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. In this episode, a former justice minister and a political analyst react to the newest turn in what many assumed was a scandal in its waning days. This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 9th, 2022.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Colin Derrick, attorney at law. He was a Senator and Cabinet Minister during the Baldwin Spencer administration. His portfolios at various times included National Security, Justice, and Public Safety.
- Dr. George Brathwaite, Lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology at The University of the West Indies, Cavehill. Former Consultant Editor at the Caribbean Times. Political adviser and commentator.
The Blackmail claim:
The MP maintained his innocence from the onset. But with the trial over, now he has more latitude to publicly defend his name and discuss all that happened, according to him. Due to the nature of the charges over which he was brought to trial, there were statutory restrictions and court imposed restrictions on what details could be published by the media.
Recently, on Facebook, MP Browne said that a police officer who was the sister of his accuser contacted him before his arrest. He said, "the promise was that if I was to make a certain amount of payments this matter would never go to court..." adding, "I resisted, and after I resisted charges were brought. But I was comfortable because I knew that the facts spoke for themselves..."
A confidential source with intimate knowledge of the trial disputed this. The source told the host of The Big Issues that during the phone call in question, the accuser's sister, who is also a police officer, "never asked for money" directly, but "merely inquired whether he [Michael Browne] spoke to persons about settling the matter and if he was willing to go to court". The officer was apparently a prosecution witness at trial.
Nonetheless, Browne says the genesis of the allegation against him was a malicious orchestrated attempt to ruin him, and one that involved the cooperation of "several police officers past and present who played a very active role...in ensuring that they would bring Michael Browne to pay, or bring Michael Browne down". He further alleged that unnamed persons had confided in him that they were promised money if they offered testimony against him.
At some stage in his online address, he stated, “I forgive my accuser, and I forgive those who would have collaborated. I forgive you because God forgives me for my sins and for my trespasses.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The economic outlook for the start of the year 2022 looks promising to some but bleak to others. So in this episode we ask: Will the first quarter of the year will bring change for better, for worse, or more of the same? This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 9th, 2022.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Everett Christian, a retired banker with a long history as a revenue reform administrator. He is also a former President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Limited's board of directors, and former Chairman of the Social Security scheme's board of directors. He is presently a management and financial consultant.
- Patrick Ryan, an Antiguan and Barbudan businessman. He is the Managing Director of George W. Bennet Bryson and Co. Ltd, as well as the principal of a number other businesses such as the tour company Tropical Adventures.
- Petra Williams, an economist and statistician by training. She is also a business management consultant.
- Vernon Jeffers, Managing Partner of Jewels Management & Consultancy Inc, and the current Executive Chairman of the Antigua Barbuda Hotel & Tourism Association (ABHTA). His career in the tourism industry includes senior management roles at the Sugar Ridge Resort, the Jolly Beach Resort and the St. James’ Club, to name a few.
More Background:
The last twelve months have seen fluctuations in our economy in line with the effects of adapting to COVID-19. But many hoped that 2022 would be different. Many hoped that with vaccination providing for higher level of immunity in the population, that economic affairs could expand with confidence. In the hotel sector especially, all parties looked to 2022 with promise - certainly with better expectations that 2021. But already there are rumblings in that sector - which provides so much employment at various levels - that cancellations are an immediate concern. It reflects the volatility in our traditional source markets.
In general, businesses found 2021 and 2020 to be crippling years in many respects. Many closed their doors, changed their trade, laid off staff, and saw their debts grow. And for those who had been left without work, finding employment became far more difficult in a pandemic economy, constantly frightened by curfews, work stoppage, and partial business closure. Meanwhile, the government made it quite clear throughout the last year, that it was working with far less revenue than ever before. Many public obligations suffered as a result.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The state had a heavier than usual burden in 2021, reacting to multiple crises amidst a public health emergency. So how did the government perform under pressure? We ask that question and our three guests, Lennox, Shawn and Joanne, thrash out the answers. The Big Issues presents part 4 of Observer Radio's 2021 Year in Review (YIR), the final part. In this episode, three politicians from three political parties discuss the government's performance in 2021 amidst the pandemic and its associated ills.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- The Hon. Lennox Weston MP, Minister of Works and Minister of State for Finance. Member of the current Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) Cabinet of PM Gaston Browne.
- The Hon. Sen. Shawn Nicholas, United Progressive Party (UPP) General Secretary and opposition senator.
- Joanne Massiah, attorney and President of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA).
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 2nd, 2022. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The defining event of 2021 and the year before was the Covid-19 pandemic and its spin-off effects. Nothing else impacted daily life more significantly, and the doctors, health workers, and specialists who responded to the sick and dying during the pandemic bring us a very frank and a very necessary perspective. The Big Issues presents part 3 of Observer Radio's 2021 Year in Review (YIR). In this episode, two doctors in our public health system discuss the fight against Covid-19 and the lessons we ought to have learned in 2021.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Rhonda Sealy-Thomas, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
- Dr. Shivon Belle-Jarvis, pediatrician, and Head of the Pediatric Unit at the Lester Bird Medical Centre.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 2nd, 2022. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Reporting the news and working behind a camera or the mic gives a person a unique perspective on the issues that make the headlines year round. The Big Issues presents part 2 of Observer Radio's 2021 Year in Review (YIR). In this episode, current and former journalists and producers as well as other special guests discuss the events that shaped 2021.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Mrs. Mickael Brann-Challenger, a 27-year media veteran who is a former editor of the Daily Observer and Observer newsroom manager, a communications consultant, and an avowed news junkie.
- Ms. Amar Spencer, a lecturer at the Antigua State College who worked as a producer for several years.
- Ms. Zoe Carlton, a journalist and an on air host at ZDK Liberty Radio.
- Mr. N’Kenge “Beef” Drew, user experience designer.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 2nd, 2022. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The pandemic, the shutdowns, the loved ones lost due to COVID, the business closures, the vaccination sagas, online learning, the scandals - these are just some of the things that made 2021 a year to remember, or perhaps one to forget. The Big Issues presents part 1 of Observer Radio's 2021 Year in Review (YIR). This episode is a narrated recap of the major events of the year 2021. The narrator is Kieron Murdoch, who currently produces and hosts The Big Issues. The episode is introduced by Observer Radio's Kadeem Joseph. This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 2nd, 2022. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Around the world, the attention of the media, lawmakers, and ordinary citizens has been drawn to the many ways which some of us find to pay less taxes or no taxes at all, whether those means are lawful or unlawful. It’s one of the many fallouts from the Pandora Papers – a massive leak of financial information on the global elite. In this episode we ask: How does our tax avoidance and tax evasion impact our society? And how can we guarantee that the tax burden on each person is fair, and not unjust?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Thomson Fontaine, an economist currently working in South Sudan. As an economist, he worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for 13 years. His work and writing have focused on growth, currency crises, development, fiscal management, and debt. He is from Dominica and was a Senator there previously.
- Mr. Akaash Maharaj, Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption known also as GOPAC. GOPAC is an International nongovernmental organization made up of parliamentarians from across the world, working together to combat corruption, strengthen good government, and uphold the rule of law.
- Dr. Robertine Chaderton, Chartered Accountant and Fraud Examiner joining us this afternoon from St Kitts and Nevis. She is a retired Senior Lecturer from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill, Barbados, where she lectured in Accounting, Auditing, Fraud and Caribbean Taxation for 30 years. Currently, she lectures in Multijurisdictional Tax at the Graduate level. And she is currently compiling a book on taxation in the Caribbean.
- Mr. Stafford Byers, an attorney originally from Antigua and Barbuda, joining us from New York where he works and resides.
- Ms. Liz Nelson, Director for Tax Justice and Human Rights, at The Tax Justice Network. The tax justice network is an advocacy group consisting of a coalition of researchers and activists with a shared concern about tax avoidance, tax competition, and tax havens. Liz Nelson leads the network’s programme of work on Tax Justice, Human Rights and Equalities. She is based in Oxford.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 24th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A viral arrest video showing several policemen subduing a Hispanic man has generated a lot of discussion about the treat of that minority in Antigua and Barbuda. We ask: How are members of the Hispanic community treated in Antigua and Barbuda, and is there prejudice shown towards them?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Mr. Arvel Grant, political and social commentator. Mr. Grant has a keen interest not only in the affairs of Antigua and Barbuda, but of the wider Caribbean. Professionally, he is a public health specialist working in the eye care sector.
- Ms. Karina Shepherd, an Antiguan by birth whose parents are from the Dominican Republic. She was raised in Antigua, but she is also citizen of the Dominican Republic. Ms. Shepherd is a recent graduate of the University of the West Indies, Five Islands where she studied accounting.
- Mr. Orrett Connor, a retired senior civil servant and a current media personality and social commentator from the Cayman Islands. Mr. Orrett Connor known as “OC”, was formerly the Chief Immigration Officer in the Caymans, and he is also a former Cabinet Secretary and a former Deputy Supervisor of Elections. Presently, he is the host of the show, “For the Record” which airs on Radio Cayman, a Public Broadcaster in the Cayman Islands.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on December 19th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Former Education Minister, and sitting Labour MP Michael Browne has survived a scandal after being found not guilty at trial over a serious criminal allegation. And Prime Minister Gaston Browne seems eager to put him back in the Cabinet. We ask: What ought to become of Michael Browne’s political career in the wake of the verdict?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Mr. Akaash Maharaj, an Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption known also as GOPAC. GOPAC is an International nongovernmental organization made up of parliamentarians from across the world, working together to combat corruption, strengthen good government, and uphold the rule of law.
- Dr. Isaac Newton, a political analyst, campaign manager, and a public policy advisor. He is currently President of the firm, Paramount Communications. In Antigua and Barbuda, he has advised both ABLP and UPP governments.
- Mr. Peter Wickham, Director of the polling and research firm: Caribbean Development Research Services. He has done numerous electoral polls in Antigua and Barbuda, and elsewhere in the region. He is a commentator on Caribbean political and social affairs. He is frequently retained by the ABLP.
More on this episode:
Labour MP Michael Browne was arrested and charged with a serious offence back in November of 2020. He was sacked immediately from Cabinet. His trial was recent, happening between November and December of 2021. He was found not guilty on the criminal charge, which due to its nature, cannot be disclosed according to statutory prohibitions.
In the end, the scales of justice tilted in the favour of the Member of Parliament for All Saints West because, according to the judge, the Crown did not prove beyond all reasonable doubt that Browne was guilty. Browne maintained that he was completely innocent.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on December 19th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The former Executive Secretary of the Board of Education, Gisele Isaac is awarded hefty damages after years fighting a case of unfair dismissal after being sacked without benefits in 2014 in what was then largely seen as a political move. So in our first segment we ask: What is the true cost of victimisation?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Ms. Joan Underwood, an internationally certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, and she is currently the Managing Director and Principal Consultant of Underwood Talent Development Services (UTDS) Inc. based in Barbados.
- Mr. Anderson Carty, management Consultant specializing in Business Management, Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management with almost thirty years of experience. He is also running as an independent in St. John's Rural West.
- Mr. Wayne Benjamin Marsh, an attorney at law who practices in New York, in Dominica and in Antigua and Barbuda.
More about this episode:
The aim of our discussion is firstly, to react the latest development (award of assessed damages) in the case between Giselle Isaac and the Board of Education (BoE). It's a case which the PM has tried to distance himself from in recent years, claiming it was one of his ministers who pushed the matter to be investigated and taken up by law enforcement. We aimed then to discuss how victimization affects individuals, the political system and our political culture, the willingness of persons in private and public life to take stances against those with power, the effective functioning of government, and the public purse.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on December 19th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
It's December 2021 and disgraced Labour Party MP Asot Michael is again defending himself from newly made allegations of serious criminal wrongdoing which he dismissed as smear, and blamed on Labour Party leader, Prime Minister Gaston Browne. In this episode we ask: How will this latest allegation of yet another scandal affect Michael's political standing and that of the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. David Hinds, a political commentator from Guyana. He is Associate Professor of African and African American studies at the Arizona State University. His focus is on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies. His research interests include governance and politics in the Caribbean, and Black political leadership.
- Mr. Rishi Maharaj, Executive Director Equigov Institute. The Equigov Institute is A Social Enterprise based Consulting and Training Organization focused on Transparency, Accountability and Governance.
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, a professor, political consultant, coach, therapist and media commentator. His broad background is in education, psychotherapy, community organizing, youth work and social advocacy. He is a psycho-therapist. ABLP member.
More on this episode:
We cannot disclose the specific nature o the criminal allegation due to statutory prohibitions. MP Asot Michael has responded to the circulation of the allegation by putting out a press release presenting an alibi, supposed witnesses to attest to his innocence, and denying the accusation vehemently. He further accused the Prime Minister Gaston Browne of orchestrating the allegation. Browne responded via the PM's Office with a release denying the charge, and for the first time, publicly acknowledging that there had been past serious allegations of a similar nature against MP Michael.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on December 12th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The identity of an alleged victim of a sexual assault and the identity of the accused person have been leaked publicly in a voice note supposedly recorded by a policeman, and neither the police, nor any other public official has reacted to the affair. Now the details of the allegation are being tried in the court of public opinion, with the accused person claiming it's smear and the credibility of the accuser on trial before the police have concluded a proper investigation. We ask: How could such a gross and outrageous breach of confidentiality have occurred? Who should be held responsible? And how can we make reporting sex crimes a safer and easier?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Ms. Joanne Massiah, attorney and Political Leader of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA). She was formerly at different time an MP, a Senator, and a Minister of State.
- Ms. Lebrechtta Nana Oye Hesse Bayne, the Founder and a Director of Shidaa Sustainable Development Solutions Ltd. Professionally known by her middle name, Nana, she is a Social Economist and Gender Expert with over eighteen years international experience, acquired in countries such as Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Ghana, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
- The Hon. Senator Bakesha Francis-James, the independent member of the Senate.
More on this episode:
The leaked voice note regards an alleged sexual assualt which was reported to the police as having occurred on Tuesday, December 7th, 2021. Shockingly, the voicenote, which appears to have been recorded by an unidentified policeman, reveals both the identities of the alleged victim, and the alleged perpetrator. The accused person was actually called by name while the alleged victim was described by their profession, their place of work, their gender, and details about their appearance.
Circulating with the voicenote, was a picture of what appeared to be partial, typed up details of the report made to police about the alleged sexual assualt. The picture further revealed the alleged victim’s age to the public as well. The person who recorded the voicenote is assumed to be a policeman since he referred to the person he was supposedly about to send the information to as “sarge” (short for sergeant). In many countries around the world, the alleged victim in a sex crime is entitled to anonymity and confidentiality.
In Antigua and Barbuda, this has been the case and the leaking of the identity of such a person is a shocking deviation from what the law demands. The Sexual Offences Act 1995 makes it unlawful to publish the names of either the alleged victim or the alleged perpetrator unless, in the case of the alleged perpetrator, there has been a conviction. Otherwise, the individuals would have had to have waived their right to anonymity.
More shockingly, there has up to this point been no public statement or reaction from commissioner of police, nor any police official, nor any other public official regarding what appears to be a gross breach of confidentiality in relation to a sexual assault complaint. There has been no acknowledgement of the leak, no apology, no explanation of how it managed to happen, no news of any internal inquiry - nothing. There has been silence, as if to suggest that the leak is not that serious an issue.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on December 12th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Every year in Antigua and Barbuda adolescents go missing from their guardians’ homes, and are sometimes unseen for days, often until the police put out a public notice. When the teens are found, little more is said except that they are in good health. In this episode we ask: What’s really behind the disappearances of these teens?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Ms. Naeemah Hazelle, Deputy Director of the National Counselling Centre in St. Kitts and Nevis. Ms. Hazelle has studied sociology and psychology, specializing in gender and race. She has over 20 years of experience working with youth communities in St. Kitts and Nevis in the areas of Health and Family Life Education, guidance and counselling, juvenile justice, and NGO development.
- Mrs. Feona Charles-Richards, Acting Director of the Family and Social Services Division here in Antigua and Barbuda. In that role she coordinates the work of a number of social services including The Child Protection Unit, The Probation Unit, and the and The Boys Training School. She studied psychology as well.
- Mr. Ashworth Azille, Principal of the Clare Hall Secondary School. Also a former President of the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers.
- Ms. Sharon-Rose Gittens, Vice President of the Barbados Association Professional Social Workers. She is a former registered nurse who joined the Barbados Welfare Department in 1999. She studied educational psychology and social work. She is a member of the Barbados Social Justice Committee.
More on this episode:
The controversy that surrounds these cases often stems from the fact that little information about the circumstances of their disappearance or failure to return home is reported by the authorities after the child or adolescent is recovered. So speculation tends to occur. Of course, since the details of what goes on in these disappearances cases is scant, who can really say exactly what is taking place in these cases and with what prevalence?
All the public knows is that from time to time, a young person will be reported as missing, their picture will be circulated in an effort to find them, then they are reported as found. One recurring theme in public commentary on the issue is that there may be older teens or adults who are harboring and or in an unlawful relationship with missing teens in some cases. Because of this notion, many people question why there are not follow up reports of persons being held responsible for harboring children unlawfully.
It might also be that young people flee their homes due to tension and anxiety in the domestic environment. They may be fleeing abuse as well. They might be staying with a relative who is not rightfully their guardian, but with whom they prefer to lodge. The reasons why we have these cases could vary significantly as discussed by the today's guests.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on December 12th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
An election is thought to be very near in Antigua and Barbuda, and politicians are making their presence felt, often through charity and donations to those in need. But there is a line to be drawn, as a voter should never be influenced by handouts from candidates. In this episode, we ask: When should "charity" be considered voter bribery or inducement?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Ms. Jeanette A Calder, Executive Director of the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal (JAMP). JAMP is a non-partisan, non-government and not-for-profit company dedicating itself to improved governance in Jamaica.
- Mr. Don Anderson, Pollster and Political Analyst based in Jamaica. He is Chairman CEO of Market Research Services (Jamaica) Limited. And he has done work in Antigua & Barbuda. He was also a Lecturer in Research Methods at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona.
- Dr. Winford James, an educator and political analyst based in Trinidad and Tobago.
- Dr. Dalano DaSouza, Assistant Lecturer in Economics at the UWI Cave Hill. Co-host of the ‘A Lawyer & a Policy Analyst Walk into a Bar’ podcast. This podcast raises awareness about Caribbean economic, political, legal and social issues in a way that any citizen can understand.
More on this episode:
Political patronage is the practice of dispensing state resources as a reward for political and electoral support. State resources can include public sector contracts or a positions and jobs in the public service. Clientelism or client politics is the exchange of goods and services for political support, often involving an implicit or explicit quid-pro-quo. The fact that politicians across the Caribbean do this is no secret.
"Helping" your constituents has long become the norm. These days, few even question whether it is right for politicians to lavish potential voters with material and monetary assistance, or fund sports teams, IT centres, and community projects in their own name and from their own pockets. But what is the point of an election then? To see which party is willing to spend more? Why don't we simplify the process and just let politicians bid openly on seats in Parliament?
Yet, in the chronically poverty stricken communities of the region, many people welcome the "good will" of whoever may arrive in their community to fund sports, buy schoolbags, pay medical bills, help with funeral costs, or secure them a job through exerting political influence. Nonetheless, it is clear that such actions skew our democratic electoral process by influencing the support of some voters by spending money. That means that some votes in an election can simply be bought in some way or another.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on December 5th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
World AIDS Day 2021 is being observed under the theme “end inequalities. End AIDS.” When it comes to a disease which has so radically impacted Caribbean society and public health, we find ourselves asking: How far has the Caribbean come in combatting AIDS and the spread of HIV, and what is essential to build on that progress in this decade?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Ms. Eleanor Frederick, Executive Director and Founder and director of Antigua and Barbuda HIV/AIDS Network (ABHAN). She holds a master’s in Public Health from Columbia University.
- Ms. Sannia Sutherland, Head of Programmes at the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition. She is a former Director of Technical Coordination and Programme Management with the Ministry of Health of Jamaica and brings more than 15 years of knowledge and experience in Programme Management, HIV & AIDS and Communication.
- Dr. Rosmond Adams, Director of the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) and President of the Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation (CFPA). He is a Medical Doctor, a Public Health Specialist, and a Bioethicist. He has over 12 years’ experience working in the Caribbean in the field of medicine and public health responding to new and emerging diseases and to advance the elimination of diseases in the region such as HIV/AIDS. He has also served as the National Epidemiologist in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Head of Communicable Diseases, Health Information and Emergency Response at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and now the Director of PANCAP.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on December 5th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
There are some who are eager to see Antigua and Barbuda follow the lead of Barbados in ending the official reign of the British monarchy and adopting a non-executive president to lead a Republic. Simple enough, right? Others are not enthusiastic, and think that partisan ramblings along those lines are merely a distraction from the bread-and-butter issues of the day. But does that mean that it should not happen? In this episode, we ask: What appetite is there for republicanism in Antigua and Barbuda, and could it ever get passed a referendum?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Mr. Carlon Knight, political and socio-economic affairs commentator.
- Dr. George Brathwaite, Lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill. Former Consultant Editor at the Caribbean Times.
- Ms. Beverly George, an attorney at law admitted to practice in New York State, and the United States Supreme Court. Locally, she is admitted in Jamaica and Antigua & Barbuda. She currently holds the position as Principal Court Attorney to an Acting Supreme Court Justice in New York. She is also an officer of Antiguans and Barbudans for Constitutional Reform and Education, and a regular host of their weekly radio show Constitution Corner.
More on this episode:
What does a republicanism even mean for us? Properly, a republic is a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch. For us, being a "parliamentary constitutional monarchy" means that we already ostensibly treat the people (through democracy) and our elected representatives as the supreme power. It's not as if either the monarch Elizabeth II, or the Governor General Sir Rodney Williams, actually govern Antigua and Barbuda in any way. We elect MPs for that.
We have long been a monarchy only in title, but in practice a republic. So for us, republicanism becomes merely an official name change and the amending of the constitution to expunge the things like "monarchy" and "heirs and successors". But some don't much like the simplicity of that. They was "republicanism" to mean far more - a serious introspection on how our political institutions function with the aim of arriving at more impactful reforms that make the system more accountable, more representative, and more just.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on December 5th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
As it marks 55 years of independence since 1966, Barbados is replacing the British monarchy with a non-executive presidency in a move well received in that country and across the Caribbean, but considered long overdue. In this episode, we ask: Why has Barbados and the rest of the English-speaking Caribbean, including Antigua and Barbuda, been so indifferent on the question of abandoning the monarchy for the last 60 years?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Prof. Cynthia Barrow-Giles, Professor of Political Science at the UWI Cave Hill. Her research areas include Governance and democracy in the English-speaking Caribbean, political party and elections campaign spending, elections in the English-speaking Caribbean, Women and politics in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Corruption in the Caribbean.
- Mr. Dorbrene O’Marde, a noted Pan-Africanist in Antigua and Barbuda, and currently the chairman of Antigua and Barbuda's Reparations Support Commission. He is a director and producer of theatre and music. He is a playwright, a columnist; and a calypso writer, judge and analyst. Among his principal interests are Caribbean History, and Black political thought.
- Mr. Jomo Sanga Thomas, an attorney-at-law, journalist, social commentator in St, Vincent and the Grenadines. He was formerly Speakers of the House there.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 28th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The cost of food seems to be rising in Antigua and Barbuda, amidst a harsh recession caused by Covid-19. In this episode we ask: What is causing the price hike? How seriously is it affecting consumers? And is there really an immediate solution?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Ms. Petra Williams, economist and business management consultant.
- Mr. Vincent Cornelius, owner of Wheels Supermarket.
- Mr. George Purcell, a farmer.
- Dr. Jeanelle Joseph, Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Faculty of Food and Agriculture, at the UWI St. Augustine. She is also the Co-chair of the Caribbean Agricultural Extension Providers' Network.
(The title is a reference to the lyrics of the song Gold Rush by calypsonian King Obstinate)
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 28th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Three former United Progressive Party (UPP) ministers who were accused of corruption and tried for conversion and embezzlement over the allegation that they appropriated government owned buses, have been declared not guilty by a judge who found the evidence in the case was too weak. In this episode, we ask: What lead to the ‘no case’ verdict? Was the investigation merely “a political witch hunt” as one of the acquitted, former Education minister Dr. Jacqui Quinn said? And were ethical wrongs committed, despite the not guilty verdict?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Mr. Stafford Byers, an attorney originally from Antigua and Barbuda, joining us from New York where he works and resides.
- Mr. Akaash Maharaj, an Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption known also as GOPAC. GOPAC is an International nongovernmental organization made up of parliamentarians from across the world, working together to combat corruption, strengthen good government, and uphold the rule of law.
- Mr. Adlai Smith, is a former prosecutor in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). He is now the current Director of Law Reform & Special Legal Projects.
More about this episode:
The case was always controversial. It was a criminal action brought against former UPP officials after the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) won the government in 2014. So, it was billed as a witch hunt by the UPP. It was thrown out once, before trial, for lack of evidence. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) appealed. It was reinstated, then sent to trial. Now, after the trial, it has been dismissed, again, for lack of evidence, again. But still, that doesn't tell a complete story. This trial has provided the most detailed look yet at what evidence there was against the trio of Quinn, Lovell and Daniel.
As a former prosecutor who joined this panel noted, it appears that the prosecution's case simply fell apart. Many things seemed to have gone wrong with this prosecution. A key witness who is now deceased was never interviewed. The DPP Anthony Armstrong recused himself at the last moment and handed the case over to the DPP from Montserrat to prosecute instead. The charges on the case were amended just before the trial. And a key prosecution witness pretty much exonerated the former ministers.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 28th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Scandal accused Labour MP Asot Michael has again secured an injunction against the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), this time to stop the party from replacing him as the candidate in St. Peter and from excluding him from meetings of the executive. In this episode, we ask: What will the battle for the red candidacy mean for the ABLP in St. Peter in the next election? And why has the Labour Party failed so miserably thus far, to rid itself of its most controversial member?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. David Hinds, a political commentator from Guyana. He is Associate Professor of African and African American studies at the Arizona State University. His focus is on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies. His research interests include governance and politics in the Caribbean, and Black political leadership.
- Mr. Peter Wickham, Director of the polling and research firm: Caribbean Development Research Services. He has done numerous electoral polls in Antigua and Barbuda, and elsewhere in the region. He is a commentator on Caribbean political and social affairs.
- Mr. Rishi Maharaj, Executive Director Equigov Institute. The Equigov Institute is A Social Enterprise based Consulting and Training Organization focused on Transparency, Accountability and Governance.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 21st, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The fiercely debated school vaccine mandate that would have barred unvaccinated students from school, and which inspired hundreds to protest outside the Ministry of Education on Tuesday, has been reversed after one week. It came with the announcement that the impending enforcement of the policy on Monday, November 22, 2021, had caused parents to rapidly get their children inoculated. It was announced that 80 percent of students in the target group had gotten vaccinated by Thursday, November 18, 2021. In this episode we ask: Was the controversial policy a success in driving up vaccination? Or was it ill conceived? And was it necessary at all?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Mr. Ashworth Azille, Principal of the Clare Hall Secondary School. Also a former President of the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers.
- Ms. Vernice Mack, retired Principal, Past President of the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers, presently- President of the Antigua and Barbuda Trade Union Congress.
- Ms. Chaniel Imhoff, a parent, a politician, an entrepreneur and an activist. She is a member of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) and is the party’s Team Leader in the constituency of St. Peter.
- Sen. Bakesha Francis-James, the independent member of the Senate.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 21st, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
For many, it comes as a very sudden shift in policy, though others say that it was inevitable once you were paying attention. Recently, the government announced that the state of emergency was being called off, promising to do so next month. The public sector vaccine mandate - which had been fiercely resisted by many - is being rolled back to mandatory testing for those public sector workers who still remain unvaccinated, allowing them to return to work. Meanwhile, private businesses are being told that they too can go the route of reverting to mandatory testing for their unvaccinated employees once 80 percent of overall employees are already immunized. In this episode, we ask: What’s behind the shift in policy? And is this the return to normalcy that many have been hoping for?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Mr. Anderson Carty, Management Consultant specializing in Business Management, Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management.
- Mr. David Spencer, He is a community activist. He is also the co-host of Movement Radio, a weekly programme on Observer Radio dedicated to social and political activism on a range of issues.
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, a professor, political consultant, coach, therapist and media commentator. His broad background is in education, psychotherapy, community organizing, youth work and social advocacy. He is a psycho-therapist. He is a long-time member of the ABLP.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 21st, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Antigua and Barbuda this month celebrated 40 years of independence, and we are looking back on our development since 1981. In this episode we ask: What have we achieved and what have we not achieved over the last 40 years?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Mr. Hyram K. Forde, an educator and administrator by profession, who is currently Head of the School of Business & Management.at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands.
- Dr. James Knight, former Editor of the Outlet Newspaper. He is currently a health consultant in the Ministry of Tourism.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 14th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The COP-26 climate negotiations have ended after strong deliveries from small island leaders like Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Gaston Browne. But here at home, some ask whether domestic policy on environment and energy squares up with our pro-clean energy, pro-conservation rhetoric on the world stage.
