标签： Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda is set to take a major step forward in its preparations for the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026 this week, with the official launch of the event’s accreditation process scheduled for the Cabinet meeting on July 15, 2026. The launch will be led by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, alongside the Honorable E.P. Chet Greene, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration and Chair of the CHOGM 2026 National Task Force.

This launch represents one of the most significant milestones to date in Antigua and Barbuda’s planning for the high-profile summit, which will bring together heads of state, government ministers, official delegates, media representatives and other authorized participants from the 56-member Commonwealth bloc to St. John’s from November 1 to 4, 2026. As a core part of the launch event, the Antigua and Barbuda government will unveil the dedicated official CHOGM 2026 Accreditation Portal, a centralized digital platform built to handle all accreditation applications for the summit and its affiliated side events and meetings.

Designed with user experience and security in mind, the portal is engineered to deliver a streamlined, efficient and highly secure registration process for all eligible participants seeking access to the summit. Prime Minister Browne framed the opening of the accreditation window as a critical turning point in the work to deliver a world-class summit for the Commonwealth community. He emphasized that the Antigua and Barbuda government remains fully committed to upholding the highest international standards of organization across every dimension of the four-day meeting.

Minister Greene, who leads the national task force overseeing all summit preparations, praised the hard work of the dedicated Accreditation Committee for delivering a robust system aligned with global benchmarks. He also highlighted the extensive collaborative efforts between the task force, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and a wide range of domestic stakeholders that went into building the accreditation framework. Notably, Greene extended special recognition to the Independent State of Samoa, the host of 2024 CHOGM, for sharing practical operational guidance and technical expertise that supported the Antigua and Barbuda team in developing a framework tailored to 2026 summit’s unique needs, while integrating widely accepted international best practices.

This cross-nation support, Greene noted, is a powerful demonstration of the longstanding spirit of cooperation that defines the Commonwealth, as well as the tradition of smooth, collaborative transition between successive host countries. All eligible participants will receive detailed guidance on navigating the accreditation process through their home governments, affiliated organizations, and the Commonwealth Secretariat. Summit organizers have urged all applicants to complete their accreditation submissions within the established official timelines, to ensure the smooth and timely processing and issuance of official conference credentials.

Across all areas of summit planning, the Antigua and Barbuda government continues to make steady progress on preparations. The country is preparing to welcome the entire Commonwealth family to St. John’s this November, for what organizers expect to be a productive and influential summit held under the official 2026 theme: “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth.”

In a heated parliamentary debate held this Tuesday in St. John’s, Antigua, Trevor Walker, the Member of Parliament representing Barbuda, delivered sharp criticism of the Gaston Browne-led government’s procedural handling of a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United States focused on potential third-country national transfers. The debate centered on a government resolution laying out core principles for ongoing negotiations with Washington, but Walker’s objections centered on the extremely limited timeline lawmakers were given to review the full MOU text before the vote on the authorizing resolution.

Walker argued that no opposition lawmakers had received the document prior to the day of the sitting, and even suggested that many ruling party parliamentarians likely lacked sufficient time to conduct a detailed line-by-line review of the agreement. The text of the MOU was only circulated to members moments before the parliamentary session convened, leaving legislators with no opportunity to cross-reference its terms with the government’s previously published White Paper and the draft resolution laid out for debate.

“ I don’t know if anybody in this Honourable House had seen this MOU before today,” Walker told the chamber. “Maybe some members on the government side saw it, but I certainly didn’t.”

Beyond the compressed timeline, Walker raised red flags about the version of the document distributed to legislators, noting that the circulated text remained unsigned. He called for clarity on whether this draft reflected the final negotiated position agreed to by both Antigua and Barbuda and U.S. officials, pointing out that such fundamental uncertainties prevent parliament from carrying out its core oversight responsibility of scrutinizing major international agreements before endorsement.

“ We have to know exactly what it is we’re debating,” Walker said, emphasizing that increased transparency around the negotiating process is critical to maintaining public trust in the country’s diplomatic decision-making. He stressed that his criticism was not an attempt to damage the longstanding bilateral relationship between Antigua and Barbuda and the United States, but rather a push to protect parliamentary sovereignty and ensure that legislators can properly fulfill their duty to examine matters that touch on the country’s sovereign status and binding international obligations.

In response to Walker’s objections during the later stages of the debate, Prime Minister Gaston Browne pushed back against the criticism. Browne noted that the government’s White Paper outlining the core framework of the agreement and the draft resolution for parliamentary approval had been circulated to members well in advance of the sitting. He clarified that the MOU itself is not a finalized, legally binding agreement, and that it is standard diplomatic practice to not publicly distribute draft correspondence between sovereign governments prior to finalization. Following the exchange, a signed copy of the draft MOU was subsequently provided to all parliamentary members.

