YouSaid · the spoken record

Patrick Albert Lewis

lines on the record: 141
first: 1997-09-24
most recent: 2003-09-24
sittings or episodes: 7
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“At the United Nations Millennium Summit, my own Prime Minister, Lester Bird, castigated the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development for its unilaterally devised set of standards for international taxation to be imposed on other jurisdictions and for demanding that States change their domestic laws to suit OECD purposes. The rule of law has become the rule of the jungle, where rules do not apply, and only might is right. In reality, the OECD Harmful Tax Competition project has nothing to do with money laundering, but has more to do with the fact that OECD believes that its member States would lose capital to other States with more competitive tax regimes. Globalization has left States like my own with a feeling of exclusion, a feeling of being cast aside and pushed outside, from where we observe the gains of the dominant.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Interestingly, we find ourselves agreeing with the statement made by the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in his address to members of the Deutsche Bundestag on 2 April 2001 in Berlin. Mr. Köhler declared that it is political and economic madness for Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries to spend $360 billion a year on agricultural subsidies, while poverty rages in developing countries, especially in the rural and farming regions. He went on to say that it is high time for industrial countries to honour their commitment to provide 0.7 per cent of their gross national product for official development assistance.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The citizens of my country believe that in the prospect of an international criminal court lies the promise of universal justice, since the Court will have the power to indict individuals. Antigua and Barbuda is certainly disappointed that crimes pertaining to drug trafficking and terrorism have been put on the back burner at the International Criminal Court, but we are prepared to continue our dialogue to bring them under the ambit of the Court when it becomes active. The cancer of drug trafficking will continue to threaten human civilization until we fashion a truly global response to its menace. The battles in Seattle, Windsor and Quebec are an integral part of world civilization’s struggle to humanize globalization.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We fully support Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), which makes it obligatory for all States to impose far-reaching measures to combat the scourge of terrorism. We support the work of the Counter- Terrorism Committee. International terrorism is in reality an act of war against the world’s peace-loving peoples. It is imperative that all countries of the world address in a more meaningful manner the underlying social, economic and political problems that cause human misery and perpetuate injustice. We must act to ensure that the entire global society lives in an environment of freedom and is free from fear. The fight against terrorism will be a long and arduous one, but it is one in which we must thoroughly and completely engage ourselves. Antigua and Barbuda has now ratified the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda on Thursday, 18 October, passed strong anti-terrorism legislation. Also, the Caribbean Community, meeting in special emergency session in the Bahamas on 11 and 12 October, recognized terrorism as a global problem requiring a resolute global response. The heads of Government stated: “We are conscious that the unprecedented and barbaric terrorist assaults of 11 September will require of us extraordinary vigilance and coordination in the future, to ensure that our territories, our institutions and our citizens are not used in any manner to facilitate the activities of terrorists or to undermine our national and regional security.” We share the agony of the United States, for we too had nationals who perished in the 11 September atrocity.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Antigua and Barbuda is pleased that this is the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations. However, we can have meaningful dialogue only if the dominant countries reach out with genuine understanding when others speak. We can have dialogue only if the basic principles of the United Nations are made the core of reality. We cannot have dialogue if multilateralism remains selective or if the principle of rotation continues to be based on demographics, military might and economic principles. The people of my country represent an integral part of human civilization and we wish to contribute our voice and our ideas to the debate on the future of the journey of humankind on this planet. 28 The tragic events of 11 September in the host country of the United Nations have presented a challenge to world civilization.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“While we understand the reasons why the existing groups were created, the time has come for a more equitable arrangement. The nations comprising the United Nations should become truly united. Antigua and Barbuda will continue to fulfil its obligations to its citizens and to this body. We recognize the benefits that we accrue from our involvement in this parliament of parliaments. We have benefited and will continue to benefit from the programmes of the various bodies and agencies of this body. We are, however, confident that we have contributed towards global progress, and we remain ready to continue our contribution to the United Nations.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The concept of globalization should be viewed in its entirety, and a study should be done on its effects on developing countries. The gross national product should not be used as the sole criterion for graduating a State from concessionary loans, and the vulnerability index, on which Antigua and Barbuda is ranked very high, should be taken into consideration. The principle of “the equality of sovereign States” should be used to guard against the marginalization of States within the United Nations system. The countries that have pledged to contribute 0.7 per cent of their official development assistance (ODA) should carry out their commitment in this regard. There should be some form of equity in regard to geographic groupings within the United Nations.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We believe that the referendum can be organized before next year, and we are calling for such. We do not wish another situation with the outbreak of violence. Let me sum up with a few things that Antigua and Barbuda would like to see at the United Nations. We would like to press for the end of “selective” multilateralism and move towards the incorporation of “genuine” multilateralism. We desire to have a reform process expanded beyond the Secretariat and practised among all countries of the Organization. Reform should not connote expansion, it should mean restructuring. The principle of rotation on the major decision-making bodies, particularly the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), should become a reality. And may I repeat: the principle of rotation should become a reality.