Internationally, we talk a lot about the very real destruction that a changing climate is more rapidly causing to our sensitive environment. But are we really doing all that we should to enforce conservation and responsible development to protect that environment? In this episode we ask: What are our strengths and weaknesses when it comes to environment and energy policy here at home, and what needs to change?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Mr. John Mussington, marine biologist. He is a graduate of the University of the West Indies with majors in Chemistry and Biology, as well as a graduate of the UWI’s Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies. He has over 30 years’ experience as a consultant on environmental impact assessments in Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis and in Dominica.
- Ms. Refica Attwood, Executive Director at Walling’s Nature Reserve Incorporated. That is a non-profit company. She is also Antigua and Barbuda’s national coordinator on a regional project known as Enhancing Caribbean Civil Society’s Access and Readiness for Climate Finance. The project is led by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute.
- Mr. Stanley Barreto, an engineer specializing in energy systems and renewable energy systems. He graduated from the Texas Tech University with a graduate degree in Wind & Renewable Energy Engineering & Management. He has worked on renewable energy projects in Antigua and Barbuda and across the Caribbean.
- Dr. Anthony Richards, a biochemist and a bio-technologist. His PhD in biotechnology is from Kings College in London. He is also a UWI graduate. And he works and specializes in the fields of biosafety, sustainable development, bio-diversity, plant science and environmental heritage.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 14th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A Covid-19 vaccine mandate is now a reality in the nation’s schools for youth ages 12 to 17, and has become immediately controversial. Many parents are ready to protest. The government says students will not be allowed on school compounds unless they are vaccinated. In this episode, we ask: Is the new mandate really necessary? And what becomes of those who decline the jab?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Patrick Martin, a medical doctor joining us from St. Kitts and Nevis. He’s a pediatrician. He was Chief Medical Officer there previously.
- Mr. Foster Roberts, Principal at the Ottos Comprehensive School (OCS).
- Dr. George Roberts, a medical doctor here in Antigua and Barbuda, and an ear nose and throat specialist.
More about this episode:
We talk about why eligible young people should get vaccinated and discuss whether a mandate is necessary in order to secure the compliance of parents and students. We also talk about what impact the mandate is likely to have on students who remain unvaccinated, and we will try and weigh the imperatives of public health and a safe school environment against the right that a child has to education.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 14th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Personal liberty, public health crisis, vaccine safety, unjust discrimination, informed consent, misinformation - these are the phrases we hear over and over since the debate over vaccine mandates began this year. Since the end of October, the new mandate for the private sector has been in effect. It says that businesses that employ just five or more workers must ensure that employees are vaccinated, or those employees must stay home. In this episode, we invited a lawyer, a trade unionist, and an industrial relations consultant to debate the reasonableness of the new mandate which many see as an overreach, and others argue is a critical step toward better safeguarding public health.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Kendrickson H. Kentish, known among his colleagues as Kenny Kentish, an attorney at law here in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Anderson Carty, a management consultant specializing in business management, industrial relations and human resource management.
- Samuel James, the current President of the Antigua and Barbuda Free Trade Union (ABFTU).
More Background:
The issue of vaccine mandates has been an extremely controversial one not only in Antigua and Barbuda, but around the world. It's an issue which challenges our understanding of personal rights and liberties, and of when those liberties ought to be limited for the public good. It's also an issue heavily clouded by false and alarmist information about vaccines and Covid-19 which has plagued us in effectively responding to the pandemic since 2020.
Covid-19 is a deadly and highly contagious disease. Vaccination, despite the risk of rare adverse events which health specialists worldwide have been tracking and reporting on, is considered safe and effective at reducing the damage this disease does. So is a mandate not wise? Yet, some merely see the mandate as the government trying to have its way, rather than as a public health necessity for each individual's greater safety. Added to that, what about the risk of creating hardship with the new policy?
Unemployment is already serious. Could adding a mandate in the private sector send the vaccine hesitant or opponents into unemployment? What good will that do? If mandates are broadly in effect in both the public and private sector, then there's essentially nowhere to run. The government may have to take hard stances, but squeezing people into the breadline creates another problem entirely. And yet, the government and employers still have a responsibility to create workspaces that are as safe as possible from the spread of Covid-19, and no workspace is as safe as possible if the people there are not vaccinated.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 7th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Youth are the future. We like to say that and we are not wrong. So, as Antigua and Barbuda celebrates 40 years of independence since 1981, what do younger people want for their country? Despite the fact that it is the young who will inherit what their seniors leave behind, we never seem to ask. In this episode, we look ahead to 2050. We asked our guest panel of young adults: Where do you want to see Antigua and Barbuda in 30 years? It became clear immediately that there is a vast difference between the status quo and the aspirations that many young Antiguans and Barbudans have for their country. Let's repeat that. There is a vast difference between the status quo and the aspirations that many young Antiguans and Barbudans have for their country. This was an honest and refreshing discussion.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Erica Edwards, a business development professional working in the insurance industry here in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Kamalie Mannix, a history teacher. He is a social and political commentator as well.
- Refica Attwood, Executive Director at Walling’s Nature Reserve Incorporated. That is a non-profit company. She is also Antigua and Barbuda’s national coordinator on a regional project known as Enhancing Caribbean Civil Society’s Access and Readiness for Climate Finance. The project is lead by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute.
- Carlon Knight, he is a political and socio-economic affairs commentator.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 7th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Why did voters really reject the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) at the referendum three years ago? In this episode we aim to answer that question. The final vote tally gave totals of 8,509 for the pro-CCJ amendment and 9,234 against it. Turnout was 33.6% of the electorate - very low. Why did the yes vote fail? What ought to have been done differently? What has the 2018 referendum shown about the nature of politics and the potential for bi-partisanship in Antigua and Barbuda? How did public perception of political corruption affect the outcome? And what future does the court have in its appellate function if countries do not sign on?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Justin Simon QC, an attorney and Queen’s Counsel. He was Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister for 10 years between 2004 and 2014.
- Sen. Shawn Nicholas, Senator appointed by the Leader of the Opposition and she a member of the United Progressive Party (UPP). She is the UPP General Secretary.
- Stafford Byers, an attorney originally from Antigua and Barbuda, joining us from New York where he works and resides. He’s a member of the activist group, Antiguans and Barbudans for Constitutional Reform and Education (ABCRE).
- Peter Wickham, Director of the polling and research firm, Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES). He has done numerous electoral polls in Antigua and Barbuda, and elsewhere in the region. He is a commentator on Caribbean political and social affairs.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on November 7th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Where's the line between faith and a cult? Are they the same? In Jamaica, three people were left dead and others injured after a ritual sacrifice ceremony in a small congregation that believed wholeheartedly the words of the man at its centre. That man is now dead, having died in a police car accident while in custody. You can't make this up. Why are people drawn to the bizarre promises of such cult leaders? Isn't it clear that something is amiss, when someone makes themselves the centre of worship? Then again, isn't that what religion is often about? Miraculous deeds; adoration of those persons and objects deemed divine; and obedience to doctrine in the hopes of reward; are these not normal in our legitimate everyday faiths? So, what sets a cult a part? On this segment, we ask whether the tragedies could have been avoided and whether within the predominantly Christian Caribbean, we can define the difference between a cult and a church.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Desmond Allen, founding editor of the Jamaica Observer. He is a former President of the Press Association of Jamaica. He’s been a journalist for many years.
- Paul Scavella, Pastor Paul Aldai Scavella is an administrator, evangelist and a family life expert and author. He joins from The Bahamas.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 31st, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
I, Asot Michael, take thee, the Labour Party, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part - We're sure Michael never said that. But he might as well have. An election is looming. One is due in 2023 and most feel it will instead be called in early 2022. But disgraced Labour MP Asot Michael, one of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party's most recognizable candidates and also one of its biggest donors, is being maneuvered off the slate.
This, after falling out of favour with Prime Minister Gaston Browne ostensibly over what Browne continues to allege was Michael's "dishonesty" and "attempted" theft whilst in Browne's Cabinet. At first, back in 2019, Browne condemned Michael chiefly on the basis of the Peter Virdee energy scandal which came to light in 2018, in which Michael was reportedly taped by foreign law enforcement negotiating millions in bribes for himself.
Then in 2020 and 2021 the PM began revealing new allegations of fraud and "attempted" theft against Michael that Browne claimed occurred under his own stewardship since 2014, and which Browne and perhaps others in his government seemingly kept secret from the public till recently. Michael denies the wrongdoing Browne alleges. Then the party began a half-hearted, secretive disciplinary tribunal against Michael which abruptly failed after Michael tied up the meaningless and nontransparent action in court with injunctions, soon after it was started.
Most recently, the party barred Michael from executive meetings. So what now? What will the impact of the Asot-Labour schism be in the next election? When the votes are cast, will Antigua and Barbuda have to endure another five years of parliamentary service from, arguably, its most scandal accused politician? Will Michael being off the slate hurt the ABLP seriously? Will it help the opposition? Will Michael run independently? Will the PM welcome him back, as he did once already in the 2018 election?
The host Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, a professor, political consultant, coach, therapist and media commentator. His broad background is in education, psychotherapy, community organizing, youth work and social advocacy. He is a psycho-therapist. He is a member of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP).
- Peter Wickham, Director of the polling and research firm, Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES). He has done numerous electoral polls in Antigua and Barbuda, and elsewhere in the region. He is a commentator on Caribbean political and social affairs.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 31st, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
What do you do when your political system is rotten to its core? That is the nature of Antigua and Barbuda, where accountability is a joke, or, sometimes a political tool whose purpose is to help one party damage another. Here, the rule of law is a foreign concept, fleeting, occurring from time to time here and there. In the intervals, misbehaviour and theft may occur, sometimes on scales unthinkable.
When you speak of such misbehaviour and theft, you'd better not call names. You'd better have done the police work yourself, laid the charges yourself, and prosecuted the case yourself. Otherwise, calling names could get you sued. And the people suing have a lot of money. They can afford the best lawyers. So hush darling. Cover your eyes. There is no corruption in Antigua and Barbuda. Move along. There's nothing to see here.
But what defense is it to say, "It's never been proven in court" or "I was never charged with anything" when the police and the justice system are pitifully weak on corruption? The integrity commission too, is a farce, and so is Parliament, and political parties do little at all except vomit up the same grimy candidates every election. The latest political farce is the half-hearted, meaningless, and secretive Labour Party "disciplinary" tribunal against disgraced Labour MP Asot Michael for misconduct alleged against him and which he denies. It has failed miserably. As usual, Michael simply boxed them up in court.
Asot Michael especially, typifies the crisis of accountability that has persisted in Antigua and Barbuda for over 30 years. His reputation has reached infamy after more than 20 years of repeated corruption allegations which he has consistently and vehemently denied while litigiously defending his name. Despite this, PM Gaston Browne twice put Michael, a huge Labour donor, back in government since 2014. Today, in yet another shameless farce, the PM claims to be taking a stand against Michael, denouncing him as "dishonest" and prone to "abusing public resources".
When virtually all government and political institutions have failed miserably at delivering accountability, what then? Our guests answer.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Akaash Maharaj, an Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption known also as GOPAC. GOPAC is an International nongovernmental organization made up of parliamentarians from across the world, working together to combat corruption, strengthen good government, and uphold the rule of law.
- Dr. David Hinds, a political commentator from Guyana. He is Associate Professor of African and African American studies at the Arizona State University. His focus is on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies. His research interests include governance and politics in the Caribbean, and Black political leadership.
- Dwyer Astaphan, attorney and retired MP from St. Kitts and Nevis. He was also a cabinet minister holding portfolios such as Tourism, Culture, Environment, Telecommunications, Information, Labour, Justice, Commerce, Consumer Affairs, and National Security at various points over 13 years.
- Jeanette A Calder, Executive Director of the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal (JAMP). JAMP is a non-partisan, non-government and not-for-profit company dedicating itself to improved governance in Jamaica.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 31st, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A woman was allegedly killed in her own home by an intruder whom she described as "deranged" in a frantic Facebook post made in the moments that led up to her death, all while she waited for help. Her name was Jane Finch. It was shocking, saddening, and grieving. Then another woman was discovered dead, killed the police say, and her body found somewhere near Wireless Road. Her name was Margaret Harris. Again, the shock and grief was immense for those who knew her and for many who did not. On this segment, we ask: How should we be feeling after both tragedies? What action should we want to see, on our own part, and from those in authority?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, a professor, political consultant, coach, therapist and media commentator. His broad background is in education, psychotherapy, community organizing, youth work and social advocacy. He is a psycho-therapist.
- David Spencer, a community activist and the co-host of Movement Radio - a weekly programme on Observer Radio dedicated to social and political activism on a range of issues.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 24th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Many people were appalled, upset, and somewhat ashamed when Observer reported on an elderly man caught stealing 37 dollars worth of lingfish from a supermarket. "I...didn’t get my pension. I don’t know what came over me. I am really sorry...", the man later told a magistrate. It has yet again highlighted the chronic problem of late pension payouts by the Antigua and Barbuda Social Security Board. In this episode we speak to Junior Finance Minister Lennox Weston and a financial analyst about if and when the problems of the social security scheme could be fixed for good.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- The Hon. Lennox Weston MP, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Minister of Public Works, and MP for St. Phillip’s South. He is a former permanent secretary and a former financial secretary. His professional career outside of elective politics has been focused on public administration, financial management, and economic planning.
- Mr. Peter Queeley, a Montserrat-based economic and financial analyst and a social and political commentator. Peter Queeley worked with the Ministry of Finance, Government of Antigua and Barbuda in the areas of budgeting and economic management, and has lectured in the areas of Micro & Macro Economics, Caribbean Business Environment, Banking and Risk Management for The University of the West Indies (UWI) through the Antigua State College and the UWI Open Campus. He is a Member of the Montserrat Social Security programme's Board of Directors. His bachelor’s degree is in economics and his master’s degree is in financial management.
More Background:
Routinely, pensioners complain. Routinely, public officials give more apologies, more assurances, and sometimes, more excuses. "Have patience" and "pray" is what recipients were recently told by the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff. Unsurprisingly, no party and no leader has ever claimed responsibility for the ruin of the national benefit scheme. It seems that it's nobody's problem, except of course, the odd pensioner who finds themselves attempting shoplifting when their pension is again, late. Angst and frustration amongst pensioners has at times forced them onto the streets of St. John in open protest. What's wrong with Social Security' you may ask. Do you want the truth?
The truth is that the social security scheme has been either abused, or at the very least, neglected in some way by every administration since the 1990s. Over the last 30 years, the government is (1) known to have borrowed heavily from the scheme, (2) alleged to have failed (as an employer) to pay in statutory contributions, and (3) settled debt owed to the scheme by giving it assets that do not generate enough cash to meet its monthly needs. These policy failures and malpractices over the years were in addition to the slowness of policy makers to adequately raise the retirement age and or the level of contributions that individuals must make to the scheme, as these were politically sensitive decisions.
In recent years, the scheme has relied on routine transfers of millions of dollars a month from the central government in order to pay out on all its various monthly benefit commitments, including pensions. That money often comes from the citizenship programme's revenue. Does that sound like a financially healthy, well managed, sustainable and resilient benefit scheme to you? No. It sounds like a hot mess 30 years ongoing.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 24th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Christopher Columbus is both celebrated and reviled in the Atlantic World. Debate over how to regard him erupts each year around what's known as Columbus Day, observed around the first Monday in October. This observance happens in the United States (US), in Europe, and in some places in Latin America. But many have been pressing the point for years that the man himself isn't worthy of commemoration. He heralded Europe's immensely empowering colonization of the Americas, a hellish process for Native peoples and later for Africans. According to accounts, his personal treatment of Native people was brutish. So, in this episode we ask: How should Columbus be regarded in history, whether it's Caribbean history, American history, or European history? And why do all peoples often struggle to reconcile with the truth about their most exalted icons?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Dorbrene O’Marde, an Antiguan and Barbudan Pan-Africanist. He is a director and producer of theatre and music, a playwright, a columnist; and a calypso writer, judge and analyst. Among his principal interests are Caribbean history and Black political thought. He is the chairman of Antigua and Barbuda's Reparations Support Commission.
More Background:
While Columbus was not the first European to visit the “New World” as the Americas became known, his voyage in 1492 did initiate an era of rapid colonization and exploration of the Americas that catapulted European nations into a centuries-long age of territorial expansion, economic growth, and growth in global power. This, of course, was to the detriment of the first American civilizations of indigenous nations and tribes that were there. For them, contact with Europe was very literally cataclysmic. It led to epidemics, enslavement, land dispossession, and re-incorporation into the new settler or plantation societies as a permanent, forcibly assimilated underclass for the ensuing centuries.
Colonialism in the Americas would later involve the trade in, and enslavement of, at least 12 million Africans, and their incorporation into settler and plantation societies as a permanent, brutalized underclass. So, the idea of celebrating Columbus is contemptible to many Afro-people in the Atlantic World as well. Put simply, Columbus became for many, a hated symbol of colonialism. But that's a difficult narrative for European and post-settler states today to reconcile. That struggle to reconcile historical narratives represents a clash of nations, races, and ethnic groups in our modern, post-colonial, 21st Century coexistence.
A people's history represents who they were, how they became what they are, their struggles, their triumphs, and the events that ground their values. So changing a narrative is hard. If Columbus should be regarded firstly as a brute, then should the narrative be the same of all colonial era figures who benefitted from, or took part in the exploitation of non-European peoples? The entire narrative of European expansion into the New World would accordingly become one of murderous brutality. That is already the narrative in Caribbean history for example, which, in the post-colonial era, is primarily narrated with the experience of Africans, the Indigenous, and East Indians at its core. But it's easy because these groups are now the dominant groups. But in European societies, or multi-racial and multi-ethnic post-settler states, that's a harder pill to swallow.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 17th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Reacting to the incentives and powers given to the developer of the new 549-acre Western Imperial Special Economic Zone (WISEZ), an analyst and an opposition politician say quite starkly, that the entire concept of special economic zones (SEZs) in Antigua and Barbuda needs an overhaul. They feel the government retains too little involvement in overseeing the operations of the zone for itself, and is risking a lot by trusting investors to carry out what would normally be state functions.
The WISEZ's incentives and powers have created controversy in the last two weeks since the license order specifying those details surfaced. For many, it has brought on flashbacks of the outrage and controversy that followed the granting of a similar license order to Chinese investor Yida Zhang in 2015 for his SEZ in the northeast of Antigua. In fact, for anyone who has ever glimpsed the Yida license order, they would notice that much of the concessions and powers granted to Yida are repeated in the WISEZ license order.
It's made it more apparent than it was before that Yida's sweeping concessions and powers were perhaps not a one-off, but may be the standard regime to which any investor deemed worthy will be entitled. In this episode, we continue the debate the WISEZ. Our analyst and our politician conclude that the SEZ laws desperately need redrafting.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Louis Rivera, the Democratic National Alliance's (DNA) Vice Chairperson. He studied International Economics and International Law at The University of the West Indies.
- Dr. David Hinds, a political commentator from Guyana. He is Associate Professor of African and African American studies at the Arizona State University. His focus is on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies. His research interests include governance and politics in the Caribbean, and Black political leadership.
More Background:
The WISEZ license was granted to a company called Milennia-Montaigne Developments (Antigua) Limited (MMDA). The principal act is the Special Economic Zone Act 2015, which was followed by Special Economic Zone (License) Regulations 2015.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 17th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The estimates of the trillions (yes, trillions) of dollars worth of hidden wealth that is parked, managed, registered or invested through secrecy networks keeps growing and growing. The Pandora Papers - a leak of millions of financial documents from more than a dozen sources connected to this background world of financial secrecy - have further confirmed as one of our guests put it, that the wealthy and the political class are "robbing the human race blind".
In this episode we discuss the scale and significance of what the Pandora Papers reveal, and the implications for international development and the future of the human race. We ask: What should the response of global civil society and citizens be? Here in the Caribbean, where we are routinely considered part of the offshore world, what should be our response?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Matthew Aubry, Executive Director of the Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG) in The Bahamas.
- Akaash Maharaj, Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption. The body is an international alliance of elected parliamentarians aiming to combat corruption, strengthen good governance, and uphold the rule of law.
- Professor Anthony Clayton, Professor of Caribbean Sustainable Development at The University of the West Indies (UWI). He has been working on national and citizen security issues in the Caribbean for many years.
Thoughts from the host:
The unpolished reality is this: Many wealthy people and political actors in countries around the globe have been shifting the wealth they earn both legitimately, and at times illegitimately or unethically, to jurisdictions where they are promised secrecy, little to no taxes, and a general free pass. While that may not sound so bad,it's actually horrible. A disproportionate amount of wealth is being hoarded up and kept from being reinvested in improving our society. And moreover, the scale of it is what is most frightening. Trillions of dollars. Trillions. Listening to our guests, you get a real sense of the crippling and insidious nature of this kind of theft.
Whether to pay less tax on legitimate wealth, or conceal ill-gotten wealth, or conceal legitimate though unethically amassed wealth, the aim always seems to be hoarding - keeping wealth away from taxes or keeping stolen or unethically-gotten wealth from being discovered altogether. To be sure, much of the wealth the Pandora Papers reveal is legitimate, but that shows just how normal hiding legitimate earnings from taxation has become. It means there is drastically less money working to guarantee universal progress.
Things like public healthcare, schooling, social services, transportation and communication infrastructure, public investment in clean energy, counteracting pollution and environmental degradation, mitigating climate change, and investing in medical research - these are the things that suffer. So, the next time you hear that your government doesn't have the money for this or that, remember that in your country, there are guaranteed to be at least some mega-wealthy elites, some straddling the line between business and politics, who are taking vast sums of money out of your jurisdiction, parking them in secrecy jurisdictions, avoiding taxes, and likely splurging on high-end overseas properties, foreign company stock, and international luxury goods.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 17th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
In this episode, in the wake of Facebook's October 4th outage, and amidst the debacle in the US over the company's willingness to better respond to the harms created by its platform, we discuss how social media has long become the norm of communication and how the way we socialize has changed with it. We examine the harms that social media exposes us to - harmful people, harmful content, and harmful feelings and habits on our own part. We ask: How is today's social media redefining today's society, and how can we respond to its harms?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Terese Millet-Joseph, a counseling psychologist, originally from the island of Antigua. She has been working in this field for the past 16 years. She is currently a practicing psychotherapist in Central New York, and a doctoral student pursuing a PhD in Human Development & Family Science at Syracuse University.
- Robyn Joseph-Nathaniel, a secondary school teacher in Antigua and Barbuda. She is the 4th Form Level Head at Princess Margaret School and an upper school language educator.
- Curtis Omar Byron, an Antiguan and Barbudan I.T. and finance professional working in Atlanta, in the United States. He attended the Georgia State University. He is a violinist known by the stage name Wadadli Strings.
- Marisha Duncan, a second year PhD student in cultural studies at The University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago whose research focus is on natural black hair and natural black hairstyles, representation and identity format.
More background:
When it comes to harms, there are quite a few. Social media addition, for example, is a real problem for some people. Checking your apps constantly? Impatiently waiting for replies or reactions to your posts? Agonizing over your content? Glamourizing the ideals of shape and beauty portrayed by influences and models? That sort of absorption with a virtual world can be especially bad for young people and children, who are still building their sense of self, self-worth, personality, and their place in the world.
There are other harms too - toxic people creating toxic spaces online for bullying, trolling, and harassment. And then there's predators interacting online, seeking out people to exploit. And then there's the scammers trying to rope you into something or steal your information in someway. And then there's the social media companies themselves and who they allow to access your data.
Has a political party paid a shady company to run an influence campaign by accessing the personal data about you held by a company whose app you're using? Suddenly, unbeknownst to you, you are being targeted with tailored content designed to influence your political stances based on information you've placed on a social media profile, and the data the app has gathered about your interests. That's unsettling, isn't it?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 10th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A plethora of questions are being asked about a new special economic zone (SEZ) authorized by the government of Antigua and Barbuda with sweeping concessions and significant autonomy surrendered to the zone's operator. The zone, called the Western Imperial Special Economic Zone (WISEZ), was declared over more than 500 acres of reportedly privately owned land in the Five Islands and Jennings areas. Why is the developer given authority over local development control in the zone? Why does the language of the document speak routinely about the government "fast-tracking" its own regulatory procedures for the developer in the future?
Why do phrases like "no restrictions" and "no limits" appear so frequently in the zone license, in reference to everything from the nature of what commercial activity may take place in the zone, to what amount of corporate information entities in the zone must disclose? Why does it pledge that the government will provide "fast-track" approval for an unspecified proportion of foreign labour to work at any level, and in any industry in the zone? Why does it state that there shall be "no spatial planning and construction restrictions" in the zone? Why has it already pledged to impose no restrictions on creating marinas, artificial beaches, and trenching?
In this episode, we ask whether the terms of the new license for the SEZ are are too generous, and what benefits there will be over time for Antigua and Barbuda's people and economy.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. George Brathwaite, Lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill. Former Consultant Editor at the Caribbean Times. It was an Antigua based newspaper, now defunct.
- Dr. Thomson Fontaine (PhD), an economist and a Dominica national. He is currently a Senior Economic and International Policy Adviser to the government of South Sudan. As an economist he worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for 13 years. His work and writing have focused on growth, currency crises, development, fiscal management and debt. He has also lectured in his field at the University of Maryland, University College, and at Clemson University.
- Anderson Carty, a management consultant specializing in business management, industrial relations and human resource management, with almost thirty years of experience. He is from the Gray's-Green and Five Islands area. He says he will run as an independent candidate in that area at the next general election.
More Background:
Not much is publicly known about the zone's operator, Millenia-Montaigne Developments (Antigua) Limited, except that the entity is related to the principals behind the new Western Imperial Medical University (WIMU), which has been setup in Chinese investor Yida Zhang's SEZ in the northeast of Antigua. Quoting official sources, the Antigua Observer reported that the new Western Imperial SEZ (WISEZ) "will be facilitated by CEO of Western Imperial Capital Limited, Vijender Singh, and managed by Charit Mathur, Director of Western Capital Limited." That entity, Western Imperial Capital Limited, is related to the medical school, the WIMU, as its principals signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) back in March with the Yida developers to establish the medical school in Yida's SEZ.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 10th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Regionally, whether the death penalty ought to be abolished has been an issue of much public debate for more than a decade. In this episode, we teamed up with the organisation, Greater Caribbean for Life (GCL), to put together a panel of abolition advocates so that we could hear their arguments against the death penalty.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. David Dorsett, an attorney here in Antigua and Barbuda who specializes in constitutional law, among other areas.
- Saul Lehfreund, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of the UK based NGO, The Death Penalty Project. Saul has dedicated his career to representing prisoners facing the death penalty in criminal and constitutional proceedings and also before international tribunals and courts. He is a leading authority on capital punishment and international human rights law and has published and lectured extensively on these topics.
- A’Shante O’Keiffe, Co-founder of the organisation, Amplify Caribbean, a network of professionals who wish to combine their expertise, influence and energy to create positive change in the region and diaspora. A’Shante received her Bachelor of Laws from The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill and later became a Chevening Scholar, going on to do a master’s degree in Comparative Education and International Development in the UK.
Thoughts from the host:
Abolition arguments are often couched in a human rights perspective, and one which sees life and the right to life as being sacrosanct. Some of those who argue in favour of keeping the death penalty favour it as a deterrent. But abolitionists will argue, based on statistics, that having the death penalty available or even regularly enforced does little to prevent the sort of crimes for which courts would issue death sentence.
Retentionists will argue that there are some convicts who, having committed heinous acts such as murder or multiple murders, rape or multiple rapes, torture, slavery, brutalization, or child abuse, ought to be killed. This is where they tend to find a chorus of popular support based on the genuine disgust people have for heinous violence, the anger people feel toward the perpetrators, and the desire that people have for vengeance.
But as much as we may feel someone is deserving of death, we ought not to allow our anger to strip anyone of their human rights. Human rights exist for a reason. They protect our life, liberty, freedom, and dignity from each other. They are inalienable to each of us as human beings. The right to life is us saying that no one, including the government, has the right to kill another, period. If a person violates that right by killing someone, how is it good for the state to violate it again by killing the perpetrator?
We would not put punishments like slavery, beating, and torture on the law books. This is because we find such violence disgusting and dehumanizing for both the victim and perpetrator. No one should ever do those things to another person, even if the person is guilty of doing the same. But we seem to be less bothered by killing as a punishment. Why aren't we as disgusted by the act of killing? Abolishing the death penalty is not society saying that a person's crimes are not worthy of severe punishment. Rather, it's society saying that killing people is wrong, period.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 10th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The Caribbean was handicapped when it came to development even before Covid-19. We are remote islands with few natural resources, repeated natural disasters, and a legacy of underdevelopment of just about everything. Then came Covid-19. It's hit us especially hard with tourism being the main economic driver of many of these small economies. But, ask yourself: Were we on the right development path before March of 2020? In this episode we explore the pace and nature of Caribbean development pre-Covid and post-Covid.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. David Hinds (PhD), a political commentator from Guyana. He is Associate Professor of African and African American studies at the Arizona State University. His focus is on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies. His research interests include governance and politics in the Caribbean, and Black political leadership.