One of the Commonwealth’s most esteemed recognitions for distinguished police service, the King’s Police Medal (KPM), has been granted to Everton Jeffers, Commissioner of Police for Antigua and Barbuda. The Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda made the official announcement of the accolade in a public statement released Wednesday, framing the award as a well-earned acknowledgment of Jeffers’ decades of exceptional contributions to national policing and security.

“The Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda proudly congratulates Commissioner of Police Mr. Everton Jeffers, KPM, on being awarded the King’s Police Medal (KPM),” the statement read. The force emphasized that the honor highlights Jeffers’ exemplary leadership at the helm of the national police service, his unwavering commitment to upholding law and order, and his consistent dedication to protecting and serving all residents of the twin-island nation.

Beyond celebrating Jeffers’ achievement, the organization extended its gratitude to the commissioner for his years of public service and reaffirmed its pride in his accomplishment. Established to recognize extraordinary gallantry or distinguished service, the King’s Police Medal is conferred annually on deserving law enforcement officers across the United Kingdom and Commonwealth member states, standing as a mark of global respect for outstanding contributions to policing. The award cements Jeffers’ legacy as a leading figure in Antigua and Barbuda’s public safety sector, bringing national recognition to his work advancing community security and institutional excellence.

During a heated parliamentary debate on Tuesday, Antigua and Barbuda’s Education Minister Daryll Matthew pushed back against fierce opposition criticism of the government’s approach to ongoing negotiations with the United States focused on potential transfers of third-country nationals. Opponents of the governing administration have repeatedly claimed that the small Caribbean nation holds no meaningful leverage in talks with Washington, citing its geographic size and pre-existing U.S. visa restrictions as factors that leave Antigua and Barbuda negotiating from a position of extreme weakness. Matthew rejected this narrative outright, arguing that the country’s greatest strategic strength comes from staying at the negotiating table and advancing terms that prioritize the well-being of all Antiguan and Barbudan citizens.

Addressing the full legislative body during debate over a parliamentary resolution that establishes a formal framework for continued negotiations, Matthew reframed the opposition’s “no cards” argument. “We may have a small hand. We may have a small voice. However, we still have the responsibility to negotiate in the best interests of our people,” he told assembled lawmakers. “The only time you have no cards is when you get them from the table and walk away.” With both the Antiguan-Barbudan negotiating team and U.S. representatives remaining committed to ongoing discussions, he emphasized that the government will continue working toward a final outcome that delivers benefits to the country’s population.

Matthew stressed that responsible governance demands sustained engagement even when negotiating with a far larger global power, pushing back against opposition calls for a complete overhaul of the government’s negotiation approach. He also pushed for cross-party unity on this sensitive issue, noting that questions of national interest should never devolve into partisan political fighting, and calling for a broad national consensus around the government’s negotiating priorities. “There must be some things that, as a nation, we can collectively agree on,” he said. “This is one of them.”

The minister commended Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Ambassador Sir Ronald Sanders, and the full government negotiating team for publicly releasing a White Paper on the talks and bringing the framework resolution before parliament, a move he said demonstrates the administration’s commitment to transparency and keeps the general public fully informed about ongoing discussions. “I want to commend the Prime Minister… and the entire team that has been working diligently on this over the past six, eight months for putting everything here on the table,” Matthew stated.

He also categorically denied opposition claims that the government had already struck a secret deal to accept third-country nationals, clarifying that the current resolution before parliament does not ask lawmakers to approve a finalized agreement or bind Antigua and Barbuda to accepting any transfers at all. “This resolution is not committing the government to accept anyone,” he explained. “We are not approving the operating procedures. We’re not committing to receive. What we’re doing is simply saying that we want certain issues satisfied.”

Matthew laid out clear non-negotiable conditions that any final agreement must meet to gain approval, starting with a hard cap of just 10 total transfers in 2026. After the initial pilot period, he said, the country can reassess whether the arrangement delivers tangible benefits to national development. Additional key requirements include a total ban on accepting any individuals with criminal convictions, no additional financial burden placed on Antiguan and Barbudan taxpayers, and permanent retention of the government’s right to reject any individual proposed for transfer.

Warned that allowing convicted criminals to be transferred to the small island nation would carry catastrophic risks for public safety, Matthew highlighted the severe harm that even one high-risk offender could cause. “Can you imagine if one convicted pedophile was deported to Antigua and Barbuda and just ran havoc in this country? Can you imagine if a serial killer was transferred from the United States to Antigua and Barbuda? … Can you imagine if a sophisticated gang leader came to Antigua and Barbuda?” he asked. These risks, he argued, fully justify the government’s insistence on maintaining the final say over which individuals may be transferred. “There must be an opportunity for us as a nation to say, ‘This person, no,’” he said. “We have to have a framework in place that protects our national interests.”

