Caribbean Times 100th Issue - Friday 17th February 2017

6 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g
Friday 17th February 2017
President of the Senate calls for
legislatures to step up their game
By Joanna Paris
President of the Senate,
Alincia Williams-Grant is
urging Parliamentarians to
take their responsibility seriously
to set true examples
for the youth of Antigua
and Barbuda.
Senator Williams-Grant,
By Joanna Paris
Leader of Government
Business in the Senate and
Minister of State with responsibility
for Finance
and Corporate Governance,
Lennox Weston has announced
a unique initiative
for Antiguans and Barbudans
to invest in the development
of twin island state.
While making his opening
remarks during the
2017 Budget Debate in the
Upper House earlier this
week, Senator Weston said
the initiative is geared towards
“giving Antiguans
and Barbudans the chance
to enjoy the commanding
heights of the country”.
He said that packages
will be divided into six
bonds with individual or
groups having $5 million
US dollar bonds which can
be invested over a 10-year
period.
A call for
Antiguans and
Barbudans to invest
“The bonds can be used
for the roads, for the cark
park or they can ask for
them to be invested in eh
hotel projects like the one
at Valley Church, there is
Halcyon and Royal Antigua
as well”, he explained.
“In other words, we
are developing investment
vehicles small enough for
a group of Antiguans to
come together or individually
whether it is at 1 percent
or one and a half percent
for your fixed deposit,
invest in Antigua”, he emphasized.
He added that the government
will be providing
the opportunity for persons
to invest with a 5-6% return.
Senator Weston told
the House that more details
on this initiative will be announced
shortly following
a Cabinet meeting to further
discuss the matter.
who recently spearheaded
the launch of the President’s
10 Mentorship Programme,
geared at equipping and
empowering young female
to pursue an active career
in politics, pointed out that
the recruitment process
has been challenging because
of the perception that
young people have about
politicians and politics.
“We need to change
their perception so that we
can pursue the democracy
that we cherish from day to
day”, she stated.
She also endorsed educational
programs which
will inform the young citizens
about the importance
of the Parliament and the
role that Parliamentarians
play in the country’s decision
making process.
“This will assist the
young people in fully understanding
what Parliament
is really all about”,
she said.
As part of the Presidents
10 Mentorship Programme,
10 young ladies will be
chosen from secondary
school across the island.
They will be engaged
in a 11-month training programme
where they will
participate in a number of
self-improvement activities
while becoming familiar
with parliamentary procedures.