- Dr. Thomson Fontaine (PhD), an economist and a Dominica national. He is currently a Senior Economic and International Policy Adviser to the government of South Sudan. As an economist he worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for 13 years. His work and writing have focused on growth, currency crises, development, fiscal management and debt. He has also lectured in his field at the University of Maryland, University College, and at Clemson University.
Thoughts from the host:
The fault in our economies is now Covid-19, Covid-19, Covid-19. That's the new rhetoric. But that's not true, is it? Before Covid was plague, we were still dealing with poverty, sluggish growth, and fragile economies. The underdeveloped and under-skilled nature of the labour force was a problem. Brain drain was continuous with a mismatch between what our people specialized in, and which industries investors were putting money toward. Our infrastructure was poor. Our regulators didn't stick to the national plans technicians drew up.
Our land use policies were ineffective at empowering the lowest earners. There were, and are still, communities that remain intergenerationally poor and underprivileged. Too many of our people were, and are still, only prepared to seek employment as opposed to building enterprises, and we have not attempted to remedy that culture in any direct or comprehensive way. Our public sector was bloated and ineffective in too many areas. Agencies were retarded by unfit political appointees. Corruption, both petty and grand, was and is still perceived by the average citizen as a major problem. Public utilities and telecommunications were too often unreliable.
Our prisons need to be bulldozed. Our courts are understaffed and backlogged. We need juvenile intervention programmes to be well funded. We need more public sector teachers, nurses, qualified police officers and mental health professionals, instead of wasting money on redundant government workers in needless positions. Our entire political system needed comprehensive democratic reform. The list is endless. So, again, we ask: Were we on the right path before Covid-19? Yes or No? And lastly, for all these chronic problems that are listed, and for all the others too numerous to mention, which dynamic, progressive leader with a new way of thinking has the solutions? Ralph Gonsalves? Keith Mitchel? Gaston Browne? Roosevelt Skerrit?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 3rd, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The Americas continue to witness an unmitigated outflow Haitians from Haiti, sometimes receiving them with open arms, but more often treating them with contempt. We saw, for instance, the United States (US) forcibly deport Haitians from its Mexico border to land them in Haiti with nothing but their measly personal belongings in cheap plastic bags. That can't be right, right? What would your government have done? On this episode, we talk about how the region and the world should respond to the migration crisis, and all whose job it is to help stabilize the Haiti.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Maxine McClean, who was Minister of Foreign Affairs in Barbados for 10 years between 2008 and 2018. She was a Senator during that time. She is also a former lecturer at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill, a career she pursued for 17 years.
- Dieupie Cherubin, pastor of Hosanna Baptist Church in Jacmel, and former Senator in the Haitian Parliament.
Background:
In the last week, images of Haitians either sheltering or being chased at points along the Mexico-Texas border were shared widely. Such sights are always vexing, but we should admit that we've become accustomed to seeing people, often destitute, clamoring to be allowed into a country, often a developed one, where their chances in life will be better. The migration crises of the developed world are a regular feature of our daily news. So it is that we're now so accustomed to seeing human beings at their least dignified, ragged, unwashed, hopeless, and desperate, trying to gain entry to somewhere that does not want to receive them.
For Caribbean people, the images we saw from Texas and the ones we later saw later of hundreds of Haitians intercepted in Bahamian waters stokes a special unease. For Black people especially, it brings on a pang of jaded despair at the common misery of the Pan-African experience. Why should Haitians have to endure this, simply to live a peaceful life with health, security, and the opportunity to work? Well, Haiti is a country in dire straits if you'll excuse the cliché, and it has been so for many years.
Gang war, massacres, kidnappings, Covid-19, the August 14th earthquake, and the July 7th assassination of its President have, this year, added to a decade of chronic poverty and struggle that followed the catastrophically destabilizing and ruinous 2010 earthquake. Now, the pace of Haitian migration is picking up again as the country's circumstances make it impossible for millions of its people to live happily. Added to that, Haitians who were once living in South America and Central America, are on the move as well, as Covid-19'seconomic fallout pushes them from comfortably living on the margins of those societies to being further without opportunity.
So what's the solution? Well, the problem is the solution: Haiti. Haiti needs political stability, economic opportunities for its people, and public security right now, or its people will keep arriving at other borders. But achieving those things, as has always been the case, requires a long, complex, and moderated mix of foreign involvement and domestic initiative - a mix that is difficult to create and sustain when gangs run entire swathes of the country and it's current de facto leader is being investigated for suspected involvement in the murder of the country's last leader.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 3rd, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
In this episode we talk about sexual abuse, power, and accountability, in the wake of the very recent conviction of the popular American R&B singer R. Kelly for multiple crimes including sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, and sex trafficking. The convictions came after more than two decades of Kelly fighting such accusations in criminal and civil court, and at times settling them out of court. Since the 1990s in fact, R. Kelly had been hounded by accounts of abuse and misconduct.
In a nutshell, his abuses centred on the predatory pursuit of teenage girls, and running and trapping his partners in abusive, controlling relationships, within what's been described by some outlets as a sex cult. Today, with our two guests from Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Kitts and Nevis, we discuss abuse more generally and in a Caribbean context. We ask: What can we learn about the nature of sexual abuse, power, and our society from the case of R. Kelly? And how do we compel accountability?
We tackle topics like:
- Years passing after multiple accusers or accusations, yet no justice for the accused.
- Keeping one's position of power or trust, despite credible accusations being public.
- Grooming and preying on children and teens for sex.
- Organizing rings to procure people (often vulnerable) for sex - sex trafficking.
- Abuse through transactional sex - sex in exchange for "x".
- Male attitudes toward sex, sexual abuse, and women.
- Sexual abuse in Black communities against women, girls and boys.
- Victim shaming and blaming - saying accusers are seeking fame, attention, money, or petty vengeance.
- The difficulty in coming forward with an allegation of assault, rape, molestation, harassment etc.
- How fans treat their celebrities' work, when abuse becomes known.
- Silencing victims - hush money, bribes, threats, victimization, out of court agreements,
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Linisa George, an activist, a writer, and a storyteller whose work focuses on the Afro-Caribbean experience of black women and girls.
- Naeemah Hazelle, Deputy Director of the National Counselling Centre in St. Kitts and Nevis. Naeemah studied sociology and psychology, specializing in gender and race, and obtained her master’s degree in counselling psychology from the UWI. She has over 20 years of experience working with youth communities in St. Kitts and Nevis in the areas of Health and Family Life Education, guidance and counselling, juvenile justice, and NGO development.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on October 3rd, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) made international headlines in August when its prime minister was hit in the head at an anti-government protest. But long before, all the talk about SVG was about the disastrous volcanic eruption that happened there in April. In this episode, 5 months since the eruption, we ask: What is the state of the volcano? Are people still living in shelters? What is the social and political mood in the country? Has business activity returned strongly? What of the heavily damaged areas? Is clean up possible there and underway? What is the situation with schooling? With Utilities? With water? How badly hit is the tourism sector and agriculture? And how has Covid-19 impacted recovery efforts?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Ronnie Daniel, political and social commentator in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Administrative Officer, Deputy Principal's Office at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).
- Kenrick Quashie, social and political commentator, and the CEO of Squeeze Cash Ltd, a business based in SVG.
- The Hon. Dwight Fitz Bramble, Member of Parliament (MP) for East Kingstown economist and former national footballer in SVG.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on September 26th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Public and private resources across the Caribbean have been stretched to respond to the pandemic. Homes have less income to work with. Governments are operating on less. International partners have less to offer in the event of an emergency. In this episode, we ask: How has the pandemic affected our ability to respond to natural disasters? And how can each of us, nonetheless, remain prepared?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Philmore Mullin, Director of NODS. That’s the National Office of Disaster Services here in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Ronald Jackson, a former Executive Director of CDEMA, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, with more than 27 years practice in Development and Disaster Risk Reduction.
- Dr. Barbara Carby (PhD), a former Director of the Disaster Risk Reduction Centre at The University of the West Indies (UWI).
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on September 26th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Labour unions in Antigua and Barbuda object to mandatory vaccination for state employees. Two say that will challenge it in court with one of those, the public service union, saying it's seeking an injunction. Separately, another union, the teachers union, gave an ultimatum of industrial action unless the mandate was lifted. But the government is resolved to hire as many temporary workers as need be, to fill positions left by those who choose to stay unvaccinated, and therefore cannot come to work.
What's more, the Prime Minister Gaston Browne, speaking in Parliament, has attacked the second union that threatened court action, the Antigua Trades & Labour Union (AT&LU), as an organisation in need of "new leadership", and he demanded, in a sense, that its executive be removed, though the extent of his labour party's influence over that union is unclear. They are longtime affiliates.
In this episode, our guests react to the unions' stance, which they say is not much of a surprise, though they disagree on whether it is the right stance. We ask: With Covid-19 causing so many more deaths, more hospitalisation, and so much economic harm, is fighting the vaccine mandate really in the best interest of workers?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Anderson Carty, a management consultant specializing in business management, industrial relations and human resource management, with almost thirty years of experience. He is from the Gray's-Green and Five Islands area. He says he will run as an independent candidate in that area at the next general election.
- Dr. George Brathwaite, Lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology at The University of the West Indies, Cavehill. He is a former Consultant Editor at the Caribbean Times.
- Mr. Oswald Robinson, President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers’ Union.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on September 26th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
In the Bahamas, there’s been a change of government. Former Prime Minister Hubert Minnis and the party he leads, the Free National Movement (FNM), lost office to the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). PLP leader Phillip "Brave" Davis has since been sworn in as the 5th Prime Minister of The Bahamas.
The general election was on Thursday, September 16th, 2021. What’s interesting about the Bahamas is that for 24 years now, no prime minister has won a second term. They go in and out, and in, and out. Some analysts point to the COVID-19 pandemic and the unemployment it has created, as the cause of the FNM's recent defeat.
But our guests tell us the reasons are more complex. We asked them: Why did Bahamians choose a new government? And what are the new administration’s goals?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Matthew Aubry, Executive Director of the Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG) in The Bahamas.
- Dr. Ian Bethell-Bennett, Associate Professor at the University of The Bahamas (UB).
- Dr. Ian Strachan, Campus President of The University of The Bahamas-North (UB-North), novelist, poet, playwright.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on September 19th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The messenger is often more important than the message. When the doctor on this panel said that, it stuck. And it stands to reason. We all have trusted messengers. Those of us with a mistrust of modern medicine are inclined to sideline the advice of medical doctors and medical scientists. Those of us who feel that governments are constantly up to no good are inclined to sideline advice from public officials. If we believe that the international press is totally agenda driven, we will ignore the news. And if we are preoccupied with incidents of malpractice in pharmacy and medicine, it stands to reason that we won't give an ear to drug companies either.
So what's to be done? Covid-19 misinformation and vaccine misinformation are real. They're as real as they are perhaps unreal. They are real because there is in fact a torrent of false information and narratives constantly evolving and in circulation. They are unreal in the figurative sense, because it can at times be hard to believe just how massive the sea of falsehoods has become. The effect of swimming in that sea is suspicion, confusion, and hesitancy. So it seems we need to get the right messengers - trusted personalities and traditional leaders in our communities - to carry the factual information to those who need to hear it.
So far, too many have been hearing false information from the wrong messengers amidst this "infodemic" as some call it. Think back to 2019 and early 2020. It's not a virus some said. It's the 5G cell towers they said. Well, it’s been 18 months since March 2020. What all do you remember hearing about Covid-19 or vaccines since then, that you now have probably forgotten, or consider to be false? Probably quite a lot. The latest current in the misinformation sea is bamboozling unsuspecting audiences with complex, unintelligible, scientific jargon about biomolecular structures that the average person knows nothing about, like "spike proteins".
In this episode we ask: How do you tell fact from opinion, and truth from lies, amidst a sea of information and misinformation?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Julian Rogers, a Caribbean career broadcaster and journalist. He has worked as broadcast manager, TV and radio host and producer, publisher, trainer, lecturer, media consultant and public relations professional. He is a former General Manager at Observer. He is now Editor at the Jamaica Observer.
- Corey Lane, political commentator based in Barbados. He is a radio host and entrepreneur.
- Andy Liburd, a communications specialist and formerly an active journalist, most recently with the Antigua Broadcasting Service – ABS.
- Dr. Patrick Martin, a medical doctor joining us from St. Kitts and Nevis. He’s a pediatrician. He was Chief Medical Officer there previously.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on September 19th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Get vaccinated or stay home. Negative Covid-19 tests will no longer be accepted. That is the new stance of the government of Antigua and Barbuda for its employees. The mandate is supposed to affect government workers, statutory corporation employees, and reportedly even companies in which the state owns majority stake and there's every indication that exceptions won't be made.
It comes as Antigua and Barbuda experiences and unprecedented rise in infection numbers. The last update two days ago on Friday, September 17th, was 915 confirmed active cases. The main hospital is reportedly at capacity. Despite the seriousness of the situation, there are many who are still unconvinced that they should get vaccinated, and those who are staunchly opposed to it.
In this discussion we are questioning the lawfulness and the public health necessity of the government’s latest move, to mandate vaccination or effective loss of employment. We ask: Are vaccine mandates lawful? And are they necessary given the rapid rise in infections amidst stubborn vaccine hesitancy?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Anthony Astaphan SC, an attorney at law and senior counsel, who is a frequent commentator on issues of legal and judicial importance.
- Dr. Patrick Martin, a medical doctor joining us from St. Kitts and Nevis. He’s a pediatrician. He was Chief Medical Officer there previously.
- Dr. George Roberts, a medical doctor here in Antigua and Barbuda, and an ear nose and throat specialist.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on September 19th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The management of the Royalton Hotel in Antigua is being roundly criticized after videos circulated of a recent pool party on its premises, reportedly marking Labour Day. In this episode we ask: What, if anything, was wrong with what we saw happening at the hotel, and should anyone be made accountable?
There were dozens and dozens of people visible in the videos shared, and the event reportedly went on for more than a day. People could be seen crowding closely together, filling up a pool, and dancing to music. There appeared to be no distancing, no masks, and no observance of the lawful restriction on numbers. And it appears to have been an openly promoted event. It has upset many residents who feel that what they saw was reckless, and that there is lax enforcement of Covid rules at hotels and amongst visitors. On this programme back in February, we discussed a controversy at the Hodges Bay Resort over a Valentine’s Day party where Covid rules were not observed.
As for the Royalton controversy; it’s worth mentioning that around mid-August, it was revealed that there had been 31 Covid-19 positive cases at the very same hotel after 500 employees were tested. So to see the hotel hosting a maskless, no distancing, crowded party less than a month later, was startling. Bar owners and their patrons have had premises raided and have been arrested for similar offenses. But the police have not made any statements about the Royalton party, though the Information Minister Medford Nicholas says the Cabinet feels it's a matter for law enforcement and the director of public prosecutions (DPP). Wait. Were the police waiting on the Cabinet to decide if it was for them to address?
The controversial party has raised the issue of continued misconceptions over what vaccinated people are, and are not advised to do. While the Royalton Hotel itself has not made a statement up to this point, an Antigua Newsroom article notes that one supposed party attendee used Facebook to defend the event on the grounds that attendees were all vaccinated. Even if this were the case, vaccinated persons are not being advised by local public health authorities that crowding, going maskless, and not distancing amongst each other is allowable. In fact, public health officials in Antigua and Barbuda have been discussing more and more, that due to the Delta variant's higher incidence of symptomatic breakthrough infections, more fully vaccinated people will become carriers and spreaders of the virus than with past strains, though they remain strongly protected against hospitalisation.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Greg Bernard Phillip, Chief Executive Officer of Nevis Sun Tours, a tour operator and destination management company in St. Kitts and Nevis. He is also a former CEO of the Nevis Tourism Authority, and author of the book, The Truth About Early Birds and Worms: How Travel Business Survive and Thrive After Covid-19.
- David Spencer, a community activist in Antigua and Barbuda and a co-host of Movement Radio, a weekly programme on Observer Radio devoted to political and social activism.
- Dr. Jerrol Thompson, a medical doctor and a specialist on infectious diseases. He serves as an advisor to the St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Covid-19 Task Force.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on September 12th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
In this episode we discuss suicide prevention and mental health. In Antigua and Barbuda, sadly, two suspected suicides were recently reported. But the mental health and counselling professionals we speak to in this segment want those listening to know that if you are having suicidal thoughts, you can get the professional assistance you need to process and work through that space and to feel better. Seeking help is not easy sometimes, but it is worth it.
Our mental health is affected by a complex set of factors that the best of us struggle to understand, and that is why seeking help when we don't feel right is absolutely necessary. Don't fight alone and don't feel ashamed. Suicide leaves your loved ones devastated. It's often done impulsively in the face of something that only seemed like a crisis at the time, but which was not worth ending one's life over. It denies you the very real and very good chance of beginning to feel better with help. If you or anyone you know in Antigua and Barbuda is experiencing suicidal thoughts, they can contact the Family and Social Services Division for help at 562-5669.
Our guests emphasize for those listening, that taking one's life is never the answer. They're asking everyone to look out for their friends and loved ones who can be seen showing the warning signs talked about in this episode. We are found wanting as a society in how we respond to each other's struggles. We brand people with hurtful names and labels, and we react to suicide attempts, and break-downs with gossip and anger instead of kindness and empathy. We can do better, and we must. Perhaps worst, we tend to ignore or trivialize people's pain. It's sometimes a lot to take on. We know. That's why professional help is so important for the person in trouble, and even for loved ones trying to help.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Terese Millet-Joseph, a counseling psychologist, originally from the island of Antigua. She has been working in this field for the past 16 years. Over the span of her career, her duties have included professional and curriculum development, human resource management, advocacy work, lectures, workshops, seminars, and therapeutic services. She is currently a practicing psychotherapist in Central New York, and a doctoral student pursuing a PhD in Human Development & Family Science at Syracuse University.
- Feona Charles-Richards, Acting Director of the Family and Social Services Division here in Antigua and Barbuda. In that role she coordinates the work of a number of social services including the Child Protection Unit, the Probation Unit, and the and The Boys Training School. She received her master’s degree in clinical psychology from The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.
- Naeemah Hazelle, Deputy Director of the National Counselling Centre in St. Kitts and Nevis. Naeemah studied sociology and psychology, specializing in gender and race, and obtained her master’s degree in counselling psychology from the UWI. She has over 20 years of experience working with youth communities in St. Kitts and Nevis in the areas of Health and Family Life Education, guidance and counselling, juvenile justice, and NGO development.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on September 12th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
By September 11th there were 650 active cases of Covid-19 and 36 people were hospitalised. Deaths have been increasing sharply since August. Amidst the new wave, frontline personnel - doctors, nurses, hospital staff, ambulance technicians, health inspectors, contact tracers, and police officers, among others - are exhausted. Fatigue, anxiety, and stress have become their norm.
You could hear that stress in the voice of a female hospital worker whose voice note has been circulating wildly in recent days. She lashed out saying members of the public "just do not get it!" and were "doing ignorance" rather than abiding by good sense when it came to Covid safety. Observer’s Shermaine Bique spoke with four nurses anonymously. They admitted to grappling everyday with anxiety and overwork, with one saying she was ready to quit the profession.
Another reported that quite a few are no longer showing up for work. One described the hospital as the "Gaza Strip", reporting that Covid patients are scattered around the facility because of space limitations. Home and family life for many has become a ghost of what it used to be for these workers. In this episode, we ask: How is occupational burnout impacting frontline workers, and are there any real solutions?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Mignon Shillingford joins us from Dominica where she is a nurse working directly with COVID patients. She is the President of the Dominica Nurses Association.
- Ryan Lewis joins us from Barbados where he too is nurse who works with COVID patients. He is the Public Relations Officer of the Barbados Nurses Association.
- Arvel Grant joins us here in Antigua and Barbuda. He is a Public Health and International Development Specialist.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on September 12th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
We've had to downsize, restrict, or cancel carnivals across the Caribbean since the onset of Covid-19. That's no surprise. But can we adapt? And is there a chance of returning to what once was? Will mass vaccination give us that chance? And in the interim, what? Virtual events? Smaller mas? Televised competitions only? Highly policed, distanced celebrations?
Next month, the Miami Carnival, which was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, is set to go ahead with thousands of participants. A negative Covid-19 test is required to attend the big event. Temperature checks and masks are reportedly to be required. It's not clear if vaccination restrictions will be in place. The event is Caribbean themed and attracts many from the regionally diaspora. The last time it was held in-person was in 2019. Many will be watch closely.
You may ask: What if regional events went on with only vaccinated participants? That might not help stop Covid-19 transmission and hospitalisation as much as we think. We now know that because of new variants of Covid-19 like the Delta strain, symptomatic breakthrough infections amongst the fully vaccinated are more likely, meaning that some vaccinated people will more often become carriers and spreaders of the virus and can spread it to others. Being vaccinated is still the best protected against hospitalisation.
So there's the risk that carnival events, if held traditionally, and even if attended only by vaccinated people, would increase the rate of transmission of Covid-19 in society through symptomatic breakthrough infections, which are more likely with Delta. With a large unvaccinated population in each island, any rapid increase in the rate of Covid-19 transmission would begin to put people (mostly unvaccinated people) in the hospital. Then comes the curfews, the restrictions on movement, the ban on indoor dining, and so on. You know how it goes.
And yet, the social and economic reasons for carnivals to go on are many. Here in Antigua and Barbuda, and in the Caribbean region, the loss of work for the many artists, artistes, artisans, and the myriad of others that benefited economically from the sector has been overwhelming. In this episode, we ask guests from Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago, about the future of their carnivals in the Covid-19 era. Will it ever be the same again?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Kayode O’Marde, a former Chairman of the Carnival Development Committee (CDC) which is now the Festivals Commission of Antigua and Barbuda.
- Fana Allaway, member of the management team for the Myst Mas Troupe in Antigua and Barbuda.
- David Lopez, President of the National Carnival Bands Association of Trinidad and Tobago (NCBA) for the past ten years. He’s also Managing Director of DGL Carnival Consultancy Agency. He has been involved in Trinidad and Tobago's carnival and carnivals abroad for the past thirty-eight years.
- Noah Mills, a former National Carnival Junior Calypso King in St. Kitts and Nevis. Has written and judged Calypso, Coached Queen Show Participants, Judged Pageants, and Judged Soca Competitions. He’s currently part of the Management Team for the A+ All-Star Band being launched for Sugar Mas 50, St. Kitts and Nevis' carnival Noah Mills is a past Chairman of the Carnival Development Committee (CDC) in St. Kitts and Nevis.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on September 5th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Four people reflect on their time at university, how it changed them, why they chose their fields, and where they see themselves in the future. We asked them: What do you come away with after higher education? And how do you go forward? For many of us, going to school is not only about gaining qualifications or enhancing employability. It can be a chance to mature, to establish social and political interests, to discover passions, to learn life skills, and to build lasting relationships. As people from Antigua and Barbuda, and the Caribbean ready themselves for new programmes of study, or contemplate their next move having graduated, we discuss the take-aways of higher education and the prospects for people leaving school.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Bianca Merchant, an Antiguan and Barbudan graduate of The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill. She's presently a part-time lecturer at the Antigua State College (ASC). Her first degree is in economics with a focus on development economics.
- Kelsey Harris, an Antiguan and Barbudan who recently graduated from the Seton Hall University. She completed her bachelor’s degree in diplomacy and international relations. She's been selected as a Commonwealth Scholar and will be pursuing a master’s degree in development studies at the London School of Economics.
- Curtis Omar Byron, an Antiguan and Barbudan I.T. and finance professional working in Atlanta, in the United States. He attended the Georgia State University. He is a violinist known by the stage name Wadadli Strings.
- Dr. Dalano DaSouza, a Vincentian economist who is presently an Assistant Lecturer in Economics at the UWI Cave Hill. He is Co-host of the podcast, A Lawyer & a Policy Analyst Walk into a Bar. His podcast raises awareness about Caribbean economic, political, legal and social issues in a way that any citizen can understand.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on September 5th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
"It was luck that prevented nuclear war. We came that close to nuclear war at the end. Rational individuals: Kennedy was rational; Khrushchev was rational; Castro was rational. Rational individuals came that close to total destruction of their societies." - Former US Defense Secretary Robert McNamara in the 2003 documentary, The Fog of War, reflecting on the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
Before Covid-19 became a global pandemic in early 2020, it seemed that the most pressing international policy issue was climate change. Climate protests were regularly in the headlines across the developed world. Activist Greta Thunberg, a Swedish teenager, was regularly on front pages. What about now? Now, surviving Covid-19 is the biggest challenge on the immediate agenda of world governments.
But perhaps not much has changed. Perhaps we mistook media attention for political, corporate and popular interest. Just because the media was consumed with climate protest coverage just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, does not mean that the world's leading governments and corporations were moving heaven and earth to actually respond to the problem.
It is admittedly difficult for humans beings to collectively respond to an existential crisis, as evidenced by the continued threat of nuclear weapons to humanity. Such weapons still exist in large numbers today, many on permanent alert, aimed at planned targets, to be launched at a moment's notice upon the decision of just a handful of the world's Presidents and Prime Ministers.
Today, responding to the climate crisis requires that those very same Presidents and Prime Ministers, and the people and corporations whose interests and livelihoods they defend, agree to immediately and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is possible in part through rapid investment in, and proliferation of, existing clean energy technology and infrastructure. Leaders, industry, and citizens, must agree to do this no matter the short to medium term economic fallout. In this episode, Caribbean experts discuss the severity of the climate crisis and the pace of the global response.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Ambassador Diann Black-Layne, Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda for Climate Change, and Director of the Department of Environment.
- Dr. Colin Young, Executive Director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center (CCCCC), which is based in Belize. The CCCCC is an inter-governmental organization of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) mandated to lead the bloc’s response to managing and adapting to climate change in addition to serving as the main repository for regional and national information on climate change.
- Professor Michael Taylor, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of the West Indies, Mona. He is a Senior Lecturer whose areas of specialization include environmental physics, Caribbean climate variability, climatology, and climate change.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on September 5th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
In Haiti, back-to-back disasters are exacerbating the country's many problems. On August 14th at 8:30 am local time, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the south-western coast of Haiti causing large-scale damage across the country’s southern peninsula.
Only two days after the quake, Tropical Depression Grace dumped extremely heavy rains in southern Haiti, causing flooding in the same quake-affected areas. It is reported that the death toll has surpassed 2,200 with more than 12,200 people injured.
Almost 53,000 homes have been destroyed and more than 77,000 have sustained damage. About 800,000 people have been affected and an estimated 650,000 people – 40 per cent of the 1.6 million people living in the affected departments – are in need of emergency humanitarian assistance.
Haiti is still reeling from the July 7th assassination of its President Jovenel Moïse and the ensuing political crisis. It is still facing an escalation in gang violence since June that has affected 1.5 million people. On this segment we talk about the atmosphere in Haiti now, and how people there are responding to the latest disaster.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Pastor Dieupie Cherubin, pastor of Hosanna Baptist Church in Jacmel, and former Senator in Haitian Assembly.
- Pastor Gerald La Fleur, an Haitian-Antiguan pastor.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 29th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The first to be shot dead was 32-year-old Alexis Mussington. It happened on a night in Grays Farm. Another man, 45-five-year-old Radradatt Ramlakhan, was also shot dead by stray bullets during the shooting. Later in the week 32-year-old Gibson Ricardo Christmas of Green Bay was shot dead. One week, three dead.
In this episode, we discuss crime and violence in Antigua and Barbuda. We ask why why some communities seem plagued by gun violence and gangs. Are there effective strategies to reduce these problems, and do we have the resources to see them through?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. David Muhammed, a sociologist and activist based in Trinidad and Tobago. He holds a Sociology PhD, and a Double Major bachelor’s degree from the University of the West Indies in Sociology and Education. He is the author of Black Studies, published in 2015. Dr. Muhammad is the founder and director of both the Black Agenda Project Organization and the Kwame Ture Education Centre. He also operates the online radio station Black Agenda Project Radio. He is the Trinidad and Eastern Caribbean Representative of the Honorable Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam.
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, a professor, political consultant, coach, therapist and media commentator. His broad background is in education, psychotherapy, community organizing, youth work and social advocacy. He has worked as a special advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, as a constituency campaign chairman, as a local government adviser, commissioner of youth empowerment, and executive director of several human services and faith-based organizations. He is a psycho-therapist.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 29th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Curfew hours are increased from 8:00 pm to 5:00 am. Gyms are closed. Restaurants are restricted to serving take-out only. Summer camps are ordered to close. Churches are ordered to seat 25 members only. Wakes and receptions are to be limited to 25 people. Informal gatherings are limited to 10 people. Those were the restrictions announced on Wednesday, August 25th, 2021 in response to an rapidly increasing number of Covid cases.