Matthew also noted that Antigua and Barbuda’s limited public infrastructure cannot support unregulated transfers, adding that the country cannot afford additional strain on already constrained housing, healthcare, and other core public services. “I cannot, with a good conscience, tell my constituents that we had no cards, we had to take all of them, we had to put it on the taxpayers’ purse, we had to give them a job, we had to give them a house,” he said.

Despite the strict conditions the government has laid out, Matthew struck an optimistic tone about the progress of talks, saying that the two sides are closer to a mutually acceptable agreement than critics have claimed. After reviewing the negotiated White Paper and all draft documents exchanged between the two parties, he concluded that “We’re not so far apart.”

Closing his remarks, Matthew once again praised the governing team for bringing the issue to parliament for open debate, reinforcing the government’s commitment to transparency and public accountability. “I want to commend the Prime Minister and his team for bringing this resolution to Parliament so that we can speak with clarity, so that the public understands exactly what it is we’re doing,” he said.

In a significant legislative development for Antigua and Barbuda’s lucrative Citizenship by Investment (CIP) programme, the nation’s House of Representatives has approved the 2026 Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Bill, with cross-party support from senior lawmakers emphasizing the urgent need for strengthened oversight amid rising international pressure.

Trevor Walker, the Member of Parliament for Barbuda, emerged as a key backer of the reforms, framing the updated regulations as a critical safeguard for the country’s largest source of non-tax revenue. Walker told parliamentary deliberations on Tuesday that the CIP programme, which he estimates injects more than $100 million into the national budget annually, is the backbone of Antigua and Barbuda’s public finances, but its long-term survival depends on addressing growing global scrutiny through enhanced transparency and accountability.

Warning that the programme faces mounting geopolitical challenges that threaten its future, Walker argued that preserving its credibility must be a top policy priority for the government. He specifically welcomed the reinstatement of mandatory annual audits, a provision that was controversially repealed back in 2016. The new legislation not only brings back routine audit requirements, it also adds new rules mandating formal responses to audit findings, authorizes special targeted audits, and expands mandatory reporting obligations for CIP administrators.

Walker went a step further, urging the government to fully reinstate the detailed semi-annual reporting requirements outlined in the original 2013 CIP enabling legislation. He noted that while reports are still submitted to parliament currently, they lack the granular detail about contributions, investment flows and programme activity that the original law required, a gap that creates unnecessary room for suspicion among both domestic citizens and international partners.

The call for tighter rules comes as Antigua and Barbuda has faced increasing scrutiny of its investment migration scheme from both the European Union and the United States. Walker acknowledged that decades of cutthroat competition between Caribbean CIP jurisdictions had previously pushed many countries to relax regulatory standards to attract more applicants, but he highlighted that the Eastern Caribbean region is now unified in moving toward harmonized, stricter rules. He stressed that the fate of all regional programmes is interconnected: “When this boat sinks, we all go down with it,” he said, pointing out that any national programme’s failure to meet global standards could lead to restricted visa-free access for all Caribbean passport holders, eroding the value of citizenship across the bloc.

Walker also extended rare cross-party praise to Prime Minister Gaston Browne for his longstanding advocacy for a centralized regional regulatory body to oversee CIP programmes across the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), saying he hoped the new framework would deliver on the promise of stronger governance.

In his remarks opening the debate, Prime Minister Browne clarified that the core purpose of the amendment is to align Antigua and Barbuda’s domestic law with the agreement establishing the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority, which is set to come into force later this year. The new regional body will enforce uniform regulatory standards across all participating member states, limiting the ability of individual nations to deviate from collectively agreed rules that protect the integrity of all programmes.

Key provisions of the new bill include a requirement for annual independent financial audits and biannual operational audits of every national CIP unit, with the regional regulator tasked with ensuring compliance and protecting sensitive applicant data. The legislation also raises the minimum residency requirement for successful CIP applicants and their dependent family members from five days to 30 days, bringing Antigua and Barbuda into compliance with the regional standard already approved by all OECS members. Browne added that the amendments resolve any remaining inconsistencies between domestic law and the regional agreement, formalizing policy changes that have already been implemented through administrative action.

Other new rules require the national CIP Unit to submit detailed six-month progress reports to both the regional regulator and the national parliament, while granting the regional body expanded oversight authority. The authority will now manage pre-qualification of CIP agents, require formal no-objection notices before local operating licenses are issued, mandate adherence to regional standards and guidelines, and require the revocation of licenses when regulatory approval is denied or withdrawn. Browne emphasized that these changes are designed to block unethical and unqualified promoters from participating in the programme and ensure consistent regulatory standards across the Eastern Caribbean. Following full debate, the House of Representatives passed the bill into law.

