Aon: Antigua Calls For Regional Response
Antigua & Barbuda – labelled along with Bermuda as an elevated political risk by Aon due to increased fears of public debt non-payment — has called for a regional reponse to the global firm’s downgrades of primarily Caribbean islands.
Last week Bermuda and Antigua were downgraded on the Aon Risk Solutions benchmark 2011 Political Risk map along with Algeria, Benin, Comoros, Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Antilles, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Trinidad, Myanmar, Iceland and Bahrain.
Premier and Finance Minister Paula Cox said Aon’s revised assessment of Bermuda was “without solid foundation.”
Both Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards and the Bermuda Democratic Alliance’s Michael Fahy said the downgrade reflected poorly on Government economic policies and its response to the global recession.
Antigua & Barbuda’s Finance Minister Harold Lovell today [Jan. 26] said he would prefer a regional response to the Aon downgrades regarding increased political risk doing business with Bermuda and Caribbean countries.
“I am sure you have noticed that this affects several Caribbean countries,” Mr. Lovell [pictured above] told the Antiguan media. “We would therefore want to raise this matter with our regional colleagues.
“I do not think an immediate singular response would be advisable. We shall revert to you after our approach and strategy have been clarified.”
Bermuda has been an associate member of the Caribbean Community [Caricom] since 2003. A regional organisation comprising of 15 Caribbean nations and dependencies, Caricom’s main purposes are to promote economic integration and cooperation among members and to coordinate foreign policy.
If you were doing the right job…you muppets wouldn’t be downgraded. Stop complaining and do the jod at hand properly!!!
Truth you’re a muppet, what are you doing to benefit this Island?
Paying a lot of taxes while the paycheck shrinks!!!
The problem with Antigua is they are still feeling the after effects of the Stanford scam. That is probably one of the reasons why they were downgraded.
The Premier’s response amount to “Waaa, waaa, waaa! They are picking on me.” For good reason you are being picked on. The biggest coward in the world is money. Money does not like instability. Bermudas current economic situation, arrived at during Premier Cox term as Finance Minister & the miraculous fact that she is STILL Finance Minister & somehow elevated to Premier as well is good reason for Aons downgraded assesment of Bermuda.
Blame the PLP delegates for this one. No consideration past their own personal interests.
Well if Antigua is suffering from the Stanford Scam. Wouldn’t you say we have & will continue to suffer from the Brown-Cox scam? HOW IS SHE STILL IN CHARGE OF OUR PUBLIC PURSE?