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From June 4th until June 18th, 2021 Antigua and Barbuda recorded zero new COVID-19 cases, and for the first time since the initial outbreak, Antigua and Barbuda have zero active cases as of June 18th. Couple that with the fact that 35,257 Antiguans and Barbudans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, 24,325 have received the second dose, and additional vaccine supply is on the way from both Russia and the United States, and there’s reason for optimism on the beautiful Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda. But even as the light cautiously peeks out from the end of what was a dark tunnel, the reckoning of that past year must be faced. Despite the coordinated efforts of healthcare workers, vaccine and PPE distribution, and government officials, Antigua and Barbuda have been left with fresh and deepened wounds from a year of travel restrictions, social distancing, and civil unrest. Politicians are inclined to overlook these negative realities, focusing public perception on recent events, neglecting the past, and positively spinning their role in those events’ manifestations. MP Asot Michael, however, has a remarkably consistent record of service over a period of 12 months in which facts and circumstances changed almost daily. It’s a record worth reflecting on.
Michael’s Contribution to the First Virtual Budget Debate
While many officials throughout the world underestimated the severity of the pandemic, Asot Michael recognized early on what a formidable foe his country—and the rest of the world—was facing. In his remarks on the 2020 Budget, he said, “This pandemic is serious. It requires us to avoid panic and to act responsibly. There is no doubt that our resilience will be challenged like never before.”
Michael then threw the full weight of his position as the MP of St. Peters behind the proposed emergency resolution. He said, “I rise at safe social distance in full support of the Resolution pursuant to section 20(2) of the Constitution of Antigua & Barbuda approving a State of Emergency. This Resolution is timely and extremely important in bringing the government’s responsibility for management and control of this dangerous crisis.”
Michael praised the government’s $20 million in spending to create additional capacity for the health care system to effectively manage the pandemic. However, he highlighted that the money was not enough, and Antigua and Barbuda needed the private sector to assist the government. He called upon the wealthy Antiguan homeowners “who have enjoyed millions of dollars in tax concessions and relief over the years” as well as the business people who had profited from lucrative government contracts to “step up to the plate and be good corporate citizens.”
Michael Calls for Travel Tax Cuts, and Prime Minister Responds
Having been named Minister of the Year for his work as the Minister of Tourism, Asot Michael has special expertise in Caribbean tourism. Even as far back as 2008, when he called on governments to reduce taxes on regional travel to stimulate tourism he was a strong advocate for policies that would bring jobs and revenue for the people of Antigua and Barbuda.
After a couple of months with travel to Antigua and Barbuda severely restricted, Peter Cerda, Regional Vice President for the Americas at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), echoed what Michael had been saying since 2008. Cerda called on Caribbean governments to cut taxes on regional travelers. In response, Michael expanded on Cerda’s comments, and recently, it appears, at least in Antigua and Barbuda, the political will now exist.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister, Gaston Browne said, “There are multiple benefits by introducing such a [tax reduction] policy [for airline tickets across the region]. I do accept it is something that should have been done before but I believe that, again, COVID has given us the opportunity to do it now and we ought to do so,” Browne said.
Asot Michael Puts his Money Where his Mouth is on Tourism Recovery
Asot Michael is no stranger to using his personal wealth for the betterment of his St. Peters constituency as well as the broader populace of Antigua and Barbuda. Following Hurricane Irma, which devastated Barbuda, Michael and his family donated EC$540,000 to the Barbuda Relief Fund. Michael was at it again in June of 2020 when the Prime Minister called on wealthy Antiguans to invest in the development of a hotel and residences on a seaside property near the Eric Clapton Centre.
The project is being heralded as the “start of a new city” which will be made up of a combination of Crown and private lands that will be developed into housing, agriculture, commercial spaces, parking, manufacturing, and waterfront development. The development arm of the government will spearhead the development to help stimulate economic activity as Antigua and Barbuda work to recover from the pandemic.
Michael Fights Government Neglect of his Constituency
With both words and action, Asot Michael surged forward in his fight to bring roads, street lights, and infrastructure to the constituency of St. Peters. By investing his own money in St. Peters, bringing attention to the issue at the 2021 Budget Debate in February 2021, and spearheading school rehabilitation projects in St. Peters, Michael has been hard at work.
In his 2021 Budget Debate contribution, Michael said, “Before both elections of 2014 and 2018, I engaged every single heavy-duty equipment operator in Antigua and Barbuda at the cost of well over one and a half million dollars to my family,” to grade roads, clear land, install street lights, and more—work that the contractor has “left unfinished to this day.”
He continued, “The roads and sidewalks in St Peters, especially in the low-lying, flood-prone communities of Paynters and Gunthorpes, are in deplorable condition. This constituency is the bedrock of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party. They are sons and daughters of this land who pay taxes like everyone else and therefore deserve their fair share of the national pie just like their brothers, sisters, and comrades in other constituencies.”
Antigua and Barbuda Steers Toward the “New Normal”
The people of Antigua and Barbuda will look to their leaders to lend a steady hand as the island nation makes its way back to a semblance of normalcy. As this transition unfolds, new challenges will inevitably arise and politicians will drum up new narratives while civil servants put their heads down and do the work that needs to be done. True service to the people doesn’t happen in a 24-hour news cycle, and light is shed on the truth when it’s viewed beyond the context of the latest scandal or crisis.
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