On Tuesday, the lower legislative chamber of Antigua and Barbuda approved the 2026 Banking Amendment Bill, a landmark piece of legislation that overhauls the national rules governing abandoned bank deposits and unclaimed assets, while opening a new pathway to redirect stagnant financial resources toward targeted regional economic growth.

Introducing the bill to parliament, Prime Minister Gaston Browne laid out that the reform updates decades-old outdated protocols for handling unclaimed property within the domestic banking sector, covering everything from long-dormant customer accounts to forgotten valuables held in bank safety deposit boxes, all while cementing stronger legal protections for depositors and their rightful heirs.

Under the current regulatory framework that has been in place for years, abandoned funds are transferred to the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) after a decade of inactivity, and if no valid claim is filed within an additional 10 years, the assets are permanently forfeited. The new amended law upends this structure: it allows unclaimed funds to be transferred to the governments of member states of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, while enshrining an indefinite right for original depositors or their beneficiaries to reclaim full value of the assets at any point, as long as they can verify their legal ownership.

Browne emphasized to lawmakers that this structure offers far more robust protection for asset owners than the outgoing legislation, which placed a hard expiration on all claims. He added that across the entire Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, unclaimed deposits add up to an estimated $48 million US dollars – a massive underutilized asset pool that can be put to productive public use without ever compromising the rights of owners and their heirs.

Beyond the reform of unclaimed asset rules, the prime minister outlined an ambitious broader vision for regional economic transformation centered on the ECCB’s substantial foreign reserve holdings. Currently, the ECCB holds roughly $6 billion US dollars in foreign reserves, the vast majority of which are invested overseas. Browne is proposing that between 5 and 7 percent of these reserves be allocated to finance strategic regional development projects, with a priority focus on two critical areas: renewable energy development and regional food security.

For decades, the Eastern Caribbean dollar has been celebrated for its strong reserve backing, which currently sits close to 98 percent – far higher than the mandatory regulatory threshold. Browne argued that deploying a small fraction of these reserves to regional projects will generate inclusive economic growth without putting monetary stability at any meaningful risk. He noted that investments in local renewable energy infrastructure would cut the region’s heavy reliance on costly imported fossil fuels, bring down consumer electricity prices, further strengthen foreign reserve positions over time, and help member states meet their international climate change mitigation commitments.

Browne disclosed that the ECCB’s Monetary Council has already reached a preliminary consensus to move forward with the proposal, and noted that additional amendments to regional banking legislation will likely be required to formally grant the ECCB authority to make these strategic regional investments. He stressed that the plan does not involve permanently distributing central bank reserves; instead, the funds will be disbursed as repayable loans, which will replenish the reserve pool over time while financing projects that deliver long-term shared economic benefits for the region.

A core principle of the proposal, Browne added, is that all investments made through this initiative must remain under regional and local ownership, rather than falling under the control of foreign private entities. The Antigua and Barbuda government prioritizes strategic projects like utility-scale renewable energy plants that include significant public and local private investment, so that profits generated by these projects stay within the region to support further growth. “We believe very strongly that ownership is empowerment,” Browne stated.

To illustrate the immediate local impact of the unclaimed funds reform, Browne noted that Antigua and Barbuda alone holds roughly $38 million US dollars in unclaimed deposits. After setting aside a sufficient reserve portion to cover any potential future claims, the remaining balance can be redirected to national development projects, rather than sitting idle in overseas accounts.

The new legislation also establishes a clear regulatory framework for unclaimed contents of safety deposit boxes. Under the new rules, valuables that remain unclaimed for 10 years may be sold through public auction, with the proceeds held in a newly created Safe Deposit Box Liquidation Fund for an additional 10 years, giving owners or heirs extra time to come forward to claim the funds.

Addressing any potential concerns about government overreach, Browne clarified to lawmakers: “We’re not just trying to go and confiscate people’s money. We’re not trying to steal people’s money. We’re trying to use that money for the development of our respective countries.”

During parliamentary debate, Trevor Walker, the member of parliament for Barbuda, raised questions about the provision that reduces the waiting period before assets are classified as abandoned to 10 years, but expressed support for the overall direction of the legislation. Walker backed the government’s focus on renewable energy development, saying that the country must continue its transition toward affordable clean power while ensuring that major strategic investments stay under local control.

“We must control it. It must not be outsourced,” Walker said, adding that the proposal represents the kind of forward-thinking policy that can improve long-term economic and environmental sustainability while lowering living costs for ordinary citizens. Walker ultimately announced his support for the bill, calling it a bold initiative that will strengthen Antigua and Barbuda’s global reputation as a progressive investment destination and move the country beyond outdated, conventional approaches to economic development.