But the restrictions have upset many, especially some bars, restaurants, clubs and gyms, teetering on the brink of collapse as they have to open and close over and over, regardless of whether they abide by the Covid safety protocols while they are open. It's frustrating. It's exhausting. Now, as they are asked to close, again, many want to see some evidence that suggests that their venues are actually responsible for the newly transmitted cases of Covid, and that it is not the case they automatically get closed down if cases go up.
For the average citizen too, it's frustrating to have to be indoors by 8:00 pm, and to not be able to patronize certain places. Many vaccinated people are frustrated, feeling as if their being vaccinated ought to have prevented further socially and economically debilitating measures like curfews and business closures and restrictions. But cases are going up. And for different reasons. High among them, is when people, jabbed or not, don't follow the basic rules - keep your distance, don't gather in large numbers, don't frequent other's homes, wash your hands, and cover your face.
Additionally, we have the Delta variant, which is more transmissible. We now know that vaccines do less to guard against transmission of the virus in the case of Delta, even though they still offer strong protection against hospitalization when you have the virus. Herein lies another element of popular frustration. Back in February, March and April, many got the impression that being vaccinated would return things "to normal". That was before the heightened transmissibility of the Delta variant, even among the vaccinated, became more clearly understood.
In the latter half of July, the government announced a mandate for only vaccinated persons to be allowed to go to gyms, bars, restaurants and clubs. Many took it as the beginning of a new normal. Crisis mode restrictions would be a thing of the past as a new regime of vax-only rules would take effect. Many simply got the wrong impression. Policing the spread of Covid-19 is far more complex than policing the movement of the unvaccinated. We now know that even with such a regime of vax-only rules in place, Covid-19 transmission could still prompt a crisis if hospitalizations increase, which they will, if a large number of people are unvaccinated, which is still now the case. In any event, the vax-only mandate was made with no effective way of enforcing it. Compliance was most likely minimal.
So as cases go up again, we ask, what's to be done? The health system must not become overwhelmed. That would be disastrous.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Erica Edwards, business development professional working in the insurance industry here in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Valerie Hodge, Managing Director of Shirley Heights Lookout, Restaurant, Bar, and Gift Shops.
- Dr. George Roberts, a medical doctor. He is an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 29th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Life is about to get much worse for many people in Afghanistan. The militant political party, the Taliban, have taken over the capital Kabul from the Western-backed and United Nations (UN) recognised Afghan national government, ending 20 years of insurgency and civil conflict, and occurring after the majority of United States (US) and allied military units rapidly existed the country earlier this year. In this episode, a UN diplomat and a retired UN diplomat, both from the Caribbean, discuss the implications.
For many of our Caribbean listeners, we know Afghanistan may be a mystery. It's a place where Caribbean nations will have had little political or diplomatic engagement, if at all. But it's a country that has featured consistently in world news and North American media since the early 2000s, and immediately after the September the 11th 2001 attacks. It's situated between Pakistan, Iran and China, among a few other nations.
The complexity of its internal ethnic, political, and religious struggles, as well as the carnival of foreign interests that have a stake in its affairs, cannot be aptly summed up by narratives as simplistic as 'terrorists vs. America' or 'oppressed people vs. US imperialism'. Unfortunately, such narratives are what many here in the Caribbean will have adopted over time without having had much need to delve into the topic of Afghanistan, which to be fair, had little bearing on Caribbean development problems.
But, amidst the furore in the Western and international media over the chaotic collapse of the weak and vaguely legitimate Afghan national government - which NATO allies had been propping up for years - and the rather shocking ineptitude of the Biden administration in pre-empting the chaos with a more orderly and guarded evacuation of willing foreign nationals, the events in Afghanistan represent several important things.
For the US and NATO, they represent the end of the post-9/11 era of coupling counter-terrorism with nation-building in the Middle East and Asia, as well as damage to US and NATO prestige. But it also represents the return of a volatile, militant political party (The Taliban) which was originally ousted by the US in the 2001 invasion for giving haven to terrorist networks (such as Al-Qaeda) that organised and sponsored attacks on the West. In summary, the Taliban's return is a threat to international security.
For Afghans, the Taliban represents different things. For some, it's the party they want in power. But for many trying to flee, or now living there in fear, it represents the rebirthed supremacy of Islamic fundamentalism and all the accompanying repression - repression of women, girls, LGBT people, art, education, speech, and human and political rights. Importantly, there's an entire generation of youth since 2001, who have grown up not knowing such repression. For Afghanistan's neighbours, the Taliban's return also signals a potential migration/refugee crisis if more people flee the new regime.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Ambassador Aubrey Webson, Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador to the United Nations (UN).
- Ambassador Curtis Ward, former Ambassador of Jamaica to the UN. He is the Author of the Ward Post. Commentator and analyst in international politics, international security and Caribbean affairs.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 22nd, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Regardless of one's opinion of those in power, violence and the threat of violence is seldom ever justified in a democratic society at peace. So when Information Minister Melford Nicholas told journalists on August 12th that such threats had worsened recently, everyone was alarmed. But why the worsening of these threats? And who should respond? And how?
According to Nicholas and Prime Minister Gaston Browne, social media and website comments are one of the more preferred avenues for some to level such threats - a reminder of how cyberspace often gives a person a feeling of distance, anonymity, and impunity when meting out abuse. Across the Caribbean, the popularity of leaders is, perhaps, at an all-time low, as governments enforce lockdowns, curfews, business closure, and vaccine mandates, in response to Covid-19, and despite recent regionwide protests against such measures.
It's worth remembering that St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves was hit in the head by a projective during an anti-government protest on Thursday, August 5th. If you were paying attention, it unleased a wave of pitiless and unsympathetic vitriol online, from jokes, to lightheartedness, to praise for the aggressor, to calls for the same to befall other Caribbean leaders.
The national mood worsened after August the 8th, in Antigua, when police riot units used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse an anti-curfew, anti-vax, anti-government protest on Market Street, St. John, in a move many saw as heavy handed, and even as an attack on civil liberty. But it was a move which the Prime Minister later praised, denouncing the protesters in a rhetoric strewn televised address. So, obviously, people were pissed. But does that anger ever justify reckless violence or the threat of violence? Our guests say 'no' resoundingly. But neither are they impressed by how Browne has responded to the recent threats.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Ben Meade, a former BBC journalist, who has also worked as a Senior Producer at the Caribbean Media Corporation, and a former News Director at Observer Radio. Mr. Meade also served as News Director at Cayman 27 Television in the Cayman Islands. As a public relations specialist and political communications strategist, he is a keen political observer and commentator who stays abreast of Caribbean issues.
- Dr. David Hinds, a political commentator from Guyana. He is Associate Professor of African and African American studies at the Arizona State University. His focus is on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies. His research interests include governance and politics in the Caribbean, and Black political leadership.
- Corey Lane, a political commentator based in Barbados. Radio host and entrepreneur.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 22nd, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Amongst the vast pantheon of Black political activists, organisers, agitators, philosophers, thinkers, and leaders, some view Marcus Garvey as the strongest voice that there has ever been for Black nationalism. He is considered one of the fathers of Pan-African political thought, advocating Black economic nationalism and more controversially, repatriation to Africa.
On this segment we talk about the Jamaica-born Pan-African icon who inspired people of Black African descent globally, at a time when Africa was being colonized, slavery in the Atlantic World had not long been abolished for as many as 100 years, and racialized class oppression was the reality of African peoples throughout the Americas. This episode marked Garvey's birth 137 years ago in August 1887. We asked our panel, what is it that Marcus Garvey worked towards during his life, and what is his legacy?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dorbrene O’Marde, a director and producer of theatre and music. He is a playwright, a columnist; and a calypso writer, judge and analyst. Among his principal interests are Caribbean History, and Black political thought. He is a Pan-Africanist, and is currently the chairman of Antigua and Barbuda's Reparations Support Commission.
- Professor Clinton Hutton, Director of the Institute of Technological and Educational Research at The Mico University College, and Retired Professor of Caribbean Political Philosophy, Culture and Aesthetics at the University of the West Indies (UWI). He is an award-winning author and researcher and a noted painter and photographer.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 22nd, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Nonsensical and inflammatory are how speakers characterized the Prime Minister Gaston Browne's response to Sunday the 8th - the day non-violent protesters gathered at the VC Bird Bust on Market Street were blanketed with tear gas and chased by riot officers when they would not be moved, leading to rioting. Many have condemned the police show of force as excessive. But he stood firmly with the police when he addressed the nation the day after, launching a blistering hyperbole-filled, rhetoric-strewn attack at the main opposition party, which was not involved in organizing the protest. He also made false claims about the actions of protesters.
Then there's the issue of the Public Safety Minister, Steadroy "Cutie" Benjamin, who promised the day before the protest during a radio interview, that the protesters "have another thing coming" if the went ahead and gathered at the VC Bird Bust unlawfully. Yet, the Prime Minister has sought to distance his government from the decisions taken on the day, saying that no minister gave any instructions for what was done by police. Our panel says the government needs to stop the rhetoric and deal with the public frustration toward public health polices.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. George Brathwaite, Lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology at The University of the West Indies, Cavehill. Former Consultant Editor at the Antigua-based Caribbean Times (which is now defunct).
- Alex Bruno, political analyst, Adjunct Instructor of Politics at the Palm Beach State College, and national of Dominica.
- Dwyer Astaphan, attorney joining us from St. Kitts and Nevis where he was a member of parliament for three terms. He was also a cabinet minister, holding portfolios such as Tourism, Culture, Environment, Telecommunications, Information, Labour, Justice, Commerce, Consumer Affairs and National Security at various points over 13 years.
The PM's August 9th address: https://www.facebook.com/558698930896002/videos/1936518663180874
Browne said protesters who gathered had allowed themselves to be "needlessly" used by "desperate" politicians and "known criminals" to further political aims. For Browne, the peaceful gathering on Sunday, which many, though not all agree was unlawful, was a conspiracy by people "operating in the dark and shadows" to "promote lawlessness" and "ruin our country".
The Prime Minister also falsely claimed that protesters were attempting to march away from the VC Bird Bust when they were gassed, and that it was this that caused police to deploy gas them. But Observer's own reporters were on the ground and were in the stationary, non-violent crowd, when riot officers began using tear gas, astonishingly, having not even taken the time to clear their own officers from the crowd.
Browne made another false claim when he said the protesters were "aggressive" prior to being gassed. Again, Observer's reporters were on the ground, and while rioting broke out after the gassing, protesters were non-violent up to the point that tear gas was fired at them. Yet, for Browne, the albeit obstinate crowd, which included the elderly and children, "posed a threat to the wider community" suggesting it was justifiably gassed. He didn't mention the children in the crowd, the fact that police gassed their own officers, or the fact that many non-participants were gassed in their homes or in nearby areas.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 15th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Reckless and Unprepared. That's what commentators thought of the police response to the Sunday the 8th protests, at which riot officers fired tear gas - a riot control agent - into a crowd that was not rioting. Ironically, though unsurprisingly, the gassing of the crowd inflamed the moderate tension and sparked actual rioting which took place well into the night.
In this episode our guests ask common sense questions. Why didn't the police just cordon off the area if they were really trying to prevent a march from happening? Why didn't they negotiate with leaders to split the group if it was deemed too large in Covid-19 circumstances? Why wasn't it enough that leaders were arrested after the event? Why use such force, when anyone could easily have foreseen the outcome being far worse, than if they had not escalated the situation.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Akaash Maharaj, Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption. The body is an international alliance of elected parliamentarians aiming to combat corruption, strengthen good governance, and uphold the rule of law.
- Courtney Myles, who very recently retired from the Cayman Islands Police Service at the rank of Inspector. His career with the service spanned 42 years. He was most recently the head of the Community Policing Department, and he is also a former police prosecutor in the Cayman Islands.
Why was it seemingly an overriding objective that the Sunday afternoon gathering on Market Street - when St. John is at its least busy - was broken-up by any means necessary? Was the town so busy that Sunday afternoon that demonstrators needed to be moved at any cost? Would they not have gone home as night approached? Added to that, the police appeared so uncoordinated, that riot officers did not evacuate other uniformed police from the crowd before they fired the gas, sending policemen and policewomen scattering as frantically as protesters themselves. Reckless. Unprepared.
Yet, Commissioner of Police Atlee Rodney said "no" when asked if in hindsight anything should have been done differently. No? There were children in the crowd, as well as older persons, all gassed. Bystanders were affected in nearby areas. Nearby residents were affected in their homes. Officers chased people into the bus station and onto residential streets. Rodney called it all "unfortunate". See the full press conference here.
The entire saga has perhaps made it clear that the police either have little to no real guidelines governing the use of riot control agents; or that if such rules exist, they were not observed on Sunday the 8th; or that if such rules both exist and were followed, the rules are so weak and unrestrictive that they allow for tear gas to be launched into a peaceful assembly which threatened no one, simply because it was unlawfully gathered.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 15th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
People have a right to protest. But that right is subject to reasonable laws and laws respond to our environment. And Covid-19 is our new environment. That being said, being gathered unlawfully does not give the police a clear justification for drastic displays of force. In this episode, two lawyers and an activist discuss the freedom to protest against the backdrop of the tear gassing of a non-violent assembly of protesters on Market Street on Sunday the 8th of August - an assembly which police deemed unlawful.
The level of force used by police to disperse the non-violent but obstinate crowd was wrong, needless and abusive, guests say. As for the protesters, our guests say people should respect and abide by the law, and recognize the danger that gatherings have of spreading Covid-19. But they worry about the extent to which emergency laws and unreasonable decisions by those in authority may result in an unreasonable curtailment of the right to protest.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Jomo Sanga Thomas, attorney in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Former senator. Political and social commentator in SVG.
- Chaneil Imhoff, a local entrepreneur and political activist. She is a member of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) and is the party’s Team Leader in the constituency of St. Peter.
- Stafford Byers, an Antiguan and Barbudan attorney joining us from New York.
If we must exercise our right to protest in conjunction with fair and reasonable decisions by the police, then we rely on the police to be fair and reasonable, right? Otherwise, our rights may be infringed. Why did the denial of permission for the march come mere days before the planned date? The request was reportedly sent more than two weeks in advance. If organizers were willing to demonstrate in one area, and not march (since permission was denied) why not accommodate them?
Beyond the debate over a march (permission denied) vs picket (no permission needed supposedly), public health rules restrict the number of people who may gather a public space. It would seem obvious that the demonstration was at least in breach of that. Were organisers not themselves, reckless to have congregated so many people in such a space? As for the police though, if numbers were anticipated to be too large, why not work with organisers to break up the event into smaller actions?
Protesters went into the event and came away from it feeling stifled, as though police unreasonably frustrated their attempt to demonstrate, then doubled down with force, even though demonstrators did not march. The police commissioner has dismissed claims of having any agenda, pointing to numerous peaceful pickets throughout the pandemic which did not encounter resistance from law enforcement officers. That's certainly true.
Yet, many are wary of governments and their police forces when they have emergency powers which allow them to curtail movement, and restrict assembly. How divorced are the police from the whims of ministers? Public Safety Minister Steadroy "Cutie" Benjamin warned just on Saturday, August 7th, that those who planned to participate "have another thing coming". You could see why some remain suspicious of police motives on Sunday the 8th.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 15th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Anti-government sentiment over vaccination has gripped many people in Antigua and Barbuda. Frustration with unemployment is high amidst a prolonged Covid-19 recession. The government's spending power has plummeted dramatically. After an acrimonious and very public falling out with the Prime Minister, party stalwart and now disgraced MP Asot Michael has vowed to "not to be pushed out" of his constituency. But his party is polling his St. Peter to install his replacement. Meanwhile, MP Michael Browne is in court for a criminal charge, sacked from the Cabinet till it's resolved. Where does that leave All Saints West? And has Gaston Browne's popularity changed at all amidst this Covid-19 crisis? Did it call for a leader usually seen as callous and scathing, to become a unifying figure?
Or, maybe those are all petty issues. Maybe anti-government sentiment is overestimated. Maybe the holes in the slate will be resolved without incident. Maybe patronage at the constituency level has already guaranteed the victory. Labour MP Lennox Weston says for voters, politics is all about what politicians "do for me personally". Who knows how many people have been done for personally since 2018, and even amidst the pandemic? What do you think? In this episode we ask: How strong will the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) be when it heads into the next general election?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Carlon Knight, a political and social commentator. An early student of politics at the UWI, he is now a graduate student studying economics further abroad.
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, a political and social commentator who is currently Director of Political Affairs at the New York firm, Paramount Communications Inc. He is a longtime member of the ABLP.
- Dr. George Brathwaite, Lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill. Former Consultant Editor at the Caribbean Times. It was an Antigua based newspaper reportedly owned by Asot Michael, now defunct.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 8th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Should incoming travellers be fully vaccinated? Will free Covid-19 tests appease government workers who opposed the 'vaccinate, get tested or go home' policy? And was making gyms vaccinated-only venues the right way to go? These are the issues we talk about in this episode. One of our guests says the government ought to be more upfront with the science and the data behind its decisions - decisions which seem to be revised, and amended with weekly regularity.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- David Spencer, community activist and co-host of Movement Radio, a weekly activism-based programme on Observer Radio.
- Dorbrene O'Marde, writer and commentator. He has a master’s degree in public health. He has also worked in the Caribbean region in hospital administration and public health administration.
- Raisa Charles, certified public health educator in Texas, and operations chief for COVID-19 vaccine distribution with the City of Austin.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 8th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The political mood in St. Vincent and the Grenadines could not be more tense. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, the five term Prime Minister of the multi-island nation was struck in the head at an anti-government protest on Thursday, August 5th, as some protesters who began getting violent, pelted his entourage. He was left bleeding profusely and with a concussion, reportedly. He's reacted by condemning not just the thrower of the missile, but the "back room authors" of "violence against my person". SVG police later searched the homes of prominent figures in the main opposition party.
The main opposition, the New Democratic Party (NDP) had already condemned the attack on Gonsalves, now in his seventies. It, along with unions, organised the march against a planned government policy on mandatory testing or vaccination for some state employees. But the march was larger than any one specific issue. Some were against the policy. Some were against vaccination. Some are reeling from the overlapping volcano and Covid crises and how the government has handled itself since. Others still see the governing party as illegitimate, it having won the last election in 2020 although it lost the popular vote.
In this episode we get fair perspectives on what led to the wounding of the SVG Prime Minister and how things in St. Vincent are likely to develop. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Dalano DaSouza, Assistant Lecturer in Economics at the UWI Cave Hill. Vincentian. Co-host of the ‘A Lawyer & a Policy Analyst Walk into a Bar’ podcast. This podcast raises awareness about Caribbean economic, political, legal and social issues in a way that any citizen can understand.
- Jomo Sanga Thomas, attorney for the Public Service Union (PSU). Former senator. Political and social commentator in SVG.
- Dr. David Hinds, Associate Professor of African and African American studies with a concentration on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies at Arizona State University. Currently in his home country of Guyana.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 8th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
"I'm not ready to [go]. And I'm not going to be pushed out." That's what disgraced Labour MP Asot Michael warned his party leader while on his feet in Parliament in February this year. "I come from the bowels of labour!" he bellowed, describing his relationship to the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP). Now that his party is finding his replacement, Michael is remarkably silent. But then again, why show your hand so early? Why give your opponent time to react? Patience and cunning perhaps? Maybe he learned from Joanne's mistakes.
Of course, it could well be that Michael has changed his mind and resolved to take a back seat in political life. Political parties tend to offer up whatever's necessary to get their disgruntled to go away quietly. Ambassadorships. Senatorial appointments. Statutory boards. Commissioners of this and that. But surely, after the Prime Minister Gaston Browne publicly lashed out at Michael, calling him "deceitful" and alleging corruption on his part, there is no way Browne could ever find a place in public life for the disgraced MP. Surely, the PM has more backbone than that, right?
So what if Michael runs independently? Could he win? It depends. He's known for his patronage, or "helping" people as politicians insidiously call it. Many are endeared to him for that reason alone. He's been St. Peter's MP since 2004, and not only has he won four elections there, but he's increased his majority each time. He won with 58.31% of St. Peter's vote in 2004; 63.24% in 2009; 69.09% in 2014; and 73.90% in 2018 (see source). Though many consider him a moral plague, his shambles of a reputation when it comes to integrity hasn't prevented him from winning an election before. Who's to say he couldn't do it again?
This is not a full episode. It is an extract from the episode titled: Labour All the Way! GB's ABLP Heading for Third Term? The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Carlon Knight, a political and social commentator. An early student of politics at the UWI, he is now a graduate student studying economics further abroad.
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, a political and social commentator who is currently Director of Political Affairs at the New York firm, Paramount Communications Inc. He is a longtime member of the ABLP.
- Dr. George Brathwaite, Lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill. Former Consultant Editor at the Caribbean Times. It was an Antigua based newspaper reportedly owned by Asot Michael, now defunct.
This is an extract from a programme that first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 8th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Marcus Garvey once said to an audience in New York, "Go to work! Go to work in the morn of a new creation… until you have reached the height of self-progress, and from that pinnacle bestow upon the world a civilization of your own." It was August 1st, 1924. It would have been Emancipation Day, nearly 100 years ago. In his speech, Garvey, as he had done for much of his life, was advocating for Black people to redress the condition in which racism, enslavement, and colonialism had placed them, and create nations of their own, set apart from those of Europe and North America.
Today is Emancipation Day. It's 2021. On this episode we reflect on the emancipation of African people from enslavement in the British West Indies in the 1830s. We discuss the freedoms gained then, and the how Caribbean freedom is manifested today. We ask whether the psychology (anti-Black) and economy (repressively classist) of plantation society has been eliminated in the Caribbean, or whether it lingers, and in what ways.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Allison Ramsay, PhD, a Lecturer in Cultural and Heritage Studies in the Department of History at the University of the West Indies (UW) St. Augustine. She teaches courses in Caribbean history and heritage studies and her research interests relate to these areas. One of her recent publications is: “Jamettes, Mas, and Bacchanal: A Culture of Resistance in Trinidad and Tobago,” which appeared in The Routledge Companion to Black Women’s Cultural Histories: Across the Diaspora, From Ancient Times to the Present, which was published in 2021.
- Dr. David Muhammad, PhD, holds a sociology PhD and a double major bachelor’s degree from the University of the West Indies in sociology and education. He is the author of BLACK STUDIES, published in 2015. Dr. Muhammad is the founder and director of both the Black Agenda Project Organization and the Kwame Ture Education Centre. He also operates the online radio station Black Agenda Project Radio. He is the Trinidad and Eastern Caribbean Representative of the Honorable Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 1st, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Poor leadership, out of touch polices, and a fractured party are some of what contributed to the defeat of former Prime Minister Allen Chastanet in the July 26, 2021 general election according to our analysts. His party went from 11 seats in the 17-member assembly to 2 seats. The Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) won the election and Phillip J. Pierre is the new Prime Minister. But where did Chastanet's United Workers Party (UWP) go wrong? Dr. Tennyson Joseph, Denys Springer, Stan Bishop and Carlon Knight joined us to discuss the outcome, and whether there are lessons for other Caribbean countries expecting elections - countries like Antigua and Barbuda.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Carlon Knight, Antiguan and Barbudan graduate student in an economics programme abroad. He is a political commentator.
- Dr. Tennyson Joseph, PhD, Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill. He is Saint Lucian, and his PhD is on the politics of decolonization under globalization in St. Lucia. The history and politics of St. Lucia are among his research interests.
- Denys Springer, an educator and freelance writer trained in social sciences, labour studies, industrial relations, conflict resolution, and mediation. He joins us from St. Lucia.
- Stanislaus "Stan" Bishop, a Saint Lucian journalist, freelance writer, blogger, photographer and entrepreneur. He began his career in journalism in 2008 as a reporter for The VOICE Newspapers in Saint Lucia. His assignments have taken him to Barbados, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Taiwan, Morocco, Martinique, Haiti, Israel and Panama. He was the editor of The Voice newspaper, and has more recently stated his own company, Definission Media, of which he is the CEO.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 1st, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A senator, a doctor, and two commentators discuss the recent anti-vax/pro-choice protests, whether the vaccination debate has become too hostile, whether health education can combat the flood of misinformation, and share their views on people's "right to choose". One speaker thinks the unvaccinated are being "demonised" and blamed for the ongoing pandemic. Our doctor argues that vaccination is the safe and responsible thing for all. The senator urges people to cut through the noise and consult their doctors about vaccination. The other speaker says health education needs to be taken into communities face-to-face.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Senator Bakesha Francis-James, the independent member of the Senate.
- David Spencer, community activist and co-host of Movement Radio, a weekly programme on Observer Radio.
- Dr. James Knight, medical doctor.
- Yves Ephraim, an information communication technology professional, and CEO of Pegasus Technologies. He recently authored an opinion warning against "demonising" the unvaccinated.
The same debate over how to react to the unvaccinated is happening in many places around the world. But the protests demonstrated just how diverse positions are in the unvaccinated camp. One woman said she didn't believe in Covid-19. A man was screaming that someone told him the vaccine would kill people in a few years (false). Many said vaccines were "fake" or "experimental" (false). A young man said the government's actions were part of the "agenda". Other protesters simply supported there being a right to choose, and there being a reliance on education and not coercion.
Here, one of the big problems in the national debate amidst the mess of accurate and inaccurate information available to all of us, is that genuinely hesitant people who only desire a reasoned and informed discussion of the facts, are often lumped in with antivaxxers, who are frequently unshakable, die-hard vaccine opponents too often found to be spreading conspiracy theories. But simply because someone is vaccine hesitant, as a protester pointed out, does not make them a conspiracist. Yet, some of the vaccinated are somewhat fed-up with the hesitant, wondering why are delaying.
There is at least one answer to that question, and that is that many people just don't know what to believe. Few of us are experts, so we rely heavily on the doctors and scientists around us who are experts, or who are supposed to be experts to guide our actions. But in the information age, it is easier to come by misinformation that it is to come by accurate information. Our biases also drive how we process information. If you already have a long-held suspicion of Western governments and large corporations, then you are likely to be less skeptical of information which supports your views, and vice versa.
So clearly, accurate health information is key. But it's a serious task, especially when talk show hosts and media personalities have their own beliefs and agendas; when media is hyper-partisan, when the public has unfettered access to misinformation on the internet; and when there are many specialists - sometimes not highly regarded in their professional fraternity - who are making misleading claims about vaccines. Combatting misinformation has become its own sector and newsrooms and tech companies now have departments devoted to fact-checking. It costs money, time, and expertise.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 1st, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Many people have been saying that Covid-19 vaccines are "experimental" lately. It's an often repeated falsehood. They are not experimental. They were rigorously tested, found to have met established safety and efficacy standards, and authorized for use by competent and respectable regulatory bodies around the world. Key data pertaining to the vaccines and their development is also available publicly and to your local health authorities for their own inspection and analysis. In this 5-minute bonus, we extracted two clips, both from episodes of The Big Issues which aired on July 25th, in which a professor in once case, and a medical doctor in the other case, addressed the false claim that the vaccines available to us are experimental.
The interviewer is Kieron Murdoch. The interviewees appearing in this bonus are:
- Professor Clive Landis, the Chairman of the University of the West Indies (UWI) COVID-19 Task Force. He is a Professor of Cardiovascular Research at UWI Cave Hill and his PhD is in immunology. Professor Landis is a former director of the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre in Barbados. And he is a past Chairman of the Barbados National HIV and AIDS Commission’s subcommittee on research. Professor Clive Landis was chair of the UWI Regional Task Force on Zika.
- Dr. Joseph "Joey" John, a medical doctor in Antigua and Barbuda. He is a surgeon and leads the team and Medical Surgical Associates. He is among the many doctors who have been vocal on managing COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
Important note: Misinformation and falsehoods surrounding Covid-19 and vaccination against it are everywhere. Around the globe, false information can be shared instantly. Misinformation originating in one place can soon become global by your simple decision to click share. Please go to reputable sources to get international and local news, not blogs and random users or pages on Facebook.
When you come across conflicting statements about Covid-19 and vaccines, web search to see if something you saw may be misinformation which has already been debunked. If you come across information and jargon which you cannot grasp, then you ought to seek the advice of a reputable medical professional to clarify, or your public health officials.
Random users on Facebook and Instagram, loosely circulating videos, forwarded messages on WhatsApp, memes, and internet jokes are NOT reliable sources of correct information on Covid-19 and vaccination. A post with false information can be written by someone in a minute, and through sharing, it can become a global conspiracy theory in a few days. False information and anti-vaccination sentiment have been around for decades. But repeating something over and over does not make it true. It must be shown to true or false, and withstand scrutiny.
Sometimes, someone may send you to an official website to see official reports with medical or biomedical information which they say proves their claims about Covid-19 or about vaccines. But such reports can be ,complex, easy to misunderstand, and easily taken out of context by untrained eyes, even when information therein appears straightforward. This then creates confusion and mistrust. Please seek clarity from reputable medical professionals and rely on your public health officials.