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Antigua and Barbuda has followed closely the question of Western Sahara, and even though we do not have an international intelligence system, we are calling for an implementation of the referendum, as the signals for renewed violence, if the United Nations does not carry out its pledge, are quite clear. We do not wish to see, once again, the carnage witnessed in East Timor. The conflict, as it has been underlined through resolutions of the United Nations, the Organization of African Unity, and the Movement of Non-Aligned States, must be resolved through the exercise of the Saharawi people of their right to self-determination. The international community has for decades adopted this legal framework as a basis for a just and durable solution to the conflict.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“They have gone further by dubbing tax incentives “harmful tax competition” and linking it most unfairly with money-laundering activities, even when there is no evidence for the charge. My country has voluntarily agreed to contribute more for peacekeeping even with our strapped finances, as we accept our role as a contributor to the welfare of the globe. We would likewise hope that the dominant be fair to us. I can go on and on with our difficulties and our victimization primarily due to our pusillanimous nature. For the first time in several years we have not elaborated on natural disasters. By now all members of 7 the United Nations should know of our plight. We would however wish to speak on a decolonization issue.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“At the Millennium Summit, my Prime Minister, Lester Bryant Bird, clearly demonstrated how the world's economic and political agenda is devised and directed by a few of its most powerful Governments. He stated that Antigua and Barbuda, as well as several other small countries, “have experienced the most blatant disregard for the rules of international law, rules that have been spelled out by the General Assembly and upheld by the International Court of Justice.” (A/55/PV.3) The principle now is “might is right”. The Prime Minister pointed out that all of this is being done by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which believes that its States will lose capital to other States because of their more competitive tax regimes.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Instead of our nutritional level improving, the statistics again show that poverty has spread, and the sick in poor countries cannot access the medicines needed to improve the health of their societies. If we are to have globalization, let us recognize its imperfections and address them meaningfully. Let us not preach, “do as I say but not as I do”. Globalization does not have a human face. We continue to hear about the opportunities for the developing countries, but we are still waiting for the benefits to be made manifest. While we wait, we would like to remind this body that we remain disappointed that the International Criminal Court will not be dealing with illegal trafficking in narcotics or with illegal trade in arms and terrorism. Let us be heard. Let us be seen. We do not have small problems.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In the twentieth century, it has emanated from the dominant States, and the statistics demonstrate that it has wrought havoc on most of the developing world. This has primarily been the result of selfishness and the unwillingness to listen to and accept the concerns of those who suffer most from it. Yes, we benefit from the expanded use of the Internet, the greater access to education and the ability to travel abroad more frequently. But we have been hurt by extraordinary pressures to control our economic advancement, whether by the influence of multinational enterprises or by maritime activity, which deplete our resources and pollute our environment.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Today, we must ask if Windward Island humanity is to be snuffed out on a bed of yellow fruit, thereby sending a ripple effect throughout the Caribbean, culminating in deprivation, degradation, depression and the severest forms of dehumanization. At the Millennium Summit round table, much time was spent talking about globalization, without the fundamental reality of that globalization — so-called free trade — being dealt with. In modern history, there has never been free trade. It has been advocated, encouraged and even preached about. John Bright and Richard Cobden have been acclaimed for their “gospel of free trade”, but it has never been a reality. In the nineteenth century, it was propelled by the industrial and maritime countries which stood to benefit from it.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“How could that be the case when nuclear waste is still being trans-shipped through our waters, despite numerous and repeated protests, pleas and entreaties? We have a problem with the World Trade Organization (WTO), which rules in favour of the interests of multinational enterprises and the countries benefiting from the operations of those enterprises. The Windward Island producers of bananas were at a total disadvantage, as they could not afford to pay the cost of adequate representation before the WTO. In 1896, the silver- throated orator, William Jennings Bryan, stood up in California and asked whether mankind should be crucified upon a cross of gold.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Mercantilism demanded our production of agricultural commodities, whether indigo, cotton or sugar cane; it was a monoculture, designed solely and purposely for the betterment of the mother country, at the expense of the colonies. 6 But no doubt the question is being asked as to why I am raising that issue here. It is precisely because the lingering reality is that we are sometimes moved to ask ourselves if we are still victims of the “Robinson Crusoe” mentality. To be a colony of exploitation meant that the entity was an area of underdevelopment — an underdevelopment which meant that we were to remain in that state in perpetuity if we were to fulfil the precise conditions for exploitation. Throughout history, smaller entities have been, as it were, invisible. We do not have small problems.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“As such, my country applauds his efforts, but we are still awaiting the day when small countries will receive the respect due to sovereign States. This year we will be making a deliberately short statement, in the hope that the Assembly will concentrate on the myriad of problems with which we are plagued. Small States do not equate with small problems. In reality, the reverse is often the norm, particularly when the State in question is still on the periphery — the periphery of the dominant industrial entities. In the case of my country, peripheral existence emerged in the post-Colombian era when, along with other Caribbean countries, we became colonies of exploitation, as opposed to colonies of settlement.