This bonus episode features extracts from episodes of The Big Issues which first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 25th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Do you support the extension of the school day? No? Yes? Until when? 2:30 PM? 4:00 PM? In this episode we discuss the idea of an extended school day for public schools and all that would need to be considered before it could ever happen, if ever it were to happen. Our guests came to the conclusion that any changes ought to be based on data, based on engagement with those affected, and based on a clear objective for what an extension would be meant to achieve.
Would the idea be to help students? If so, in what way? Through more arts, sports and recreation? Or with further class time? Would the idea be to help parents by better synchronizing the work and school day, and allowing them to focus on work till the workday ends? What about teachers? How would they be affected? Surely, they would need to be paid more, and negotiations over their terms of work would need to happen. But at the same time, one of our guests says it should be remembered that teachers are hired to teach, and not to babysit.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Foster Roberts, Principal at the Ottos Comprehensive Secondary School.
- Joshuanette Francis, a teacher here in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Guishonne Powell, President of the National Youth Council.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 25th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
"I was appalled at what I saw" is how senior attorney, Justin Simon QC, reacted when asked about the now viral video of a woman being arrested, resisting, and being roughly handled by a policeman. Equally appalled were Dr. Celvin Walwyn, former Commissioner of Police in St. Kitts and Nevis, and Nuffield Burnette, former Assistant Commissioner of Police in Antigua and Barbuda.
"Top rag up the woman!" the bystander recording could be heard saying at different points in the video. The woman, who was accosted for the offense of not wearing a mask (though she claims it was on, but below her nose) has now been given eight charges to answer in the Magistrate's Court, which many thought was excessive. She also claims in the video, that the officer made a pass at her before what happens on camera unfolded. But barring that, and just based in the video, Dr. Walwyn for one, suggested there be an internal investigation into how this arrest unfolded and whether it should have been better handled. He said, "What I saw should not have happened."
But our guests didn't spend too much time on the video, since the matter will be brought to court. More importantly, they talked about what powers the police do and do not have, and how citizens and police officers ought to behave in encounters. The discussion is highly informative. They talk about whether one must give their name and address, what you should do if you feel you are being arrested unjustly, what powers the police have to search you or your vehicle, and whether there are any prohibitions on recording the police.
On that last question, you should know that our panel - a senior attorney, as well as one current and one former senior police officer - all said they were not aware of any prohibitions against recording an encounter with the police. But all warned against resisting arrest. This episode is an essential listen for any citizen who has ever been unsure of what their obligations are in a police encounter here in Antigua and Barbuda.
It is also important to remember that the police are charged with keeping order and protecting people. They are not public enemies. They play an integral role in society which ought to be respected, but executed with reason and according to the rules. This discussion is not about painting police officers as enemies, but rather, it is about police accountability, the appropriate use of discretion by officers, and citizens' responsibilities.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Justin L. Simon QC, an attorney. He was Attorney General of Antigua and Barbuda for 10 years between 2004 and 2014. Presently, he is a senior consultant and legal practitioner at the law firm, Chancellor Chambers.
- Nuffield Burnette, a retired police officer. He retired at the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police in Antigua and Barbuda's police force.
- Dr. Celvin Walwyn, currently Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations in the US Virgin Islands. He was previously Commissioner of Police in St. Kitts and Nevis. His Ph.D. is in Public Safety with a Specialization in Leadership. He is a lifetime member of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police, and he is an expert on the subject of Caribbean law enforcement. He was also formerly a Police Chief in Texas.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 25th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
What have you heard about the Delta Variant of COVID-19? Reports from around the world say that it's more transmissible, and this is leading to many infections and greater loss of life. What's so different about the Delta variant? And what about the vaccines? How effective are they when it comes to Delta? In this episode we sat down for a one-on-one with the professor leading the UWI's Covid-19 Task Force to ask those very questions.
News that the variant was confirmed in a person in Antigua and Barbuda was shared very recently. A Health Ministry press release stated it was "found in one of a group of seven samples taken in Antigua and Barbuda between May 5 and July 2, 2021", but the remaining details surrounding the particular case have not been reported on publicly up to this point.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Professor Clive Landis, the Chairman of the University of the West Indies (UWI) COVID-19 Task Force. He is a Professor of Cardiovascular Research at UWI Cavehill and his PhD is in immunology. Professor Landis is a former director of the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre in Barbados. And he is a past Chairman of the Barbados National HIV and AIDS Commission’s subcommittee on research. Professor Clive Landis was chair of the UWI Regional Task Force on Zika.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 25th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A vaccinated patrons only policy for bars and entertainment venues is supposed to come into force from the beginning of August. In this episode two proprietors tell us why they agree that such a policy is necessary. These are just two voices on the subject. Many more for and against will be heard as this debate goes on. The announcement, made recently by Information Minister Melford Nicholas has led to a surge in debate over vaccination and the freedom to refuse it, and the consequences of being unvaccinated. Many people are angry at the government for taking the move. And even those who support it are wondering whether it could be operationalized by the beginning of August, and how well it could be enforced.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Walter O'Reilly, operates Cafeque, the new café restaurant located on the boardwalk, Redcliffe Quay. The café serves both locals and tourists but is particularly suited to cruise visitors.
- Maria Britto, owner of Ana's on the Beach, restaurant and art gallery.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 25th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Anger and resentment are what many felt when the government announced that workers in some departments must either be vaccinated, be tested for Covid twice monthly at their own cost, or go home without pay. In this episode, we hear what the Antigua Trades and Labour Union thinks, and what a medical doctor had to say. We spoke to an employment lawyer and a political analyst as well.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Hugh Joseph, the General Secretary of the Antigua Trades and labour Union (AT&LU). Before that, he was a labour relations officer and he brings many years’ worth of experience in labour relations in Antigua and Barbuda to this discussion.
- Dr. Joseph "Joey" John is a medical doctor. He is a surgeon and leads the team and Medical Surgical Associates. He is among the many doctors who have been vocal on managing COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
- Carla-Anne Harris-Roper, a Jamaica-based attorney specializing in labour and employment law. She is an expert on labour law in the Caribbean and the co-author of the 2014 book, Commonwealth Caribbean Employment and Labour Law, an essential text for Caribbean law students.
- Dr. Isaac Newton (PhD) is a political analyst, campaign manager, and a public policy advisor. He has advised governments in Antigua and Barbuda, and is currently President of the firm, Paramount Communications.
Background:
The big issue, we thought, was that the new testing policy requires that unvaccinated persons pay for their own tests – a significant cost many would say, especially routinely, and on a government salary during an economic recession. What we learn here, is that not only is the requirement to test at your own cost part of the union's concern, but also the very idea of having to be tested twice a month. Apparently, the discomfort/irritation of being nasal swabbed is an issue as well.
But what is the alternative? There are workers across the public sector who have no desire to be vaccinated. But how do they plan to make sure they don't have Covid, if not by getting tested? The policy affects only some departments, reportedly those whose workers mingle with travelers. But if you're not vaccinated and unwilling to be regularly tested, should you be allowed to remain at work?
Still, many see the policy as unjust and punitive, and feel it is another way of mandating the vaccine through financial pressure, even though the government said it would not make vaccination mandatory. And let's be honest. It does increase the pressure to get jabbed, and that's exactly what the government says it wants to do. Is this the right approach? Has sensitization failed so utterly?
This segment also demonstrates how rife misinformation about vaccines has become, as our analyst incorrectly called the vaccines available to the population in Antigua and Barbuda "experimental" vaccines, which is false. It prompted a response from the medical doctor on the panel, who stated that the vaccines have been tested rigorously, had passed their tests, had met established standards for safety and effectiveness, and had been authorized by regulators for use.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 25th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Street harassment includes unwanted sexualised comments, provocative gestures, noise making, flashing, stalking, and even touching by strangers in public places. It's a problem that women and girls deal with from a very young age, and it's so normal that complaining about it is usually met with dismissiveness. It's a compliment! Can't you take a compliment? It was a joke. What's your problem?
Yet, there you are as a woman, being howled at, or hissed at, or told to smile, or told to be grateful for the 'compliment', or having your path being blocked by yet another male, and by this time, you've lost count of how many of them have done this on your short walk from point A to point B. Are you at the stage where you plan your movement around the likelihood that you will be harassed? You avoid a certain corner. You avoid a certain shop. You cross the street if you can. Maybe someone has even followed you once (frightening). In this episode we talk about street harassment, which includes cat calling, and why it isn't a trivial act.
By the way, cat calling is shouting, harassing and often making sexually suggestive, threatening, or derisive comments at someone publicly. So when a man tells you about your , your or your , or maybe that he wants to you, that definitely fits the description. It doesn't have to be vulgar though. It could be milder, but still be cat calling. Street harassment is quite common, especially when you dare ignore, or worse yet, reject someone's advances*. That's often when the vilest things are said. Women sometimes express how constant and burdensome it can be.
Men can be subjected to street harassment too, though it happens far less. But gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people are also major targets for harassment. Street harassment does not always have to be sexual, but can be purely hateful and denigrating. In this episode, one of our guests says, if you cannot say it to your mother, sister, or daughter, then don't say it to anyone you've just met on the street.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Renuka Anandjit, a PhD candidate and Research Assistant at the Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS), at The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine. She also serves as Coordinator of IGDS Ignite, an undergraduate student club, as well as coordinator of the Catcalls of UWI Project, which seeks to raise awareness around street harassment and gender-based violence. Follow their work on Instagram and Twitter @catcallsofuwi and @igdsignite.
- A’Shante O’Keiffe, an Antiguan graduate student currently in the UK. She has a strong passion for educating and youth development. She founded an academic coaching business, Build Tutoring, and shares academic advice on her YouTube channel, TassahG. She is a Chevening Scholar.
- Chaneil Imhoff, a businesswoman, mental health activist, and political hopeful. She works closely with the Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital in Fundraising and Awareness Campaigns for Mental Health in Antigua and Barbuda. She is also the Public Relations officer for the NGO, Caribbean Women in Leadership.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 18th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Cubans recently protested the economic crisis, the management of COVID, and the political repression in their country. At least, that's what international media is reporting. But here in the Caribbean, we are the first to defend the communist government of Cuba, no matter what ills it's accused of committing. Uncritical and placatory - that's how you might describe our support for the communist government.
Political rights and freedoms that you and I enjoy in the rest of the Caribbean are not rights which the communist government of Cuba allows its citizens. It is a one-party state. Freedom of assembly is restricted. Freedom of speech is restricted. The internet is controlled by the government. There is censorship. Arbitrary arrest and detention is persistent. Dissent is suppressed. Musicians are jailed for lyrics critical of the government. You cannot speak out without the risk of harassment or worse victimization.
But why? The reason, we are told in this episode, is because the Cuban government, which has been in perpetual conflict with its powerful, antagonistic neighbour, the United States (US) since the 1960s, is guarding against subversion by the US. There is always evidence or at least suspicion that anti-government or anti-communist sentiment is really the product of US sponsored or supported covert action.
Throughout the Cold War, the US targeted Cuba through covert actions meant to foment discontent amongst the Cuban people with the ultimate aim of overthrowing the communist government. The centerpiece of that strategy has been a now universally condemned embargo which has survived the Cold War - an embargo which has been blamed by many for exponentially exacerbating the economic hardships in Cuba, especially now amidst the pandemic.
In the 21st century, whether the US intelligence community and US administrations have had a coherent policy on Cuba is debatable. Measures have been relaxed and tightened under different presidents. And in some cases, covert actions targeting Cuba are reportedly still occurring. The politics of US-Cuba relations is complex. It spans historical conflicts between both countries, and competition between them in Latin America.
But in spite of all that, Cuba's government is still arresting its own activists and suppressing dissent amongst its own citizens. It blames the US and imperialists whenever it does so. Is everyone who opposes the government an agent of the US? Or an enemy of the state? Why has the rest of the Caribbean not called them out for it? Why smile and remain silent? Is it impossible for Caricom to condemn the embargo while also condemning rights abuses in Cuba? Are we still so helplessly enamored with Castro and the revolution 62 years on, that we cannot?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Carlon Knight, Antiguan graduate student in economics studying abroad. He is a political commentator.
- Dr. Raymond Mark Kirton, a retired lecturer in international relations. He is a former Director of the Institute of International Relations (IIR) at The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine. He joins us from Guyana.
- Ambassador David Commissiong, Ambassador of Barbados to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). He is an attorney, a political activist and a noted Pan-Africanist. He joins us from Barbados.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 18th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Will tourism in the Caribbean rebound strongly in the remaining months of 2021? We got three perspectives on that question in this episode. What's certain is that the sooner economic activity in the sector picks up strongly, the better it will be for the thousands affected by lay offs, closures, and shut-downs throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. But how do we guard against Covid be re-introduced into our countries by travelers? Well, most countries already have plans. We talk about that. And we also talk about the future of the sector, and its untapped potential for domestic investors and Caribbean citizens.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Adrien Loveridge, who recently moved back to the UK after 24 years are a small hotel owner in Barbados. He has spent 52 years in the tourism industry across dozens of countries both in travel and hospitality. He’s been a director of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, and a director of the Barbados Tourism Authority. He is a frequent writer on tourism.
- Greg Phillip, the CEO of Nevis Sun Tours, a tour operator and destination management company in St. Kitts and Nevis. Greg Phillip is the immediate past CEO of the Nevis Tourism Authority and he has over 20 years of experience in travel and tourism.
- Leo Garbutt MBE, the current President of the Grenada Hotel & Tourism Association. He is also a member of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association executive committee. The Garbutt family owns and operates the Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel in Grenada and Leo Garbutt has decades of experience in the hotel sector.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 18th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
He was around 70-years-old. Two of them were 13-years-old, and one 15-years-old. He offered money and top-ups (phone credit), as they often do. He groomed them, building trust, filling a need, and gaining control. He sent one of them to recruit others, even younger. And in the end, he got what he wanted: sex with underage teens and indecent photos for his gawking. Are you repulsed yet?
This is David Brandt, a former Chief Minister of Montserrat. Brandt was days ago found guilty of exploiting minors for sex. His prosecution was the culmination of a lengthy court battle and persistence from the authorities involved. He even paid hush money (a bribe) to try and silence one of his victims. But who could have known he was doing these sordid things? He was a public figure of high standing. The honest answer: Probably damn near everyone. Word travels.
How manyhave you heard of? The one in high office? Or the one who drives the bus? The one that lives on your street? Or do you mean the one that that stares into the schoolyard every single time he drives by? Those who say they are "checking" their "woman" who is actually a 14-year-old? Those who are "going with" their "gyal" who is barely 15-years-old? Those that "hang around" with girls who haven't sat their CXCs? Sometimes the abusers are older teens preying on their vastly younger peers. Sometimes it's men and women preying on boys.
But it goes deeper than them. We belong to the same society, all of us. And in our society, it seems that we double speak. Sex with children and underage teens is wrong we say. And still, sometimes, what goes on seems almost in the open, with the knowledge, or suspicion, or collusion, or indifference of the rest of us. Children and teens are being let down, mislead, and ignored by many of us. That's the truth.
Then there's their trauma. Some will feel ashamed, neglected, exploited, and let down. Some learn to accept exploitative relationships, transactional sex, or risky sexual behaviour as normal in their adulthood. Some suffer deep emotional and psychological wounds. Some may self-harm. Some may bury it until it manifests in troubling ways. And when they act out and lose interest, we don't seem to know why they are failing, drinking, and getting high everyday.
In this episode, we talk about child sexual exploitation and teen sexual exploitation. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Naeemah Hazelle, an advocate for child and youth protection and development. She has worked in advocacy for over 20 years and is currently Deputy Director of the National Counselling Centre in St. Kitts. Her work history includes several years as Deputy Director of the New Horizon Rehabilitation Centre, a juvenile facility for children in conflict with the law. Before that, she was a high school guidance counsellor for 11 years in the public school system in St. Kitts and Nevis.
- Warren Cassell, an attorney joining us from Montserrat.
- Marcus Kissoon, a Research Assistant at the Institute of Gender and Development Studies (IGDS), at The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine. He works on the Break the Silence project, a programme to end child sexual abuse.
- Professor Rhoda Reddock, Emerita Professor of Gender, Social Change and Development at The University of the West Indies (UWI).
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 11th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
We speak to Haitians Monique Clesca and Emmanuela Douyon, as well as retired Jamaican diplomat Curtis Ward about the rapidly unfolding situation in Haiti. President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated on July 7th 2021. The Caribbean nation was already in a political and security crisis with widespread gang violence, killings, and a defunct Haitian Senate. In this episode we speak about a solution to the political impasse developing; if there is a role for Caricom, the United States (US) and the international community in what happens next; and the credibility of the information coming out surrounding the President's assassination.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 11th, 2021. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Monique Clesca, a Haitian journalist and a retired international development and communication expert. Monique is an advocate for Haiti, for girls, for women, for youth, for human rights, for social justice, and for gender parity.
- Emmanuela Douyon, a Haitian economist who has worked across a range of sectors in the country. She founded POLICITE, a boutique consulting firm and think tank, of which she is the Executive Director. She teaches microeconomics at The University of Port-au-Prince and often speaks on global politics and Haitian politics.
- Curtis Ward, former Ambassador of Jamaica to the United Nations (UN). He is an attorney-at-law, and author of the Ward Post, a blog about politics, international affairs, inter-governmental relations, and current affairs.
Background:
Jovenel Moïse left behind a newly designated, but never sworn-in nominee for prime minister, Ariel Henry. The nearly ousted prime minister who was about to be replaced, Claude Joseph, has taken the role of head of the interim government. The head of the supreme court, who would normally assume the role of President in cases like this, has died of Covid-19. The head of the defunct Senate, Joseph Lambert has been recognised as President by a cabal of Senators. The Senate itself remains defunct.
Added to that, the constitutional legitimacy of Jovenel Moïse's ongoing tenure was disputed even before he was gruesomely killed. He was also being increasingly accused of governing like an authoritarian and of having links to criminal elements in Haiti. Now the world is being told of an assassination plot involving a platoon of Colombian mercenaries. They allegedly waltzed into Haiti, shot the President, and then botched their escape. This is the stuff of films. Unfortunately, it is a reality for the millions of Haitians who want security, peace and the rule of law in their country. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Antigua and Barbuda’s immunization programme for COVID-19 has been ongoing since February and nearly thirty-seven thousand people have at least gotten a first dose. On this episode, we talk one-on-one to public health specialist Arvel Grant about the progress that has been made so far, and how much further vaccination can go in the face of hesitancy.
It was reported this week that two of four public vaccination centres ceased operations due to the low traffic at those sites. Dashboard statistics suggest that 3,100+ people came forward for their first shot in June, and that 2,800 + people came forward for their first shot the month before in May. We also have to think about the increase in arriving tourists and how unvaccinated people with have to be planned for in that scenario.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Arvel Grant, public health and international development specialist.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 11th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse is how we define intimate partner violence. It is a aspect of gender based violence (GBV). Recently, we spoke about the killing of Althea Henry. On this episode we are furthering the discussion on violence against people, most often women, by their intimate partner, or former partner. We got three perspectives from within the Caribbean, but from outside of Antigua and Barbuda.
Later in the discussion, the panelists talk of how and why in the course of raising awareness, some men appear to feel threatened or antagonized by discussions targeting the impacts that violent, toxic male behaviour has on women. They say it is important for all men to try and understand the message of awareness for what it is - a plea and a demand for change - and be open to participating in that change process, rather than becoming defensive and thereby unreceptive.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Jade Trim, a graduate student at Institute of Gender Development Studies (IGDS) at The University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine. She joins us from Trinidad and Tobago.
- Nadeen Spence, social commentator, feminist and women's rights advocate. She joins us from Jamaica.
- Curlan Campbell, a journalist for over 12 years. He has worked in two of the major television networks in Grenada with his most recent stint at the Grenada Broadcasting Network. He is now one of the contributors to NOW Grenada, an online news platform. Curlan says he is now working on a men’s mentorship program entitled “A Few Good Men” to continue to advocate for behavioural changes within impoverished communities especially among men. He joins us from Grenada.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 4th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Does the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) have a hope of upsetting the political status quo of Antigua and Barbuda? Could it win an election if one were called in the next 12 months? In this episode we talk about the electoral prospects for the organisation which has been around since 2017, and we ask whether it will be able to seriously appeal to voters, who know too well that two party races are easier to win.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Carlon Knight, formerly a student of political science, he is now a graduate student studying economics. He is a political and social commentator.
- Dwyer Astaphan, an attorney in St. Kitts and Nevis. He is a retired politician, but served three terms as a Member of Parliament in that country, and was Minister of National Security there.
- Dr. David Hinds, an associate professor of African and African American studies with a concentration on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies at the Arizona State University. His research interests include governance and politics in the Caribbean; race, ethnicity and politics in the African diaspora; African diaspora popular music and sports as political discourse; and Black political leadership.
The DNA has been emphasizing a renewed commitment to liberal values - the rule of law, democratic principles and accountable governance. These are things which have at times been very absent in the political history of Antigua and Barbuda. They’ve also emphasized long-term planning, inclusivity and consultation, and local government reform. Economically, they stress the need to grow other sectors of the economy alongside tourism.
But how "new, fresh, and dynamic" are their ideas really? Haven't we heard the similar pledges from other parties? Does anything really set them apart? And importantly, who can say how well they'd fare in a three party race against the juggernaut Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) and the limping juggernaut United Progressive Party (UPP)? And for those voters unhappy with the government, won't they know it's unsound to split their vote amongst opposition parties?
Perhaps the real question is: Could the DNA present itself as having enough support going in to an election so as to convince voters to support it on the grounds that it might actually win seats outright, and not merely frustrate other parties as red and blue commentators have argued. Or can it convince voters to vote on principle, if those voters have indeed grown tired of both the ABLP and UPP after 27 years of having just those options?
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 4th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A series of armed robberies - some in daylight - have put many people on edge. In this discussion we asked whether the crime spree was the fallout from persistent unemployment, and whether it could be tamed. Our guests offered many views, but all agreed that it's too easy to get a gun in Antigua and Barbuda. And you can't have gun crimes without guns.
John’s Delicious Pizza on Friars Hill Road was held up near the end of May. The Okay Supermarket on Church Street and Newgate Lane was robbed around June 20th. Days later a supermarket in Villa was robbed by a masked gunman. On June 25th there was an attempted robbery by gunmen at the Golden Grove Gas Station.
The last three incidents mentioned were caught on security camera. Chilling images of cashiers with guns pointed at their heads were soon being widely shared. In some cases - like the assault on the Golden Grove Gas Station - suspects were soon arrested. But what is responsible for the spree?
Clearly many people are struggling and out of work due to the most severe recession Antigua and Barbuda has endured in modern memory. How much does desperation play a role in crimes of this nature? What about opportunism and youth at risk? Then there's the gun problem. What will it take to better resist gun smuggling into the country? What security measures businesses can take to reduce the risk of tragedy? Those were some of our themes in this episode.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Nuffield Burnette, a former Assistant Commissioner of Police, now retired.
- David Spencer, community activist and co-host of the programme, Movement Radio.
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, political and social commentator, currently director of political affairs at New York firm, Paramount Communications.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 4th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Are you happy with Antigua and Barbuda's two main political parties? Are you happy with a system where just two parties have any real chance at winning an election? The way we vote has much to do with how broad our political spectrum is. Our system of voting is called first-past-the-post. In this episode we ask whether it ought to change, and if proportional representation is a viable alternative.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on June 27th, 2021. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. George Brathwaite, Lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill.
- Carlon Knight, Antiguan graduate student in an economics programme. He is a regular social and political commentator.
In our first-past-the-post system, the country is divided into constituencies. We have 17. Voters in each constituency are able to elect a single representative to sit in Parliament. In a general election, 17 separate elections are held - one in each constituency. In each constituency election, whoever wins the most votes, wins the seat. If a party wins a majority of the seats, it can form a government.
In our first-past-the-post system, in any constituency, you don't need more than half the votes to win, but just more votes than any other candidate. So if you get 4 votes, Mary gets 3, John gets 3, and Luke gets 3, then you win, since you got more votes than anyone else. In that situation, while you got 4 votes, there were 9 people (3+3+3) who did not vote for you. And those 9 people will not get to see their preferred candidate take a seat in parliament.
In that way, the first-past-the-post system naturally supports the emergence of just two dominant parties. This is because many parties running in a single seat will divide up the vote, and for parties in opposition, this lessens the chance of unseating an incumbent representative. So naturally, two parties emerge as dominant, because there is always pressure on the opposition to unite. Our two dominant parties since the mid-1990s have been the ABLP and the UPP.
But what if you're unhappy with both? How easy is it for new parties to break into the system? Not very. We compromise when we vote. We know how the system works. So we vote for big party candidates because they have a better chance of winning, even if we don't wholeheartedly support them. But why should you have to vote for anyone you don't truly like, just to keep someone you like even less out of power? Why can't you have more electorally viable party choices?
Another criticism is that in a first-past-the-post system where there are few seats, there's a risk of having no opposition in parliament at all if one party wins all seats, if even by slim margins in each area. In 2018, one party won all 30 seats in Barbados' election even though 27% of those who voted, voted for other parties. The same year, in Grenada, one party won all 15 seats even though 26% of those who voted, voted for other parties. A Parliamentary democracy without a parliamentary opposition? In Antigua and Barbuda in 2018, opposition parties won just 2/17 seats despite gaining over 40% of all votes cast.
With proportional representation, parties wins a proportion of seats in parliament according to the proportion of the vote they won nationally altogether. So, 20% of the national vote, means you get roughly 20% of the seats in parliament. But as our panelists warn, this too, has its disadvantages.
From June 16th to June 27th, there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Antigua and Barbuda. It follows a period of intense restrictions implemented mainly in February and March, which has since been eased. In this episode we ask how we got to the coveted status, and about reducing the risk of another significant outbreak.
Undoubtedly, public vaccination since February has played a major role in reducing transmission. So far over thirty-six thousand people have at least been given a first jab. And altogether, reaching this point represents a tremendous effort by our doctors, nurses, inspectors and health workers. Our guests say they are cautiously optimistic, but warn that complacency, if it occurs, will undo what has been achieved. As tourists arrivals increase, the question is asked whether we should stop unvaccinated travelers from entering the country.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Lester Simon, pathologist at the Lester Bird Mount Saint John Medical Centre. He is also the Chairman of the National Technical Working Group on COVID-19.
- Dr. George Roberts, an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist.
- Sharon Martin, Chief Health Inspector in Antigua and Barbuda.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on June 27th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
She survived an attack years ago, just barely. She encouraged other women never to accept apologies and excuses from intimate partners who become their batterers, controllers, and abusers. But Althea Henry was killed at her home last Sunday and a man who was at some point her lover, has been charged with her murder. The things is, he was charged for her attempted murder years ago when she barely survived an attack.
We don't know what became of that case. But on this episode we talk about intimate partner violence. We discuss battered woman syndrome and the conundrum of prosecuting abusers without the cooperation of survivors - something that seems necessary given how trapped survivors often feel. Our guests say the message needs to be louder - that abuse is never love, that leaving is possible, and that abusers must be held accountable.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Jo-Nelle Walsh,clinical psychologist, and counsellor.
- Jamie Saunders, the Acting Director of the Directorate of Gender Affairs.
- Tonni Brodber, the Representative of the UN Women Multi-Country Office - Caribbean. UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. Note: The title "Representative" is the UN official designation for the head of the agency.
- Adlai Smith, Adlai Smith is the Director of Law Reform & Special Legal Projects. He was formerly as prosecutor in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on June 27th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
De mortuis nihil nisi bonum is a Latin phrase understood to mean speak no ill of the dead. This isn't a full episode. It's a 4-minute extract from a discussion on the work of Walter Rodney, the influential Black political scholar-activist of the 1960s and 1970s (listen to the full episode about Walter Rodney here). From it, we extracted a clip of one of our speakers, Dr. David Hinds, criticizing a host of prominent Caribbean, post-independence leaders of the century, including Sir Vere C. Bird.
This extract is from a programme that first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on June 13th, 2021. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The speaker is:
- Dr. David Hinds, an Associate Professor of African and African American studies at the Arizona State University. His concentration is on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies. His research interests include governance and politics in the Caribbean; race, ethnicity and politics in the African diaspora; African diaspora popular music and sports as political discourse; and Black political leadership.
A Note on Sir Vere: Sir Vere dominated national politics in Antigua and Barbuda for more than half the 20th Century as a labour leader, as Chief Minister, as Premier, and as Prime Minister. He and his generation fought the early battles for the labour rights of an abjectly poor and downtrodden working class, fought for the right of all adults to vote, shepherded-in the era of self-rule, and led the nation to political independence. His good works were mammoth. His misdeeds are far less often spoken of though. In fact, even acknowledging his misdeeds in the wrong company is treated as blasphemous. Yet, only gods can be blasphemed against, right? The legacies of men and women meanwhile, must be interrogated. And criticism where earned, should be doled out freely.
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A company called GROW Antigua has received the first license for the production of medicinal cannabis in Antigua and Barbuda. It is a collaboration between private sector investors, the government of Antigua and Barbuda, and Rastafarians. On this episode, we talked about the economic potential that the industry could hold for Antigua and Barbuda.
Note: Having a small amount of marijuana for personal use was decriminalized in 2018. Since then, progress has been made in allowing for a regulated, legal, medicinal cannabis industry.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- King Frank I, born Franklin Francis, is a member of the Rastafari faith and and elder in the Nyabingi House of Big Creek. He had been an advocate for the decriminalization of marijuana which occurred in 2018. He is an advocate for the development of local cannabis industries.
- Richard Crawford, President of the Ganja Growers and Producers Association of Jamaica. He is also known as “Dicky” Crawford.
- Andrew Moody-Stuart, is a director of the company, GROW Antigua, which was the first to be given a license by the Medicinal Cannabis Authority (Antigua and Barbuda) for the production of cannabis.
- Professor Wayne McLoughlin currently serves as the co-chair of the UWI Medicinal Cannabis Research Group. He is also a Board Director of Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) in Jamaica. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biochemistry from The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona and is a Professor of Molecular Biology. He is currently the Director of Caribbean Genetics and Caribbean Toxicology at The UWI, Mona, both of which are commercial laboratories. Professor McLaughlin's current research involves the genetics of Jamaican cannabis plants and developing standards for medicinal cannabis.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on June 20th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
There are no good choices, right? Money spending has rigged the outcome. Besides, government as we practice it is broken anyway. Or maybe you're not interested in politics. Maybe you haven't been following what's going on, so you feel you can't make an informed choice. Or maybe the reason you don't vote or you haven't registeredis because you think one vote can't matter that much. It does. In this episode, we discuss why you should vote, and the reasons many of us don't.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on June 20th, 2021. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Kamalie Mannix, a teacher, keenly interested in political affairs in Antigua and Barbuda, and also keenly interested in youth affairs as well.
- Chaneil Imhoff, member of the Democratic National Alliance and the DNA’s Team Leader in St. Peter. She is an entrepreneur and a political activist.
- Don Anderson, pollster and political analyst based in Jamaica. He is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Market Research Services (Jamaica) Limited. He has done surveys in Antigua and Barbuda and has lectured in Research Methods at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona.
About voting: Yes, sometimes the choices in an election are pretty crappy. And yes, campaign spending and inducement corruptly skews outcomes. And yes, government as we practice it is a hot mess in some cases. But you're wrong if you say you are not "interested" in politics. The fact you have these feelings shows you are interested. In a democracy, politics involves everyone - every person, and every voter. It is not just the business of politicians. Please, never believe that.
Politics is how we as a country choose what do with ourselves and our resources, how we choose the best people to manage both, how we tell those people what to prioritize, and how we rid ourselves of crappy managers who seem to be deaf. If you care about anything - joblessness; taxes; policing and crime; running water; or the policies in your child's school, then you are interested in politics. The question is, how do you make a difference when it comes to those things? VOTE.
Many of us are just disillusioned with Antigua and Barbuda, so we resign ourselves to engage as little as possible. For youth, political socialization is meager and fallacious. And mostly, what we get from politicians is smiles, promises, handouts; or crass, scandalous, meaningless, uninspired, noise-making between parties. But there's only one way to change that. If you want a competent debate, or you're sick of self-serving, corrupt people, or you think whichever party is unfit for office, VOTE.
Other Episodes on Politics:
- Parliament: It Clearly Isn't Working
- Is Political Reform A Dead Discussion in A&B?
- Corrupt Patronage: Minister, What Have You Done for Me Personally?
- Roosevelt Skerrit, Free Concerts, and Elections in Antigua & Barbuda
Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Walter Rodney was an immensely influential Black intellectual, political activist and radical thinker of the 1960s and the 1970s. For his radical ideas, writing, speech and his activism, he was assassinated in Guyana at the age of 38, leaving a legacy which we discuss in this episode. Rodney was Marxist in his thinking, but his positions were still his own. He mixed Marxist class analysis with Black nationalism and Pan-Africanism.
He was amongst a pantheon of Black intellectuals, academics, leaders, and political thinkers of that era, which included Antigua and Barbuda's Leonard Tim Hector, and Grenada's Maurice Bishop. Rodney delved into the class structures which perpetuated underprivilege and poverty in the Caribbean and in Africa. And he criticized the middle class and post-independence leaders for, as he saw it, neglecting their duty to uplift the masses of poor, working class people in post-colonial societies.
As much as he espoused a politics of popular liberation, Rodney saw the need for national self-determination to mean more than formerly oppressed races inheriting the reigns of government. It ought to have meant the dismantling of classism. He wrote: “The system doesn’t stop at racial discrimination. Because it is a system of class oppression, it only camouflages its class nature under a racial cover. And in the end, it will move against anyone irrespective of color. In the end, they will move even against their own.”
His writings and political thought are extensive, and are never done justice with a few words. In this episode, we were fortunate enough to have been joined by a guest who worked with Walter Rodney before his assassination on this day 41 years ago, and we were given a true sense of the late scholar-activist's work and legacy. We are also joined by a student in his early 20s, who shared a younger perspective on the lessons of Walter Rodney.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. David Hinds, an Associate Professor of African and African American studies at the Arizona State University. His concentration is on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies. His research interests include governance and politics in the Caribbean; race, ethnicity and politics in the African diaspora; African diaspora popular music and sports as political discourse; and Black political leadership. He is Guyanese, and a writer and speaker on political and social topics relevant to the Caribbean. He worked directly with Walter Rodney before Rodney's assassination. He is the Executive Member of the Working Peoples Alliance, a party founded by Walter Rodney in Guyana.
- Jensen Samaroo, a student at The University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine. He recently completed his last exams in a bachelor’s degree programme in politics. His interests are in Caribbean history, Caribbean integration, and social justice. He plans to pursue a law degree. He too, is Guyanese.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on June 13th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A group of residents of Old Road, some of them reportedly farmers, are protesting the Ministry of Agriculture's decision to lease several acres of land in the area to a woman for growing coconut palms. In this episode we tried to unpack two issues related to the protest. One was historical and community land rights. The other was race relations in Antigua and Barbuda.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Isaac Newton, political advisor.
- The Hon. Jamale Pringle, Leader of the Opposition, MP for All Saints East and St. Luke.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on June 13th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The Situation: The residents feel the farm land should be used by the people of Old Road, particularly those who are farmers. According to the MP for the area, some claim that they have tried and failed to get approval to farm the land. They protested the leasing of the same land to the same party back in 2018. That apparently fizzled out without concrete resolution. Because the Ministry has renewed the arrangement, residents feel slighted by the government.
Further, Jameson "Kublai" Mannix, a spokesman for the protesters, argues that the land ought to be protected against encroachment from "expatriates" and has even suggested the same should apply for "their descendants" regardless of whether such persons are citizens. He claims the Antiguan and Barbudan woman to whom the land has been leased, and who happens to be White, has "expatriate" parentage. If that's true, should it matter? Mannix has pointed to the protest over the Carlisle Bay development in 2001, and promises made by the then government not give control of land to any "expatriate" . Early on, it was actually falsely reported that the land had been leased to a "non-national", stirring a wave of xenophobic and racist comments online.
A Note on Land: Like Barbudans, Old Road residents are guarded about land, and have a sense of communal ownership and inheritance. But a great deal of that land is state-owned. Colonialism created largely Black communities on both islands, which have intergenerationally used land which was not legally theirs. Even after 1838, Black labouring masses were largely unable to own land. It was normal for people to be tenants on land owned by wealthy sugar planters in partial exchange for their labour. Entire communities began as tenants on the fringes of estates, and landlessness, unplanned settlements, and poor housing for Black working-class people became a colonial legacy.
Then in a single instance, the government took ownership of virtually half of all land in Antigua in 1967, when it bought out the syndicated sugar estates and the Antigua Sugar Factory. It was a guarantee to many poor working-class Black people then, that the government had secured the right for them to continue to use land for living, and for future development. There are just some factors which have contributed to the emergence of a strong belief in historical and community land rights in some places. Isn't that fair?
On Race and Ethnicity: There is racism in Antigua and Barbuda. That's a fact. But it can be meted out by anyone, to anyone. Here, most people are Black, and the history of the Black experience in Antigua and Barbuda is, for most Black Antiguans and Barbudans, the basis of the Antiguan and Barbudan identity. We often leave little room for those who aren't Black to equally enjoy the status of being "Antiguan and Barbudan" in the ethnic sense, even though citizens come in all colours. Is that right?
Timing is everything. In this episode we discuss what could happen if a general election were held in 2021. Who would win? What issues would weigh heavily on voters? Which parties are prepared? The conventional wisdom is not to call an election when the economy is in turmoil, and unemployment is high, assuming it can be avoided.
Yet the Cabinet has instructed the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) to get whatever material it needs to hold an election. The Information Minister would only say that the Prime Minister Gaston Browne could call one at any time, so ABEC ought to be ready. And he's right. Browne could call an election tomorrow morning. The question is, what would be the advantage in doing so? Unemployment is rife. The business community has been hurt badly by Covid-19. And an election is not constitutionally due until around March of 2023.
Maybe the government is confident that there'll be a recovery this year - a strong rebound in the tourism sector perhaps. Maybe it'll boost its spending power simultaneously with an international loan, and start paving roads like crazy. Or maybe it thinks this recession will last well into the latter half of next year, in which case some might argue it's best to have the election soon, before it loses more support, if it think it's lost any already.
Alternatively, a snap election this year could be simply aimed at denying the opposition the opportunity to run a lengthy campaign. A snap election called tomorrow would do just that - prevent a lengthy litigation of the government's performance in the court of public opinion for too long a period before the vote.
Still, telling ABEC to prepare for elections might be a calculated ploy to generate activity in opposition parties, which might fizzle out. But is there any advantage to doing something like that? In any event, aren't the battles won at the constituency level? Doesn't it come down to who shows their face more, who's better at patronage and treating (both of which are corrupt), and who is best at mobilizing the average constituent? If so, then joblessness and the handling of Covid-19 won't matter much to most voters.
Then there are other questions. Which parties are ready for an election? Will leadership matter? Will the opposition parties mount a united front? And what about Asot Michael and Michael Browne? Will they be running for the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party? We ran out of time before we could get to that last question, but we discussed a lot in this episode.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- David Spencer, community activist and co-host of Movement Radio, a weekly programme on Observer Radio 91.1 FM.
- Carlon Knight, political and social commentator, and currently a graduate student abroad.
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, political and social commentator, currently director of political affairs at New York firm, Paramount Communications.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on June 13th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
No! Not the IMF! Anything But the IMF! The acronym IMF tends to bring about a sense of doom and woe. It is often spoken of only in the context of economic turmoil and is usually seen as an unfavorable organization from which governments may borrow. But why is the IMF so dreaded?
In this episode we sat down for a one-on-one interview with economist, Dr. Thomson Fontaine, a Dominica national who worked at the IMF for over a decade and knows its ins and outs. It's very informative. The truth is that much of our general understanding of the IMF comes from political rhetoric and only seasonal news reporting.
While the IMF has made many significant mistakes in its long history, it has improved greatly on how it engages with borrowing countries. And often, a government is compelled to turn to the IMF after poorly managing its finances to the point of insolvency. In other cases, it is a natural disaster or economic shock that sends governments to the IMF.
The possibility of Antigua and Barbuda having to get into an IMF programme has been mentioned sporadically by Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, since the COVID recession began in March of 2020. Earlier, the Prime Minister, who is also the Finance Minister, had been quite forceful in saying that his administration was opposed to an IMF programme. But within the last week, his tone has softened, apparently in response to favourable discussions with the IMF about the conditions of a possible future loan package.
Browne is quoted by the OBSERVER as saying that if the recession persists for another year or more, then the IMF may be the only option available. In April 2020, the IMF announced the approval of three requests from Dominica, Grenada, and St Lucia for emergency financial assistance to help address the challenges posed by Covid-19. We discuss all this and more in this episode.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Dr. Thomson Fontaine, an economist and a Dominica national. He is currently a Senior Economic and International Policy Adviser to the government of South Sudan. As an economist he worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for 13 years. His work and writing have focused on growth, currency crises, development, fiscal management and debt. He has also lectured in his field at the University of Maryland, University College, and at Clemson University.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on June 6th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online. Appearing in the cover photo is Dr. Thomson Fontaine.
The government says it plans to allow fetes to resume beginning with one in July. That has alarmed many, who are worried that doing so could mean risking outbreaks of Covid-19 in a population, only around one-third of which is vaccinated.
In this episode, two promoters discuss at length the planning done and protocols designed to make the event Covid-19 safe, so to speak. Only vaccinated people will be able to attend. A range of other protocols are envisaged. According to news reports, attendees could number up to 300 people and they would be hosted outdoors. In this discussion, a medical doctor and a former Chief Health Inspector joined us to discuss the risks.
The event itself is a test - a collaboration amongst promoters to demonstrate that public gatherings can be properly managed with Covid-19 protocols in force. Their reasons are primarily economic. Events management is a significant industry, and so too are entertainment, catering, vending, and other related sectors. All have been badly affected by the ongoing restrictions on large gatherings.
But some are not impressed with the idea of this test fete or the return of large gatherings in general. In a written Facebook post, pathologist Dr. Lester Simon voiced his concern bluntly and with wit. Dr. Simon is the Chairman of the Covid-19 Vaccination National Technical Working Group (NTWG). He doubted whether fetes could be effectively policed, whether party-goers could be trusted to observe protocols such as mask-wearing and staying in their own groups, and he warned of the potential for such events to become super spreader incidents.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Chalita Rose, a marketing professional and an event promoter and organizer here in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Roger Perry, a promoter of 30 years here in Antigua and Barbuda, who has produced events such as total togetherness , melting pot, and long walk to freedom.
- Dr. Patrick Martin, a pediatrician joining us from St. Kitts and Nevis. He was Chief Medical Officer there previously.
- Lionel Michael, joins us from the British Virgin Islands. He’s was previously the Chief Health Inspector in Antigua and Barbuda.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on June 6th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online. Photo credit: Trini Jungle Juice. See Antigua Carnival 2018: De Breakfast Fete Party - Part 2
Spare the rod blah blah blah. In this episode we delve into the debate on corporal punishment and whether schools should abandon it. The debate reignited nationally after news reports of two children - one 12-years-old and the other 8-years-old - having been left with injuries far more severe than ought to have been inflicted, after beatings meted out to them by teachers in separate incidents, in separate schools.
Unsurprisingly, there was a public outcry at the sight of photos of swollen purple skin and blood drawn. The issue attracted the input of the Education Minister, Daryll Matthew, who declared that he thinks corporal punishment ought not to be used in schools. Even the Prime Minister, Gaston Browne has weighed in, expressing disapproval of its continued use. A principal, Foster Roberts added his thoughts, arguing in favour of keeping it.
In fact, many are in favour of keeping corporal punishment in schools. Their arguments are essentially that it is quick and effective, and that educators have very limited measures at their disposal for disciplining students in an environment often short-staffed and under-resourced, and with children whose socialization in the home has not inclined them to be responsive to dialogue and other punishments. It is also routinely argued that if correctly, or properly done, beatings won't leave the recipient bleeding or severely bruised. Another refrain is that it should only ever be a last resort.
Conversely, abolitionists argue that corporal punishment is degrading, humiliating and traumatizing - something we should wish to avoid doing to our children. Additionally, anecdotal accounts suggests that even in schools, it may end up being used for slight offences, or as a group punishment. Is that fair? The Ministry of Education does set standards to regulate beatings. And still, sometimes the blows that take-off do so with too much fuel, or fail to stay on the designated flight path.
Abolitionists also argue that we in Antigua and Barbuda have a cultural love affair with beating which we need to break-up with - one born of a history of treating human beings like chattel, and of lacking respect for human dignity (just look at our prison). And what about beating at home? Should we abolish corporal punishment in the home? Surely, it is at home, away from the public's eyes, that the worst abuse through beatings occurs. Yet the law gives parents and guardians the right to beat, without any hope of regulating how they do so. We discuss all this and more in this episode.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Jacintha Pringle, an English Language and English Literature teacher at the St. Joseph's Academy. She is a former Director of Education in Antigua and Barbuda, having occupied the position between 2005 and 2015.
- Dr. Chinwe Ezeokoli-Ashraph is joining us from Trinidad and Tobago. She’s a medical doctor in her final year of psychiatry residency at the University of the West Indies (UWI). She works in a public child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic.
- Colin John-Jenkins, an architect by profession who is joining us to share his views as a parent.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on June 6th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online. Illustration credit: Clovis, Jamaica Observer, November 30, 2017.
CXC delayed exams. That was a prayer answered for some. For others, it was a deeply vexing decision. No matter what the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) does, it is highly likely that someone somewhere will have been better off if it had acted differently. That's even more often the case these days as CXC - the regional curriculum and examination agency - tries to accommodate multiple concerned groups in various Caribbean countries, all impacted differently by Covid-19.
The agency was roundly criticized for not being accommodating enough in how exams were administered in 2020, and about the students subsequent grades. For 2021, it got off to an early start meeting with national policy makers, and getting feedback from schools about what needed to change. Recommendations were taken. Timetables were set.
But by exam time this year, different groups in different countries were asking for additional changes. Many were dealing with special circumstances. St. Vincent and the Grenadines had been coping with the disastrous eruption of the volcano there since April 9th. In Barbados, COVID lockdowns and ashfall from St. Vincent had complicated things. Other countries had grappled with lockdowns as well, with varying effects.
In light of the pressure from some, many of whom were calling for a reformatting of the exams to make them easier, CXC announced a two week delay. Many rejoiced. Some thought the delay ought to be longer. Some still preferred the idea of reformatting. And many were vexed, having already endured weeks of exhausting preparation amidst the worst teaching conditions of their careers, or the worst learning conditions of their student lives, and having been eager to put this year's exams behind them. We discuss all this and more in this episode.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Curtis King, Minister of Education of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
- Zahra Airall, Drama Teacher at the Antigua Girls High School, a secondary school in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Myrick Smith, the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) Registrar in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Prof. Disraeli Hutton, Lecturer in Educational Leadership and Management, at the School of Education, University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona. He is now retired as a full-time lecturer.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 30th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The COVID situation in Trinidad and Tobago got very bad beginning in April 2021, prompting another lockdown in the country by the 29th of that month. We are now at the end of May and there have been a total of 470 deaths from Covid-19 with an average of 508 new cases each day of the last week. On this episode, we are speaking to guests in Trinidad and Tobago about the situation unfolding there.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Rishi Maharaj, the Executive Director of the Equigov Institute. The Equigov Institute is a social enterprise based consulting and training organization focused on transparency, accountability and governance.
- Jade-Mark Sonilal, a journalist, and a researcher for the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).
- Jade Trim, a graduate student at Institute of Gender Development Studies at The University of the West Indies, St Augustine.
- Ansel St. Hilaire, a political and social commentator in Trinidad and Tobago.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 30th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Criminal kidnapping? Extra-judicial rendition by secret agents? An elaborate ruse by Choksi himself? Speculation is rife on how exactly, Mehul Choksi, the mogul wanted on allegations of involvement in a massive bank fraud scandal in India, and who's been living in Antigua and Barbuda as a citizen (through a citizenship by investment programme), somehow managed to disappear on the evening of Sunday, May 23rd, then resurface in Dominica.
He has now been arrested there, reportedly for entering Dominica illegally by boat. But his lawyers there say he did not come willingly. And some would ask, why would he have? He's been contesting the Antigua and Barbuda government's attempt to revoke his Antigua and Barbuda citizenship and extradite him to India. He's been doing so since at least 2019. Legal proceedings in Antiguan and Barbudan courts did not appear to be at the stage where it would have made sense for him to flee. So why leave? And why Dominica?
Choksi has his own version of events - that he was kidnapped - and he's shown evidence to support it. Photos of him in lockup in Dominica have surfaced, his eyes bloodshot and his arms bruised purple. So if his story is true, then who kidnapped him, and why? He's a rich man, but there's been nothing said of ransom. Was it a plot to return him to India? That seems plausible, but no conclusion can be drawn. For now, he's fighting new battles in the courts of Dominica, the foremost among them being, assumedly, to resist being sent to India.
On this segment, we will be asking our guests: What questions does his disappearance raise, and what does his being in Dominica mean for Antigua and Barbuda? The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Peter Wickham, pollster, and social and political commentator.
- Alex Bruno, political analyst. Adjunct Instructor of Politics at the Palm Beach State College, and national of Dominica.
- Dwyer Astaphan, an attorney. He was once Minister of National Security in St. Kitts and Nevis.
- Carlon Knight, a graduate student in economics, and social and political commentator.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 30th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online. Illustration credit: Ajay Mohanty.
It has been just over six weeks since explosive eruptions of the La Soufriere volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines began on Friday, April 9th. On this segment we asked a Red Cross worker, a journalist, and a government adviser about the ongoing issues being faced in the crisis response.
They say people are getting accustomed to the new normal - living in shelters, living with strangers, schooling online, returning to work or finding new work, cleaning ash, staying weary of the volcano. The damage and loss described is saddening to say the least. Agriculture has been decimated. Homes, businesses and infrastructure has been physical ruined. But still all our speakers were nevertheless optimistic.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Jerrol Thompson, Advisor to the St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Covid-19 Task Force and Infectious Diseases Specialist.
- Harvey Farrell, Vice President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross Society.
- Lyf Compton, a journalist based in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 23rd, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Isn't electoral politics a blood sport? Isn't it a savage game of smear and slander? Isn't it an endless cycle of soul-selling, influence peddling, money begging, and backroom trading? It is for some, and it isn't that way for others. It all depends on who you are and whether you are ready to crumble when your morals are under siege. And believe me, they willbe put under siege. So who would volunteer for such a life? And why?
On this episode, we speak to three politicians who aspire to be elected to Parliament in the next election, or in another election to come. All of them are pretty young, and we did that deliberately to try and get a sense of what newer generations of political leaders think about the development problems we face in Antigua and Barbuda. How should those problems be addressed? What strategies have been shown to be futile? What needs to change? That was a major part of our discussion.
We also spoke about what inspired each of them to get politically active and why they chose their particular party affiliation. Sometimes, in the eyes of the public, joining an organisation means inheriting responsibility for defending its mistakes, its flawed legacy, and all its ills. How does one cope with that as new face on the scene seeking to do better? Their responses ought to be heard, so we encourage you to listen to this episode. You may find it ever so slightly refreshing to hear voices other than some of the more established political personalities.
Lastly, it ought to be said that although politics is often a sordid and skullduggerous affair, it is only so because the we make it that way. Sometimes it seems that loudness, crudeness, scandal and slander are more satisfying to us than having accountable leaders and political ethics. There are many places where it is not so - where citizens uncompromisingly expect the highest standards of speech, performance, public conduct and personal character from their leaders. Should we not demand the same?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Gameal Joyce, the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) candidate for St. Paul’s. He ran there in the March 2018 election.
- Aziza Lake, a government appointed Senator with the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP). She maintains electoral aspirations.
- Anthony Smith Jr., the United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate for All Saints West.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 23rd, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The Observer Radio has been on air for 20 years. In this episode we talk about why it was a game-changer at inception two decades ago, and about the work it does today. Undoubtedly, more than any other broadcaster, it has the distinction of having consistently delivered the most balanced coverage of national issues, particularly issues of politics and government. That type of coverage was significant 20 years ago given the political climate of that time.
What was also significant was the Observer Radio's cast of highly-talented career professionals in broadcasting, journalism, news and media, assembled from within Antigua and Barbuda, and from across the Caribbean. They designed and redesigned an impressive line-up of programmes that varied in their target audience, in their content, and in their style.
Over the years, the Observer newsroom tried to set a high standard for news, sometimes being the most voracious in reporting on critical issues of the day, which were more often issues which a sitting administration was desirous of concealing, or ignoring. At many times, there were some stories which only the Observer had the courage to report. And there are many examples of Observer's staff falling short of the organization's standards in terms of balance, fairness, and accuracy. We admit that freely.
Maintaining a reputation as a politically neutral broadcaster, open to airing all views and reporting on all subjects, has been one of the Observer Radio's greatest challenges. Many personalities have come and gone, each bringing their own biases or neutrality on-air, to the newsroom, or to the management team. The station's management and owners have not dedicated it to any political party or cause. But it is no secret however, that over the last two decades, some of Observer Radio's leaders have been open about their political views, their partisan loyalties or even held electoral aspirations.
But the Observer Radio is also its team of professionals, not only its leadership. And those professionals have always been allowed to do their work. It is for that very reason, and for its consistent attempt at balanced political coverage, that the Observer Radio has consistently earned the ire of every administration since it came into operation on April 15th 2001. So for us, after 20 years of successes and some failures, the Observer Radio still remains unique amongst national broadcasters, and its work is still undoubtedly valuable.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Mickel Brann, a 27-year media veteran who is a former editor of the Daily Observer and Observer newsroom manager, a communications consultant, and an avowed news junkie.
- Julian Rogers, a Caribbean broadcaster and journalist. He has worked as broadcast manager, TV and radio host and producer, publisher, trainer, lecturer, media consultant and public relations professional. He is a former General Manager at Observer.
- Agnes Claudia Francis-Adolphine, a former co-host of Observer Radio's Voice of the People. She co-hosted alongside Winston Derrick and "Beef" from the 2011-2013. During her final months she carried the program solo with support from producers. Francis-Adolphine is currently pursuing her Doctoral degree at Baylor University in learning and organizational change.
- Rory Butler, a journalist, and former News Director at Observer Radio.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 23rd, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Three speakers join us on this episode to talk about the nursing profession both in general, and in the harrowing context of COVID-19. They say it has been a tremendously difficult year since the pandemic began in March of 2020. And they speak about why they chose their profession, and why others might be inspired to consider it for themselves. We discussed many of the chronic issues that affect nurses in Antigua and Barbuda, and in the Caribbean. This discussion was organised in light of International Nurses Day 2021 observed on Wednesday, May 12th.
- Margaret Smith, Principal Nursing Officer in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Elnora Warner, President of the Caribbean Nurses Organisation.
- Jamella Francis, President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Nurses Association.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 16th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
COVID-19 cases are decreasing. A third of the population has been given at least one jab of a COVID-19 vaccine. There's talk of the return of regular flights and cruise calls. In this episode we talk about how optimistic we ought to be about the economic outlook for the rest of 2021.
Eleven thousand were made directly unemployed by the effects of COVID-19 according to the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda in his January budget speech. Scores and scores of businesses, small and large, have shutdown. The idea that business activity might pick back up again is news well received by everyone.
But with the pandemic still not totally arrested in our main source markets, and with the problem of vaccine hesitancy in Antigua and Barbuda, just how optimistic can we afford to be?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Vernon Jeffers, Chairman of the Antigua Hotels and Tourism Association (AHTA).
- Cassandra Simon, a chartered accountant in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Everett Christian, who worked for many years in the banking sector.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 16th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Officials are talking of the possibility of making vaccination mandatory by law. It has intensified the public debate over vaccination and the freedom to refuse it. In this episode we discuss whether Antigua and Barbuda can resolve the problem of vaccine hesitancy, and what it might take to do so.
Will mandatory vaccination become necessary? How would that be enforced? Would it be more akin to a set of varied privaledges for the vaccinated as compared to the unvaccinated? Would that be fair? And with just around a third of the population jabbed, what are we risking if we don’t get to herd immunity?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Carlon Knight, political and current affairs commentator. He’s currently a graduate student studying economics.
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, political and current affairs commentator. He's Director of Political Affairs at New York firm, Paramount Communications.
- David Massiah, General Secretary of the Antigua Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU).
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 16th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Drinking, drug use, fighting, petty theft, dishonesty, avoiding school, neglecting academics, and gravitating towards others doing the same - these are the behaviours that no parent, no guardian, no teacher, and no mentor wants to see in a young person. But it happens. A lot, actually.
In this episode, we talk about how to intervene to get delinquent young people reinvested in themselves and the positive opportunities around them. What can be done to convince them to disassociate from delinquent behaviour? Such behaviour, if left too long, can harm their chances of maximizing their potential - academic, athletic, professional, productive and creative - into adulthood. But understanding the social ills, pressures, and traumas that push youth towards these activities is essential to designing any intervention.
The host is Kadeem Joseph, who is standing in for Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. David Muhammed, a sociologist based in Trinidad and Tobago. He has done extensive work with young people in Trinidad and Tobago and across the region.
- Cuthbert Forbes, commentator on youth affairs. He is involved in a number of youth organisations in Antigua and Barbuda.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 9th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
How free is the press in the Caribbean in 2021? We've invited two journalists and a political analyst to give us their views on that question. They talk about the role news media plays, and should play in our fledgling liberalCaribbean democracies. What would be the ideal situation? And what is the reality?
Ideally, we should want to see multiple news outlets in each country, but the prevalence of privately owned, politically neutral ones over those politically-aligned, or those that are state-controlled. We should want to see uncensored reporting on all critical issues in our societies, freely done across any medium - TV, radio, print, and digital. Commentary and reporting on business, government, politics, corruption, and crime, ought to be possible free from harassment, intimidation, or victimization. And more than anything, we should all want fair, balanced journalism of the highest ethical and professional standards.
But in reality, good journalism costs money and sometimes there just isn't enough to be made. Harassment and victimization of journalists and commentators is not unheard of. It occurs subtly, and even sometimes openly. Politically-aligned news outlets often outnumber politically neutral ones. And state-owned media is almost always sympathetic to political masters. All this is not to say that the press is not free. This is merely us exploring how free it is, as compared to what we feel it ought to be. This discussion was organised in light of World Press Freedom Day 2021.
The host is Kadeem Joseph, who is standing in for Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. David Hinds, an associate professor of African and African American studies with a concentration on Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies at the Arizona State University. His many research interests include governance and politics in the Caribbean.
- Dionne Baptiste, is a journalist joining us from Trinidad and Tobago. She was formerly a broadcast journalist with CCN TV6 in Trinidad and Tobago, and was later a news producer with the Caribbean New Media Group (CNMG).
- Ben Meade, is a journalist joining us from the Cayman Islands. He has worked at the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), the then Observer Media Group (OMG) in Antigua, and at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 9th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Interest in getting vaccinated has waned - something you can tell by the sometimes sparsely populated vaccination centres. It was an entirely different scene back in February when vaccination began and the willing had come out in droves, nearly all at once. It gave some of us a false sense of how widespread vaccine hesitancy and skepticism is in Antigua and Barbuda.
Now, we've come to the end of the first week in May, and though getting vaccinated against COVID-19 has been shown to be safe and effective with benefits far outweighing the risks, there are many people who simply are not willing to get jabbed. Why? We discuss the issue in this episode. More importantly perhaps, we discuss whether the trend can be reversed, and what the consequences will be if too many of us simply remain unvaccinated.
The host is Kadeem Joseph, who is standing in for Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Lester Simon, a pathologist and the current Chairman of the COVID-19 Vaccination National Technical Working Group.
- Alvina Reynolds, former MP in St. Lucia. From 2011 to 2016 she was minister of health, wellness, human services and gender relations.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 9th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Do you know the difference between vagrancy and homelessness? We explain that in this episode. We also discuss what factors often lead to a person living on the street. This episode followed a special report by Observer's Elesha George on the issue of vagrancy in St. John, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda.
Watch the report, and you'll realize that vagrancy is complex. Drug addiction, alcoholism, disability, and mental illness are major contributing factor which can make it easy for someone to end up on the street. And there are proven strategies for assisting such people and curbing the problem. We unpack all of that in this episode.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dean Jonas, Minister of Social Transformation and the Blue Economy
- Elvis Murray-Watkins, President of the Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross.
- Kemar Saffrey, President of the Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness.
- Josey Humphreys, Medical Advisor Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 2nd, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Extreme poverty, poor housing, malnutrition, unemployment, and illiteracy. We are talking about Antigua and Barbuda in the 1930s during the Great Depression. It is amidst these nightmarish social and economic conditions that we witnessed the rapid emergence of organized labour - still illegal then - in the Caribbean.
The Depression wreaked havoc on already impoverished working-class Black masses of agricultural workers, on an island where slavery had not been abolished for as many as 100 years, and where the colonial government had little interest in the people's welfare. In this time, the Black masses were landless, repressed, and abjectly poor. Their rural homes were made of woven sticks plastered with mud and roofed with cane trash - wattle and daub. They lived with pests and insects. Their measly wages had decreased. Their families were hungry.
Similar conditions across the Caribbean unleashed a wave of popular protests and riots. Antigua was no exception. But by 1939, the Antigua Trades & Labour Union (AT&LU) was formed and other organisations would later follow. Decades later, the labour movement had proven pivotal in getting better pay and better conditions, and in organizing the first popular political parties.
And labour organizations were influential in shaping the nationalism and working-class politics of the era - an era which later saw the granting of the right of all adults to vote (1951), self-rule (1967), and independence (1981). In this episode we talk about the significance of that movement to the development of Antigua and Barbuda ahead of the observation of Labour Day 2021.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- David Massiah, General Secretary of the Antigua Barbuda Workers Union
- Peter Leonard, Advisor to the General Secretary of the Antigua Trades and Labour Union. Also, a former 1st Vice President of the AT&LU.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 2nd, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
A child is kneeling with his hands behind his head. A police officer searches his bag while his classmates stand with their hands behind their heads, each awaiting their turn. What's going on?
We are at the Pares Secondary School. It's the last week of April and the police have been called in to search students suspected of concealing illicit drugs. Ultimately, the search turned up marijuana, marijuana infused products, and ecstasy tablets. This is according to police.
But there was a massive online reaction to the incident, with many mainly upset at seeing young teens treated more like suspected criminals. Yet others argue that it's better the police be called in, than for the situation to get otherwise out of hand.
In this episode, we speak to a principal, an addiction specialist, and a coach and youth mentor about drug use among young people of school going age. We asked how schools, parents, the public health system, and society at large should respond to the problem of juvenile drug use.
They speak frankly about the dangers of marijuana and other drugs, and about the limitations that every institution - the school, the family, the church, and the government - faces in trying to arrest the trend.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Jerry Simon, an addiction specialist and formerly with the Crossroads Rehabilitation Centre.
- Foster Roberts, Principal of the Ottos Comprehensive School
- Khalid Shabazz, coach and youth mentor.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 2nd, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
He pleaded for help and for the officer to remove his knee from his neck, but these pleas were ignored. George Floyd was soon motionless and found not to have a pulse, and only after paramedics arrived - by which time Floyd was already dead - did then police officer Dereck Chauvin stop kneeling on Floyd's neck. Now the name George Floyd is known internationally. He was a 46-year-old Black American man who was killed on May 25, 2020. Dereck Chauvin, the officer who knelt on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, was convicted in the US of murder in the past week.
In May 2020, in the US, an unprecedented season of protests was unleashed. Floyd’s death, as well as the deaths of many others, caused a moment of social reckoning, so to speak in America. In this episode we speak to three Antiguans and Barbudans in the United States who are of different generations, about what they thought of the verdict, racism, and their experience of being black in America.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Stafford Byers, an attorney joining us from New York.
- Genesis Whitlock, an activist for restorative & climate justice and a student in New Jersey.
- Curtis Omar Byron, a data scientist at Truist Bank, who is also a violinist and the owner and operator of Wadadli Strings LLC. He joins us from Atlanta, Georgia.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 25th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
It’s been sixteen days since the eruption of the volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. We talk to a teacher, a policeman and a businessman about how the country is adapting to the sorrowful conditions left in the eruption's wake. They say the panic has subsided and the focus is on providing for people wherever they are - in shelters, or in homes. Help from the region and beyond has been coming in, but the disruption caused to routine business and livelihoods, as well as to healthcare and education has been devastating.
An entire section of the St. Vincent remains a no-go zone since the initial eruption on April 9th. Many people's homes have been destroyed by ash. Many have been made homeless. Many more are now without work and uncertainty about the future is the new reality. And to make matters worse, COVID-19 is still a crisis in and of itself - one exacerbated by the the fact that the eruption has put two medical facilities on the island out of use. We speak about all this and more.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Kenrick Quashie, the CEO of Squeeze Cash Ltd.
- Janielle Browne, a secondary school English teacher.
- Brenton Smith, a Station Sergeant of Police in the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 25th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Paying bills without doing any business is something many are having to do amidst the COVID-19 recession. After a while, it simply can't go on. We spoke to gym operators here in Antigua and Barbuda about how they'd been impacted during the 3-month closure that went into effect at the beginning of February amidst an alarming rise in COVID-19 infections. They say it has been rough, and they reacted with dismay as one gym - the Antigua Athletic Club (AAC) - announced going out of business this month, due to the impact of February's ongoing mandatory gym closure.
As they prepare to reopen tomorrow (Monday, April 26), these gym operators are assuring their patrons that much is being done to make gyms safe spaces in spite of COVID-19, and they're encouraging people to make the best of the circumstances. In the discussion, we also touched on the impact that being away from one's usual outlets for physical activity and socialization can have on one's mental health.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Brent Emmanuel joins us as a spokesman for Twist Fitness.
- Bernard Percival joins us as a spokesman for Xtreme Health and Fitness Ltd.
- Donny Roseau joins us as a spokesman for the Jolly Harbour Gym.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 25th, 2021. Some portions of the original programme have been deleted to make the episode shorter. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
This episode apparently upset the Prime Minister Gaston Browne so much, that he lashed out at one of our guests afterwards through his usual means - Facebook. What were we talking about? Browne made a comment, again, on Facebook, which many had criticized as sexist, or inappropriate, or at least in poor taste. It was made in relation to the possibility of Vincentian evacuees fleeing the volcano eruption in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and coming to Antigua and Barbuda. “Me done tell Comrade Ralph to send all the young pretty ladies. We need to expand our population,” the Prime Minister said.
It solicited a wave or criticism and eventually made news across the region. In this episode we asked whether the PM's comments were offensive or inappropriate for any reason, and whether we need to improve on what we accept and expect from politicians, both in person and on social media. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Carlon Knight, a political and social commentator. He’s currently a graduate student studying economics.
- Dr. Kristina Hinds, a Senior Lecturer in Political Science and International Relations at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cavehill.
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, political analyst, currently director of political affairs at New York firm, paramount communications. Dr. Oswald Thomas was politically active in Antigua over many years with the Antigua Labour Party.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 18th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The police have charged three men in the Nigel Christian murder case. It's a case they've been working on for 9-months, during which time they came under enormous pressure to catch the killers. The case was a subject of national attention. But is that surprising? Christian was kidnapped and executed in a manner totally uncommon to Antigua and Barbuda. Soon it was speculated that it might have something to do with a major fraud probe at Customs where he worked. But no one ever demonstrated that, and the police kept cautioning against the conjecture as they kept calling it.
Now that three men have been charged, we ask our guests about the significance of this development, and if the public might ever understand why Nigel Christian met his end in the horrible way that he did. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Nuffield Burnette, retired Assistant Commissioner of Police here in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Rishi Maharaj, joining us from Trinidad and Tobago, he’s the Chief Executive Officer of Disclosure Today, an NGO advocating for transparency in business and in government.
- Dr. David Hinds, a political analyst and commentator on Caribbean affairs and is presently Associate Professor of African American and Caribbean Studies at the Arizona State University.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 18th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
It's not that the Prime Minister Gaston Browne started a farm. That's not what should have gotten your attention. It's the question of whether simply being the Prime Minister gave him an advantage in getting government lands for his farm, and getting the public utilities authority's help to access water. It's the same question that looms every time a public official has a business interest that benefits from the state. We ask ourselves, did they take advantage? They invariably reply: Of course not! But in this episode our guests say that the mere assurance from a minister that he or she is beyond reproach isn't enough.
The Prime Minister's farm represents more than we think. It represents how we allow elected officials to operate in a very very grey area - having the power to make decisions that could benefit their business interests, but being subject to few restraints on the temptation to do so. We ought to have a working Integrity Commission in Antigua and Barbuda. We don't. It ought to inspect public officials' business interests and publicly report on them, especially in cases where those interests benefit from the state. It doesn't.
Where does that leave us? It means we're relying on elected officials to be on their best behaviour voluntarily. These are the issues we discuss in this episode. Our guests say Antigua and Barbuda's laws on disclosure could be significantly improved, but more importantly, those laws need to be enforced. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
Our guests are:
- Akaash Maharaj, Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption. The body is an international alliance of elected parliamentarians, aiming to combat corruption, strengthen good governance, and uphold the rule of law.
- Matthew Aubrey, Executive Director of the Organization for Responsible Governance.
- Dwyer Astaphan, attorney joining us from St. Kitts. He has also been a Minister of National Security for St. Kitts and Nevis.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 18th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Attorney for the Police Service Commission (PSC), Dr. David Dorsett explains why the PSC plans to appeal the ruling of the High Court which came down in Wendel Robinson's favour in late March. Robinson, the former Commissioner of Police, had challenged his sacking and denial of pension as unjust, and the court agreed. But in this 3-minute and 25-second bonus episode, Dr. Dorsett lists the issues he says are grounds for an appeal.
The guest is:
- Dr. David Dorsett, attorney with Watt, Dorsett and Hewlett Law.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 11th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Two hundred and fifty evacuees from St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) are expected in Antigua. But where are they staying? Who is responsible for coordinating their support while they are here? Are there plans for COVID-19 testing? These are the questions we answer in this episode (April 11, 2021). SVG Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves was in tears as he said thank you for the support offered by countries such as Antigua and Barbuda.
Since the eruption of La Soufrière on Friday, April 9, the situation has gotten rapidly worse in SVG. Pictures and videos show scenes of blanket ash coverage. What was once green is completely grey. Homes are abandoned. Ash has destroyed property. People are in shelters. And the eruption is continuing. In this segment we discuss the regional response. We ask how ordinary citizens can help as well.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Philmore Mullin, Director of the National Office of Disaster Services in Antigua and Barbuda, the agency better known as NODS.
- Jeremy Collymore, a former executive director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, CDEMA.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 11th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Ash, ash, ash, ash and more ash. There's ash everywhere in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) right now (April 11, 2021) and the country is in a serious crisis. Since the eruption of La Soufrière on Friday, April 9, a heavy downpour of volcanic ash has choked the air, blocked out the sun, and in many, many cases, crushed the rooves of Vincentians' homes. Terrain for miles is blanketed with the stuff.
Thousands have now been moved into shelters and an entire area, known as the Red Zone, is now an exclusion site - meaning no one should go there. On this episode we talk to an urban planner who lives in SVG and is there now, about how the eruption has affected the island, and more importantly, what authorities say could happen next.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Allanson Cruikshank, who is currently in SVG, and is a geographer, and an urban and regional planner. He has done research about urban planning in relation to disaster risk associated with the volcano.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 11th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
It's bad now, but it could get much worse. People need clean water in continuous supply. Rivers and surface water sources are contaminated with ash. Some worry whether food might become harder to get. The chaos has left some people without a meal for days as they struggle to navigate a landscape blanketed with ash - so much ash that rooftops have collapsed. Thousands have been forced to abandon their homes to the wrath of La Soufrière. But the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) seem intent on pressing on.
In this episode (April 11, 2021) our guests are in SVG. They give first hand accounts of what it's been like leading up to, and since the eruption on Friday, April 9. They say while much has been done, much still needs doing in order to get everyone sheltered, safe and stocked. The volcano meanwhile, is still spewing, and it's not anticipated to stop just yet.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Brenton Smith, a station sergeant of police in the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force. He has been a police officer for the past twenty-six (26) years. He is current Chairman of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Welfare Association.
- Kaville Hazlewood, a student at The University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine. He is the Public Relations Officer of the UWI St. Augustine Guild of Students.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 11th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The latest Barbuda Council Elections happened on Monday March 29th. The Barbuda Peoples' Movement (BPM) beat the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) to win all five council seats up for election. What will the impact of the election be now that the ABLP has no representation on the council? Why did Barbudans embrace the BPM in this election? Why was the ABLP so roundly rejected? What will it mean for the future of Council-Government relations which were already under strain? These are the questions we tackle in this episode.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- J'moul Francis, Law and Policy Consultant. Commonwealth Scholar.
- Chaniel Imhoff, entrepreneur, mental health and political activist, and a Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Team Leader in St. Peter.
- Carlon Knight, Antiguan graduate student abroad. Social and political commentator.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 4th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
What do you believe and how sure are you? Is Sir Hilary Beckles the victim of a conspiracy to undermine him and cut short his tenure as Vice Chancellor of The University of the West Indies (UWI)? People have said that. Is the largely ceremonial Chancellor, Robert Bermudez, attempting to gain more power for his office? People have said that. Is there a plan to turn The UWI into a business-focused, profit-oriented, money making machine? People have said that.
Meanwhile, there's a 143-page, July 2020 report which speaks for itself, but few are listening. It was compiled by a team of highly respected Caribbean professionals. It has raised some serious - and by no means new - questions about failings in The UWI's governance, financing, and several other things. From Jamaica to Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean is steeped in debate about this report. We should all really read it, or at least the executive summary. Do its findings seem far-fetched? Are its recommendations unreasonable? What do you think? Certainly, the UWI needs further reform and this isn't the first report to say so.
In this episode we talk about the narratives surrounding this report, the accusations, the characterizations, and the risk of losing focus of the need to fix the problems the report identified or at least acknowledge that they exist. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Thomson Fontaine, economist and Dominica national. He has worked for the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- Maxine McClean, a former Senator in Barbados and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 4th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
You and I could be paying a hefty bill for the damages due to former Commissioner of Police Wendel Robinson. On March 24th we learned that the High Court had found his removal and denial of pension to be unlawful and motivated by bad faith. The Kelvin John led Police Service Commission (PSC) - which is roundly criticized by one of our guests as being highly incompetent throughout this saga - has promised to appeal. And who knows what may come of it? They may win.
At this stage, what we do know is this: Robinson's sacking was riddled with legal problems from the start, he is now pressing ahead with damages which could be hefty, and he still maintains that the sexual harassment allegations which led to his sacking were the orchestrated effort of now disgraced St. Peter MP Asot Michael, an allegation which has been denied. No, that hasn't gone away. Why? Because we don't investigate such things in our beloved paradise. So unfortunately, the innocent sometimes live under a cloud of suspicion, while the guilty sometimes roam freely.
In this episode we ask about the implications of the latest court verdict for Robinson, the current commissioner Atlee Rodney, the PSC, and the conspiracy Robinson alleged. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Richard Guyson Mayers, attorney, and a former chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) in Barbados.
- Akaash Maharaj, Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC).
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on April 4th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
It's March 28th and the month is ending. And we've had a harsh month - COVID deaths, the 6:00 PM curfew, bars and restaurants shutdown, and virtual schooling throughout. But now, more than 25,000 people have been vaccinated, and active infections have been slowly decreasing, though they are still above 300. New daily cases have been going down too. Now the curfew is being relaxed to 8:00 PM. Schools could reopen in April. Bars and restaurants can seat patrons again. So is COVID-19 officially under control? if so, how can we keep it that way, as restrictive measures are relaxed?
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guest is:
- Dr. George Roberts, a medical doctor here in Antigua and Barbuda and a well-known Ear Nose and Throat Specialist. He authored an article published back in the middle of February in which he argued for second national shutdown to combat what was then a frightening and rapid increase in active cases which was approaching 400. Instead, a 6:00 PM curfew went into effect along with other measures to reduce socialization.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on March 28, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Have you ever wanted to invest in a business, big or small? Or some other revenue generating asset? On this episode we talk about investing, and the opportunities for doing so in our small economy, and in our region. We were prompted to discuss the issue by the divestment of shares in the West Indies Oil Company (WIOC) by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to the general public.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Erica Edwards, business development professional working in the insurance industry in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Hendren Parker, a business services consultant in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Jeremy Stephen, a financial analyst joining us from Barbados.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on March 28, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
We treat prisoners like human chattel on a slave plantation, and what's worse is that some of us seem to be proud of it. Meanwhile prison officer aren't doing so well either. This episode is about the response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Her Majesty's Prison, which has been a series of astonishing failures. To know that, you need only listen to the interviews with prison officers, one of which we included this episode. It's otherwise impossible to grasp the scope and breath of everything going horribly wrong.
Firstly, news of the outbreak actually came from an activist, not the prison administration. Then there was no off-site isolation facility immediately ready to take in infected persons despite the risk of a prison outbreak being known for a year. Prison officers are saying not all of them have been vaccinated. How is that possible? It's alleged that untested people are still being remanded to the prison as if there were no pandemic. Officers are short on personal protective equipment (PPE) and have to wash and reuse them. Two workers who had tested positive were allegedly back at work within days. The litany of alleged failures is truly astonishing.
But are you surprised? Let's cut the nonsense and be frank about it - the prison is a horrid place. It's an abomination unfit for animals. But we, as a nation, insist of forcing human beings to go there. In this episode we talk about what has gone wrong, what needs to be done now to manage COVID-19 at the prison, and finally, why the moral aberration that we call "1735" ought to have ended a very, very long time ago.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Lionel Michael, former Chief Health Inspector in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Carlon Knight, Antiguan graduate student abroad, and current affairs commentator.
- Warren Cassel, attorney at law.
- Dr. David Hinds, political analyst, and Associate Professor of Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies at the Arizona State University.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on March 28, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Should a paternity test be mandatory in child maintenance cases in Antigua and Barbuda? In the Caribbean? Some people think it should actually be mandatory at birth. Do you agree? These are the sorts of questions that arose during this episode which was sparked by the story of a man who claimed he'd been supporting a child that was not his for 15 years. The man's story is that on more than one occasion, he was denied a paternity test to prove he wasn't the father, and was also imprisoned in relation to child support.
That he was reportedly denied a paternity test appears to be the most contentious and indeed, bizarre aspect of the story. In this discussion we ask three lawyers, one of whom is a former senior magistrate, what went wrong in this case. We ask about how the system can still ensure the interest of children, while not being unjust to proven or presumed parents.
Our panel reveals that ordering a paternity test is within the court's discretion; that there is no statutory "right" per se; that parties are often unrepresented in domestic matters and as such, fail to grasp what's happening in the initial stages; and that once a court settles paternity at the onset, it becomes difficult to challenge it later. Much more is revealed about the nature of these cases, and the sometimes unsavory motives of mothers and fathers.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Monique Francis-Gordon, attorney-at-law in Antigua and Barbuda. She regularly deals with family matters in the Magistrate's and High Courts, including child maintenance and cases involving visitation.
- Jarid Hewlett, an attorney-at-law in Antigua and Barbuda with the law firm Watt, Dorsett, Hewlett Law. He regularly deals with family matters in the Magistrate's and High Courts, including child maintenance and cases involving visitation.
- Ivenia Benjamin, attorney-at-law joining us from Anguilla where she was formerly the Senior Magistrate in that territory.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on March 21, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
The answer to that question is quite simply no. The fact that it still occurs in Antigua and Barbuda is a testament to how far we have yet to travel on the road to greater accountability from our law enforcement officers. On this episode we talk about an independent police complaints agency for Antigua and Barbuda.
The idea of an independent agency has been suggested twice by Public Safety Minister Steadroy "Cutie" Benjamin, who is also Attorney General. Benjamin spoke of an independent authority back in 2020. His most recent suggestion came around the same time that a video circulated widely in Antigua and Barbuda showed a high ranking police officer confronting a seemingly unarmed man, then a shot ringing out off camera. The police are investigating. But if we're being honest, the public has little to no confidence in internal police investigations.
The integrity of internal police investigations was an issue in the wake of the Delano Forbes 2020 not guilty verdict in his trial for escaping lawful custody due to the scandalous nature of Forbes' 2018 escape. There was also the scandalous handling of sexual harassment allegations against the former Commissioner of Police Wendell Robinson in 2018. Clearly, an independent authority would do some good. It could remove the risk of bias, foot-dragging, and cover-ups from investigations involving police and give the public confidence in the outcome of such investigations.
But how should it be led, and how should its leaders be appointed? Should it handle criminal complaints against officers, or just professional misconduct complaints? Who should it answer to? A minister? Parliament? Should it just supervise police internal investigations, or should it have its own investigators to do the job itself? Should it have the power to charge, to arrest, and to prosecute? Or should it merely send recommendations to the Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions? These are the questions we answer in this discussion. The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- David West, attorney and Director of the Police Complaints Authority, Trinidad and Tobago.
- Terrance Williams, attorney and a former Commissioner of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), Jamaica.
- Richard Guyson Mayers, attorney and former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Barbados.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FMon March 21, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Politicians could go to prison for giving you free rum, free chicken and free entertainment in an election. Yes. We actually have laws against that in Antigua and Barbuda. But if we're being honest, laws against corrupt practices in elections (or against corrupt practices generally) are just not enforced. Our elections are a carnival of alleged illegality.
Using free food, liquor and entertainment to entice voters is illegal. Giving voters laptops, phones, appliances, cash, and other freebies to entice them is illegal. Giving voters money to surrender their voter's ID cards is also illegal. These are the sort of allegations that surround elections in Antigua and Barbuda. But why did we mention Dominica's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit?
Well, he and other members of the ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) just lost a case at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) surrounding whether they have to appear before a magistrate to answer the charge of "treating" during Dominica's 2014 general election in relation to two free concerts before the election. Treating is when you give voters free or subsidized drink, food, or entertainment in order to corruptly influence them to vote.
The CCJ recently held that Dominica's election law allows for treating to be heard as a summary offense in a magistrate's court, not solely as an issue for election petitions in the High Court. But Dominica's law says someone convicted would be barred from running for a seat, or keeping their seat for seven years. DLP lawyer Anthony Astaphan, who is also a lawyer for the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), is warning of the "risk" to elections across the region in the wake of his CCJ defeat. He says he's even warned Prime Minister Gaston Browne about the implications for Antigua and Barbuda.
The warning? Spiteful candidates on either side could use a magistrate's court - as opposed to the High Court via an election petition - to frustrate or nullify the electoral process long after the election. But in this episode, the panelists say the CCJ decision is certainly a good thing. It sends a message that MPs are not above the law, and not above being summoned before a magistrate. It also sends a message to Caribbean politicians that they ought to respect electoral integrity, stop the rum and chicken politics, or risk being thrown out of parliament (and maybe into prison).
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Alex Bruno, political analyst, national of Dominica, and Adjunct Instructor of Political Science at the Palm Beach State College.
- Bishop Rolston Jeffrey, the Public Relations Officer of the Free and Fair Elections League in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Don Anderson, political analyst, pollster based in Jamaica, and Chairman CEO of Market Research Services (Jamaica).
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FMon March 21, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Political reform has progressed little in 40 years and if you listen you'll understand why. We hear from the ABLP's Samantha Marshall, the UPP's "Chaku" Symister and the DNA's Louis Rivera about their interest, and their parties' interest in parliamentary reform. Chaku says it's a must. Samantha says we need a survey before we can conclude that it's necessary. Louis believes comprehensive reform is vital. This episode is a part two of sorts, of a discussion on parliamentary reform we aired one week before.
The reason we ask if it is a "dead" discussion in our title, is because discussions about parliamentary reform are actually common. In fact, there is a wholly volunteer organisation - ABCRE - dedicated to raising awareness about the need for constitutional reform, and parliamentary reform is part of their focus. But we still haven't enacted serious parliamentary reform. Why? Because it actually needs to be on a government's political agenda, and neither the ABLP nor the UPP has ever done it. It's as simple as that.
So, this segment gets stuck on that question - whether parties even support parliamentary reform. If they don't, why not? If they do, why have they not enacted it? Or why didn't they enact it when they were in power? Or why if they argue "the people" must show a desire for it, have they not surveyed the population to gauge support for it? You should really hear their responses.
Our discussion on parliamentary reform is largely about making the executive accountable to the legislature. Our executive is the Cabinet and our legislature is the Parliament. The Cabinet is not accountable to the Parliament in Antigua and Barbuda. Only the most strenuous mental gymnastics could lead someone to think otherwise. The basic roles of a Parliament have been established for centuries.
Here, we have a system where cabinet ministers must come from parliament. So, there is going to be overlap in the membership of executive and legislature. This is normal. It happens in many countries. What is obscenely ridiculous is that here, because the lower house is so small, the majority of the members of Parliament are virtually always also members of Cabinet. A vital role of any legislature (Parliament) is to scrutinize the work of the executive (Cabinet). How is that possible if the majority of parliament is the Cabinet???
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Louis Rivera, Democratic National Alliance (DNA) spokesman.
- Samantha Marshall, St. Mary's South MP for the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP).
- Leon "Chaku" Symister, United Progressive Party (UPP) Legal Affairs Spokesman.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FMon March 14, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
We speak about the value of women in leadership and the lack of women in leadership; about gender equality; about equality in the work place between men and women; about women's health, particularly women's mental health. This was a discussion we had in recognition of International Women’s Day which was observed on Monday, March 8th, 2021, and we invited three women in Antigua and Barbuda to each raise two issues for discussion, one of which became whether the was a need for International Women's Day itself. This is a strong episode with our guests sometimes giving compelling personal accounts of their experiences.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Senator Alincia Williams-Grant, President of the Senate of Antigua and Barbuda, and a lawyer by profession.
- Linisa George, an activist, a writer, and a storyteller whose work focuses on the Afro-Caribbean experience of black women and girls.
- Tanya Smith, an NLP Certified Master Coach and Trainer, Learning and Development Expert, and all-around problem-solver. She helps creative professionals and entrepreneurs reconnect with their true selves. She's President of the Women Entrepreneurs Network of the Caribbean (WENC).
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FMon March 14, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at theAntigua Observer online.
Russian Sputnik V, and Chinese Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines could be in Antigua and Barbuda in the near future, and you could be asked to line-up to get your jab. But the press around these vaccines has been bad, with a lot of the English language international news from North America and Europe reporting skepticism and a lack of transparency around them. On this episode we try to figure out how much of that is the normal politics of West vs. Russia or West vs. China, and whether the vaccines themselves are safe, effective, and a good option for Antigua and Barbuda.
Since mid-February, we've been using the Oxford-AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine for our public immunization programme. So far over 20,000 people have been vaccinated, but the government has had to halt the programme due to a limited supply of AZ doses. Then the government said it was approving the importation of Russian and Chinese vaccines even before the Pharmacy Council has approved their use. The rationale is that if and when these vaccines are approved by the WHO or Western regulators, their price is likely to go up rapidly and their availability will likely diminish.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
- Dr. Stephen Morrison, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and director of the organization’s Global Health Policy Center. Dr. Morrison is a frequent commentator on US foreign policy, global health, Africa, and foreign assistance. He holds a Ph.D. in political science.
- Ms. Nadya Wells, joins us from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. She is a senior research adviser at the institute’s Global Health Centre where she researches and teaches on the intersection of finance and biomedicine. She joins us to share insight into the Russian Sputnik vaccine.
- Dr. Julian Tang, an Honorary Associate Professor and Clinical Virologist at the Respiratory Sciences Department, University of Leicester, Leicester. He joins us from the United Kingdom. He brings particular insights into the Chinese Sinovac vaccine.
This programme first aired on NewsCoObserver Radio 91.1 FMon March 14, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at theAntigua Observer online.
Ministers in Antigua and Barbuda are not accountable to Parliament. How could they be? The Cabinet (of ministers) and the Parliament are virtually the same body. How can a minister provide oversight of himself or herself? That's like hiring yourself to audit yourself.
Why it Doesn't Work: We have a parliamentary system adapted from Britain where there are hundreds of MPs. For them (the British) parliament is a massive body and the Cabinet (of ministers) is a tiny portion of those MPs. In Antigua and Barbuda we don’t have hundreds of MPs. We have 17. So the Cabinet is not a tiny portion of the 17, it's virtually always the majority of the 17.
It Has Never Worked: Regardless of which administration you look back to, the result is the same. Cabinet is virtually always the majority of Parliament. It's a structural problem representing the ineffective separation of executive and legislative powers and it has always been a flaw in our political system. And needless to say, no party - once in power - has ever changed it.
How it Should Work: Parliament is supposed to be a largely separate group of representatives who pass laws in the best interest of the people that voted them there. And they are supposed to review the work of the ministers and ministries to make sure the people are well served by the Cabinet. A Cabinet is supposed to come up with policy for the nation, then convince Parliament to pass that policy in the form of legislation.
This simply does not occur in Antigua and Barbuda. Here, the Cabinet arrives to Parliament and only has to convince itself (because they are the majority of MPs) to pass its own legislation. On this segment, we asked: If parliament were to be reformed, what would it take to turn it into a truly effective legislature? The host is Kieron Murdoch.
Our guests are
- Ralph Bowen, attorney, and President of Antiguans and Barbudans for Constitutional Reform and Education - an association which promotes constitutional reform and awareness of constitutional rights, liberties and constitutional law.
- Dr. George Braithwaite, lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology at The University of the West Indies, Cavehill.
- Dr. Derek O’Brien, lecturer at the Truman Bodden Law School in the Cayman Islands. Over his career in academia his main research area has been the constitutional law of the Commonwealth Caribbean. He is co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of Caribbean Constitutions published in 2019.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on March 7, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
It will cause infertility (false). It's a chimp virus (misleading). It contains aborted fetus cells (false). It is the Mark of the Beast (what?). It will change your DNA (again, what?). It contains a microchip (false). It has dangerous "side effects" (misleading). It contains poisonous chemicals (false). These are the typical falsehoods or misleading statements about COVID-19 vaccines that have gotten many people on edge, wondering whether they ought to get jabbed. And who could blame them when there are so many myths, so many lies , and so much misinformation being shared?
This is our second episode devoted to vaccine facts and myths and we talk about all the issues listed above, and much much more. We brought together a pharmacist, a pathologist, and a pediatrician to tackle popular myths, misconceptions and misleading statements that have been shared about COVID vaccines. If you've been worried about getting vaccinated, you should have a listen. If you know someone who's been hesitant about it, share it with them as well. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Michael Joseph, a pharmacist in Antigua and Barbuda and Head of the Antigua and Barbuda Pharmacy Council.
- Dr. Lester Simon, a pathologist in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Dr. Patrick Martin, a pediatrician in St. Kitts and Nevis, and a former Chief Medical Officer there.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on March 7, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Health Minister Sir Molwyn Joseph looked like Moses trying to part the Red Sea. And many of those around him were seeing red (forgive the pun) after queuing in line for hours to receive their first jab of the Oxford-AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine when Antigua and Barbuda's national COVID-19 immunization programme opened to the public on Tuesday, March 2nd. Word travels fast, and the response was overwhelming. Far more people than it seemed were anticipated turned out, creating anxious scenes at some centres which have since been widely shared.
In stark contrast, many report that inside the centres the process was smooth, orderly, and COVID protocols were observed. So what went wrong outside? Why weren't there officials to marshal the crowds? Did it matter if you made an appointment? Things reportedly got better as week drew on, and over 14,000 people have been vaccinated so far. On this episode, we went to the Cayman Islands, to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and to Austin, Texas, to find out how immunization schemes are being managed there, if they've had similar occurrences, and if lessons could be shared. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Dr. Hazel Brown, the Chief Nursing Officer in the Cayman Islands.
- Dr. Jerrol Thompson, an infectious disease specialist and advisor to the St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Covid-19 Task Force.
- Raisa Charles, an Antiguan and Barbudan in Austin, Texas, where she's Operations Chief over COVID-19 vaccine distribution with the City of Austin.
- Kadeem Joseph, journalist and heath editor with the Antigua Observer. He holds a degree in health science.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on March 7, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
Political patronage and clientelism are part of the way in which corruption in the English-speaking Caribbean takes form. On this segment we use the candid talk of MPs in Antigua and Barbuda's parliament in the February budget debate to have a discussion about the nature of both. The first concept, patronage, involves the distribution of resources based not on need, but on partisan loyalty. Such resources could be employment, investment, material assistance, and out-of-pocket financial aid. The second concept, clientelism, is similar to the first but incorporates the notion of an explicit or implicit quid pro quo, in that political support from voters is being exchanged for other supports directed by politicians at those voters.
Our guests call out the practices for what they are - a corrupt system of allocation that extorts political support from voters, punishes disloyal partisans, and distorts democratic voting systems. But they also warn that it is not new, and has been unchanged from the inception of independent government in region. They describe the measures necessary to arrest the problem and rescue true democracy. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Dr. Kristina Hinds, Senior Lecturer in Political Science at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cavehill, in Barbados.
- Matthew Aubrey, the Executive Director of the Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG) in the Bahamas.
- Dr. Troy Thomas, Dean Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Guyana and a former president of the Transparency Institute of Guyana.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 28, 2021.
"Yuh black self. Yuh nuh see how you black and ugly? Wha mek ya mudda bun you so?" It's the sort of thing you might hear uttered in a schoolyard between friends no less, the speaker unaware, seemingly, of the grotesque assumptions the statement bears about race, human worth and dignity.
It assumes that Black people - that is to say people of Black African descent - are inherently inferior to others, inherently ugly because of their darkness of skin and the texture of their hair, and inherently without dignity. It is a frightening assumption to make. It belongs in the past, in a slave society where race and the characteristics of a race were imbued with inextricable social meaning, such as the binary absolute that Black is ugly and White is lovely. Sadly however, the assumption is still with us today.
On this segment we speak about colourism - when as Black people of varying degrees of mixed and unmixed ancestry, we love and loathe one another according to darkness and lightness. We speak also of Black hair, and its natural afro texture still being seen as unattractive, unkept and ungroomed, and in needed of shaving, straightening or covering. The truth, if we are willing to face up to it, is that self-loathing of Blackness is part of our psychology. We learn to hate it.
We covet mixed ancestry - to know that we are something other than just Black, because we've understood from our society that Black is not good enough. Black bodies are loathed for their darkness, textures and shapes. We openly yearn for lightness, skin of a brown or olive complexion, to be "butter-skin" "brown-skin" or "red", to have straighter hair, to have looser curls, to have hair that falls and tosses, and to have faces without the noses and lips and cheeks of Africa.
This incoherent, self-deprecating, monolithic Frankenstein of a collective mindset is a major problem in virtually every Black society in the Americas whether acknowledged or not, and Antigua and Barbuda is no exception. On this segment, our guests share their experiences with it, their research, and their insights into how to make some positive changes. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
Our guests are:
- Dr. Monique Kelly, a Jamaica-born Dean’s Research Associate in the Department of Sociology at Michigan State University whose research broadly focuses on racial and ethnic identities, attitudes, and inequality. Her current research agenda looks at colorism, stratification, and inequality comparatively within the English-speaking Caribbean and the larger black diaspora.
- Linisa George, an activist, a writer, and a storyteller in Antigua and Barbuda whose work focuses on the Afro-Caribbean experience of black women and girls.
- Glen Toussaint, a poet, a storyteller, and the owner of Ten Pages Bookstore in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Marisha Duncan, a second year PhD student in cultural studies at The University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago whose research focus is on natural black hair and natural black hairstyles, representation and identity formation.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 28, 2021.
A maskless Akon, maskless bikini-clad babes, and a dining hall of maskless guests. Those were the scenes that went viral after charity matchmaker Todd Krim posted videos and photos about a Valentine’s Day mini-bash at the Hodges Bay Resort and Spa in Antigua and Barbuda amidst a pandemic on the rise outside the hotel walls. It all appeared as if happening in another reality.
In everyone else's reality restaurants have been barred from seating diners, bars have been told not to entertain patrons, and police patrol the beaches to break up gatherings. But in this other reality, a throng of maskless guests fills a dining hall shoulder to shoulder, people are dancing almost skin-to-skin, and a dozen and a half maskless bikini-clad women are inches apart in the sand, posing for beach photos.
It convinces many in Antigua and Barbuda that if you just got off a plane and you plan to stay at a hotel, you can live in a different reality. Added to that, the authorities will oblige you. Get caught doing that sort of thing in everyone else's reality however, and you may end up in jail, or short a few thousand dollars you paid in fines.
So what became of the whole situation? Tourism Minister, Charles "Max" Fernandez promised an investigation which one of our panelists is confident will never be spoken of again. The hotel denied that anything worth being called a violation of health regulations had ever occurred. And the police are not known to have arrested or fined anyone on the property for the incident. On this segment we asked whether there really is a double standard, and if we can balance offering a welcoming environment to visitors with enforcing public health rules. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
Our guests are:
- N’kenge Drew, whose first name is pronounced “Knee-Ken-G”, is a user experience designer and a periodic commentator on current affairs in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Adrian Loveridge is a small hotelier based in Barbados and has spent 52 years in the tourism industry across dozens of countries both in travel and hospitality.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 28, 2021.
Vaccinations against COVID-19 have begun in Antigua and Barbuda, and frontline workers as well as public officials have been stepping forward to take the jab. Many people aren't sure whether they should get vaccinated and they want to know more about the topic. Many have misconceptions that could easily be cleared up with the right information.
So, on this segment the listeners asked all the questions. We talked about the nature of vaccines, the process of certification and testing they go through, the differences between the brands, the logistics of where residents could register to get vaccinated, the issue of allergies and comorbidities, the issue of vaccinating children as well as a variety of other topics. All our guests are part of the national coordinating effort to roll-out the vaccine. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
Our guests are:
- Dr. Rhonda Sealy-Thomas, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Antigua and Barbuda.
- Dr. Shivon Belle Jarvis, a pediatrician at the Mount St. John Medial Centre.
- Michael Joseph, a pharmacist here in Antigua and Barbuda.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 21, 2021.
In a jaw-dropping speech in Parliament, the Prime Minister Gaston Browne hurls never before heard accusations of fraud and attempted acts of corruption at the scandal-ridden, disgraced MP for St. Peter, Asot Michael who once sat in his cabinet, but with whom he has now irrevocably fallen out.
In so doing, Browne reveals that he and others have been concealing the true extent of corruption at the highest level of government for years. Further, and in a paradox of logic, Browne admits that he kept Michael in his Cabinet for several years despite numerous alleged attempts at corrupt acts during Michael's time as a minister.
In a country with near completely inert anti-corruption enforcement, Browne's oft repeated assurance that abuse isn't occurring in his administration would seem to suggest that at every turn, where there allegedly are attempts to commit corrupt acts, he is there to personally stop it.
This episode features a pre-discussion analysis of structural weaknesses in Antigua and Barbuda's government which leave it exposed to the possibility of chronic abuse in the public sector. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Akaash Maharaj, an Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption. The body is an international alliance of elected parliamentarians, aiming to combat corruption, strengthen good governance, and uphold the rule of law.
- Dr. David Hinds, a Guyanese political analyst who is Associate Professor of African American and Caribbean Studies at the Arizona State University.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 21, 2021.
More people are openly calling for another lockdown in Antigua and Barbuda as active COVID-19 cases get closer to 400. When this programme aired, active cases were at 370, inclusive of a record 50 new cases declared in the most recent update. Among those calling for a lockdown - what some also refer to as a shutdown - is Dr. George Roberts, a medical doctor in Antigua and Barbuda, and a well-known ear nose and throat (ENT) specialist.
He joins the panel to share his argument as to why the current measures in place - a 6:00 pm curfew, face-to-face school suspension, and bar and restaurant closure - are unlikely to bring the situation under control. Joining him for this short segment is an economist from a fellow Caribbean nation which was in lockdown during our discussion. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Dr. George Roberts, a medical doctor in Antigua and Barbuda, and a well-known ear nose and throat (ENT) specialist.
- Jeremy Stephen, economist and financial consultant in Barbados.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 21, 2021.
Antigua and Barbuda has received at least five thousand doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine as part of a consignment of vaccines coming into the Caribbean from India – a world pharmaceutical manufacturing powerhouse. With so much myth surrounding COVID-19 and vaccination, what are true facts and the hard science behind the jab? We invite a medical doctor who already received the jab, a professor trained in immunology, and a BBC Reality Check journalist, to talk about the facts and the lies of vaccines. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Dr. Jerrol Thompson, a medical doctor from St. Vincent and Grenadines who specializes in allergy, immunology and infectious diseases. He has worked in New York and in St. Vincent as well as in Nigeria and Kenya where he worked to combat HIV and AIDS. He was a member of parliament in St. Vincent for several years and is now works for the government in capacities related to public health.
- Professor Clive Landis, the Chairman of the University of the West Indies (UWI) COVID-19 Task Force. He is a Professor of Cardiovascular Research at UWI Cavehill. He is a former director of the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre in Barbados. And he is a past Chairman of the Barbados National HIV and AIDS Commission’s subcommittee on research. Professor Clive Landis was chair of the UWI Regional Task Force on Zika. His PhD is in immunology.
- Flora Carmichael, a Senior Journalist at the BBC in London who works with BBC Reality Check. They focus on debunking false and misleading claims circulating in public. She's been debunking disinformation about Covid-19 throughout the pandemic for BBC News.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on February 14, 2021.
We discuss the parliamentary opposition's response to the 2021 Budget Statement. Calling it a "no hope" and "no empathy" budget, opposing MPs argued that the government had not responded to the pandemic recession and the massive unemployment problem. Our guests discuss the value of the criticisms laid, the calls for stimulus, and the road ahead for Antigua and Barbuda in 2021. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Dr. Thomson Fontaine, an economist and Dominica national, currently working in South Sudan. As an economist he worked at the International Monetary Fund for 13 years. His work and writing have focused on growth, currency crises, development, fiscal management and debt.
- Arvel Grant, a current affairs and political commentator.
- Carlon Knight, current affairs and political commentator currently a graduate student studying economics.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FMon February 14, 2021.
A controversy erupts when Gaston Browne, Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister, reveals that he’s been vaccinated in private, off camera, weeks before government procured vaccines arrived on island, and as part of a private initiative of a wealthy local family to import vaccines for their inoculation. The PM is cryptic and evasive about the issue, delivering snippets of information between radio interviews and Facebook comments weeks apart. When the fact that he's gotten the jab sinks in and the members of the public are outraged, he stonewalls the press. To make matters worse, he's been jabbed with the Moderna vaccine - a higher efficacy, and more costly brand which won't be procured by the government for the general population.
The debacle is the seeming straw that breaks the back of the Nurses' Association, already at odds with the government over issues to do with safety, pay, and working conditions in the COVID-19 era. It publishes a release calling him out, to which he responds by attacking the association as partisan, saying he showed leadership by taking the secret jab, and arguing he had no obligation to disclose that he had even done so. Our guests are an international anti-corruption advocate, a former minister of health, and a former prime minister. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Dr. Denzil Douglas, a former four-term Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and current Leader of Parliamentary Opposition. He is a medical doctor by training.
- Alvina Reynolds, a former Minister of Health, Wellness, Human Services and Gender Relations in St. Lucia.
- Akaash Maharaj, an Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption. The body is an international alliance of elected parliamentarians, aiming to combat corruption, strengthen good governance, and uphold the rule of law.
This programme first aired on NewsCoObserver Radio 91.1 FMon February 14, 2021.
One the worst ways in which paradise is ruined is through illegal dumping. It's a pervasive problem with no cheap or rapid solution because it has everything to do with attitudes towards littering and recycling. Illegal dumping covers everything you'd imagine - heavy appliances and cars, household trash, construction waste, agricultural and industrial waste and so on. In Antigua and Barbuda, any unpaved road or patch of bushland is fair game.
In this segment, we discuss illegal dumping and its harmful environmental and economic effects and we ask the guests about how effective strategies at curbing the problem have been. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Carol-Faye George joins us from Antigua and Barbuda. She was formerly the Environmental Education Officer in the Department of Environment and she holds a degree in environmental law.
- Carl Padmore joins us from Barbados, where he is the Public Relations Officer of Barbados’ Sanitation Services Authority.
- Camille Roopnarine joins us from Trinidad and Tobago. She is an environmental management consultant with experience in environmental management across the Caribbean. She has worked at the Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company Limited and was responsible for the development of the company's Quality and Environmental Management Systems.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FMon February 7, 2021.
Despite another week of sometimes double-digit infection increases, the government refuses a shutdown for social and economic reasons. Active cases of COVID-19 infection, in the 30s a week ago, are now in the 80s. We ask a medical doctor, a former health minister, and a vaccine distribution coordinator how we could be affected if cases continue to rise, and whether the measures in place now are likely to achieve their goal. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Dr. Dwayne Thwaites known to many as “Baba Thwaites”. He is a urologist in Antigua and Barbuda known for raising awareness of prostate cancer and promoting prostate cancer screening.
- Raisa Charles, who joined us from Texas where she is a Certified Public Health Educator and Operations Section Chief over COVID-19 vaccine distribution with the City of Austin.
- Alvina Reynolds, who joined us from St. Lucia. She was a member of parliament from 2011 to 2016 with the St. Lucia Labour Party, and was minister of health, wellness, human services and gender relations during that time.
This programme first aired on NewsCoObserver Radio 91.1 FMon February 7, 2021.
Antigua and Barbuda's students will again learn from home, as COVID-19 infections force a halt to face-to-face classes. Low bandwidth, too few devices in the home, a parent who needs to be at work, endless distractions, and disconnectedness from the teacher are some of the hurdles that must be overcome to teach thousands of children online.
In this segment, a principal, a teacher, and a lecturer in education psychology share their frank opinions about the challenges online school presents to teachers, students and parents. They use lessons already learned from virtual schooling in the COVID-19 era to inform parents and policymakers on how best to manage the virtual experience and problems associated with it. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Jacintha Pringle, English language and English literature teacher at the St. Joseph's Academy. She is a former national Director of Education, occupying that office from 2005 and 2015.
- Foster Roberts, Principal of the Ottos Comprehensive School, one of Antigua and Barbuda’s many secondary schools.
- Dr. Sharline Cole, a lecturer in Educational Psychology at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona School of Education.
This programme first aired on NewsCoObserver Radio 91.1 FMon February 7, 2021.
Nations the world round seek warmer relations with the U.S. under a new president. On this segment we ask our guests whether the Caribbean - particularly its English-speaking nations - stand to gain anything from a Biden-administration, or whether the region is too unimportant to U.S. foreign policy interests to merit the new president's attention. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
Our guests are:
- Ambassador Colin Ganderson, Assistant Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat with responsibility for foreign and community relations. His past Postings as diplomat have been to London, Geneva, and the United Nations in New York. He has headed a Joint OAS/UN Human Rights Mission in Haiti, and election observation missions for the OAS and CARICOM in Guyana, in Suriname, and in Haiti.
- Carlon Knight, an Antiguan graduate student with an interest in politics, currently studying economics.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FMon January 31, 2021.
The government stops short of ordering a second national shutdown, instead placing Antigua and Barbuda's residents under a longer indoor curfew - to be inside by 8:00 PM. On January 29, 2021, there were 37 active cases of COVID-19 with three new cases being declared. Eight COVID patients were reported to be hospitalized but the island cannot manage a flood of critical cases. As daily infection reports sometimes reach double digits, some are suggesting a second national shutdown. We ask our guests what the effects are likely to be. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Sherrie-Ann Brazier, the President of the Antigua and Barbuda Employers Federation (ABEF) and a project management and communications professional.
- Elijah James, a software engineer and Chief Executive Officer of Voice Publications. He’s the creator of The Local App, a digital destination guide and marketplace solution.
- Jeremy Stephens, a Barbados based economist and financial consultant who's lectured in banking and finance at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill.
This programme first aired on NewsCoObserver Radio 91.1 FMon January 31, 2021.
Gaston Browne unveils a 1.4 billion-dollar 2021 budget promising no new taxes, no austerity, and hundreds of millions in investment despite a global recession and a roaring pandemic. We ask two economists and a political scientist whether its fairly positive outlook is in line with reasonable expectations for 2021, and what its social impacts are likely to be. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Dr. Thomson Fontaine,an economist and Dominica national currently working in South Sudan. As an economist he worked at the International Monetary Fund for 13 years and his work and writing have focused on growth, currency crises, development, fiscal management and debt. He has also lectured in his field at the University of Maryland University College and at Clemson University.
- Dr. Ankie Joseph-Scott, a Vincentian economist a currently a Lecturer of Economics at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill. Her focus includes economic public policy analysis, public finance, regulation of financial institutions and developing the Caribbean business environment.
- Dr. Isaac Newton, an Antiguan and Barbudan graduate of Columbia, Harvard, Princeton and Oakwood Universities. Among other fields, he has studied economics, administration, social policy ethics, and public policy. He focuses on Organizational Capacity Building, Executive Leadership, Government and Business Relations; and Political Campaign Management.
This programme first aired on NewsCoObserver Radio 91.1 FMon January 31, 2021.
Reaching one hundred years of age is a remarkable feat, and at least two centenarians in Antigua and Barbuda celebrated birthdays in January of 2021. A lot has happened in the last one hundred years. So on this segment, we ask our panel what Antigua and Barbuda was like 100 years ago, and how it has changed since then. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Dr. Paget Henry, an Antiguan Professor of Sociology and Africana Studies at Brown University in the United States. Caribbean history forms a large part of his professional writing.
- Bishop Kingsley Lewis, an Antiguan Bishop of the Moravian Church in the Eastern West Indies Province who has taught undergraduate history for the University of the West Indies (UWI) at the Antigua State College (ASC).
- Agnes Meeker, an Antiguan born in 1940, and researcher of the history of sugar plantations in Antigua and Barbuda. She is also the founder of the St. John Hospice.
This programme first aired on NewsCoObserver Radio 91.1 FMon January 24, 2021.
Criminal trials have been held up indefinitely by the need to social distance being at odds with the norm of cramming 12 jurors into a courtroom. The government of Antigua and Barbuda is planning to implement no-jury trials in some circumstances to alleviate the problem. We discuss the rights of the accused to a fair trial and whether a verdict by a jury of peers should always be considered a part of that right. We get the views of Jamaica's top prosecutor, the head of Antigua and Barbuda's Bar Association, and two other attorneys from Antigua and Barbuda, and from Barbados. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Lenworth Johnson, attorney-at-law practicing for over 23 years, and President of the Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association (ABBA);
- Andrew O’Kola, attorney-at-law in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Paula Llewellyn QC, Director of Public Prosecutions in Jamaica.
- Richard Guyson Mayers, attorney-at-law in Barbados.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 24, 2021.
Restaurants, bars, and clubs have been especially hard-hit by the pandemic. They've been the constant focus of health inspection and evolving restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19. Workers have been laid off, venues have closed, and others are only running take-out services. As a handful of non-compliant venues in English Harbour prompt a clamp down and new restrictions across the islands, we ask two proprietors what it's been like operating during the pandemic. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Barry Edwards, known by many as “Scorpion”. He is the proprietor of the Beachlimerz Restaurant and Bar, at Fort James Beach.
- And Claudine Vierstraete, proprietor of C&C Winehouse, and Fred’s Belgian Waffles and Ice-Cream - both in Redcliffe Quay, St. John.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 24, 2021.
Have you asked yourself if getting a degree is worth it? Perhaps you've gotten your degree but you're unemployed, working outside your field, or earning less that you expected. On this segment we discuss the value of a degree and some misconceptions. We invite an academic, a businessman and a human resource professional to tell us what a degree gives its holder and what it does not, and the work that life demands after leaving school. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Dr. Curtis Charles, the Director of Academic Affairs at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda, and a former University President with extensive experience in accreditation, higher education administration, and education technology.
- Sven James, a software engineer in Antigua and Barbuda, and co-founder of TickeTing Inc. - the company behind the TickeTing Events App. They are also responsible for the software solutions studio, m-CAT Innovations.
- Shawn Maile, the Labour Relations Officer of the Antigua and Barbuda Employer’s Federation. He is a certified human resource professional with over ten years’ experience working in Antigua and Barbuda and abroad. He has also lectured in Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Management at the Antigua State College.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FMon January 17, 2021.
A hugely successful Jamaican businessman and magnate, Gordon "Butch" Stewart died on the first Monday in January 2021. We ask our panel how the Sandals Resorts founder and its longtime chairman built his empire, and if others can copy his success. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Dr. Damien King, an economist and Executive Director at the Caribbean Policy Research Institute, known as CAPRI. CAPRI is a not-for-profit, public policy think tank dedicated to the production and dissemination of impartial, evidence-based knowledge to inform economic, governance, sustainable and social policy decision-making in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.
- Desmond Allen, the Founding editor of the Jamaica Observer and close friend of Gordon Stewart, who owned the newspaper.
- Adrian Loveridge, a small hotel owner in Barbados and a former director of the Barbados Tourism Authority.
This programme first aired on NewsCoObserver Radio 91.1 FMon January 17, 2021.
"Cheap", "sleazy", and more akin to "a buy one, get one free commercial", are how Antiguans and Barbudans describe a viral short video promotion encouraging investors to buy an Antigua and Barbuda passport. It's the exact opposite of the tone the government says it wishes to set for the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP). The panel discusses what should be the fate of the agent responsible for the promotion, how the government should respond, and the worth of the citizenship programme in the COVID-19 era. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Vance Amory, a former Premier of Nevis serving in that office from 1992-2006 and then again from 2013 to 2017. He has been an advocate for citizenship by investment as an avenue for economic development for small developing states;
- And Richard Frederick, an attorney-at- law former Minister of Physical Planning, Housing, Urban renewal, and Local Government in St. Lucia.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 17, 2021.
A retired diplomat, a former foreign minister and a political scientist - all citizens of the Caribbean - delve into the chaos that unfolded in the U.S. capitol on January 6th 2021 as American lawmakers sought to certify the result of the U.S. 2020 Presidential Election. They discuss the legacy of Donald Trump and what impact his final debacle will have on the U.S. and the globe. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Curtis Ward, a former Ambassador of Jamaica to the United Nations and an attorney-at-law;
- Alex Bruno, a political analyst, Dominica native, and Adjunct Instructor of Political Science at the Palm Beach State College;
- Maxine McClean, who was Barbados' Minister of Foreign Affairs for 10 years between 2008 and 2018.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 10, 2021.
PM Gaston Browne makes little of an opposition show of will outside the Governor General's Residence. The opposition itself hemorrhages another deserter from its failed 2018 slate of candidates. We discuss the optics of both and whether the reactions by both sides are politically wise. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Dr. Oswald Thomas, a political analyst, currently director of political affairs at the New York firm, paramount communications. Dr. Oswald Thomas was politically active in Antigua over many years with the Antigua Labour Party, now the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party.
- Mr. Carlon Knight, an Antiguan graduate student with an interest in politics, and currently studying economics.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 10, 2021.
We talk about the impact of yet another U.K. COVID-19 lockdown on Antigua and Barbuda's ravaged hotel sector.
New U.K. rules will compel all Britons overseas to get a COVID-19 test to get home - another reason for visitors to stay away and a further strain on the twin-island state's public health system. The host is Kieron Murdoch.
The guests are:
- Alex De Brito, the Vice Chairman of the Antigua Hotels and Tourism Association and Vice President of Operations at the Galley Bay Resort and Spa;
- David Massiah, the General Secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union which represents many of the hotel employees in Antigua and Barbuda;
- Adrian Loveridge, a small hotel owner in Barbados and a former director of the Barbados Tourism Authority;
- And Greg Phillip, the immediate past CEO of the Nevis Tourism Authority, currently CEO of Nevis Sun Tours.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on January 10, 2021.