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Let me first of all congratulate Mr. Holkeri on his unanimous election to the mantle of the leadership of the world's foremost international body. He is presiding in this, the last year of the present century, following the profound commitments manifested at the Millennium Summit. We look forward in eager anticipation to the implementation of the Summit pledges, as small States are becoming more and more disillusioned with the actual manifestations and the selectivity of the United Nations. I should like to offer congratulations to his predecessor, who, as we know, comes from a recently independent country — a country which had to struggle in order to be entrusted with the management of its own affairs. In him, we saw a genuine attempt to move towards some equilibrium in this body.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Antigua and Barbuda cherishes the United Nations and is not unmindful of the numerous advances that have come about as a result of its impact in conflict resolution, the maintenance of peace, the shelter and sanctuary provided to refugees, the promotion of human rights, the eradication of certain diseases and numerous other tangibles. Thus, Antigua and Barbuda remains ready to continue contributing to the advancement of humanity and will, as it has done in the past, insist on the principle of multilateralism. Together, our countries, large and small, can make contributions in overcoming the plagues with which we are afflicted and move towards peace, cohesion, harmony and the alleviation of poverty in the coming century.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Nothing, however, is being advocated here except that we address ourselves meaningfully towards measures to avoid another East Timor. So much have we been looking forward to the new millennium that we have defied the laws of mathematics and brought forward the beginning of the twenty-first century by making it come about in the last year of the twentieth century. Even at the United Nations is the year 2000 being proclaimed as the beginning of the new millennium. Be that as it may, it is not sufficient to proclaim a new millennium and to have the grand, planned celebration. The commitment to the eradication of poverty, the achievement of peace and security and cooperation for development should be sincere, meaningful and followed through to the level of profound accomplishment.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It is important that everything be done to avoid a repetition of what has happened in East Timor after people have exercised their right of self-determination. Like other countries, my country believes that intervention in affairs within another State should be the last resort. But there are many questions to be answered in regard to oppression, degradation and dehumanization. The East Timor example should set us working to avoid another catastrophe of that magnitude. I have long marvelled at the prophetic brilliance of the former Foreign Minister of Uruguay, Eduardo Rodr'guez Larreta, who in 1946 argued that non-intervention could not be converted into a right to convoke one principle in order to violate all other principles with impunity.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It would therefore seem that more and more countries are moving towards the acceptance of joint action in a given country if there is a clear case of genocide and a total violation of human rights. What happened in East Timor goes well beyond the point of frustration. Since my country has from quite early on advocated the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination, we have been saddened each time that plans for a referendum among the Sahraoui people have been delayed. We believe that each and every postponement interferes with and impedes the will of self- determination. The happenings in East Timor will have a 36 further impact on the will of the staunch and hardy Sahraoui people, and this gives us cause for great concern.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“In the third place, we would like to reiterate the call made for a disaster fund in 1995 by our Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Lester Bird. He made that call following the devastation of hurricane Luis, which wiped out one year of Antigua and Barbuda's gross domestic product in 36 perilous hours. Whereas the existing mechanisms address the purpose of relieving immediate suffering and agony, they are woefully insufficient for reconstruction and rehabilitation. As one who represents his country on the Committee of 24, the so-called Decolonization Committee, I was somewhat taken aback to hear the Foreign Minister of a country that had previously supported non-intervention state that the United Nations has failed to address well- known conflicts of catastrophic proportions in a timely manner.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Secondly, following the decision of the disputes tribunal of the World Trade Organization supporting the contention of the discrimination directed at the banana regime operating under the Lomé Treaty, there is an urgent need for the World Trade Organization to apply special and differential treatment to small island developing States as it does to least developed countries. If markets in Europe are eroded for small States, those States will deteriorate economically, socially and politically to the point of placing yet another burden on the international community. This deduction is made from an analysis of the dispute tribunal's ruling, which suggests that the entire quota system for imports by the European Union from the African-Caribbean-Pacific countries for all products is now under threat.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“At the sixth meeting of the Commonwealth Consultative Group on Environment at the United Nations in April, we received support from the attending States for the ideas posited. In the first place, Antigua and Barbuda hopes that the vulnerability index being developed by the Commonwealth secretariat and the World Bank task force will be introduced as soon as possible into international organizations. This must be borne in mind from the perspective that we have repeatedly addressed the limitations and unfairness of using per capita income in assessing our economic efficacy.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“In the area of violence against women, legislation has been enacted to give greater protection to the female members of our society. In the desire of the Government to ensure that its people enjoy a decent standard of living and an improved quality of life, the Government has energetically tackled this responsibility. And, in the absence of truly vibrant private sectors to lead economic growth and development as in developed countries, the tasks performed by the Government have expanded and have become more demanding. Antigua and Barbuda has, however, never been short on ideas as to how to help itself and as to how it can be assisted internationally in overcoming vulnerability and accelerating sustainable development. Sustainable development is foremost in our thinking.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We practise the Westminster model of parliamentary democracy and do so effectively. Our national elections are open and transparent. Our first national hero, Sir Vere Cornwall Bird, appropriately dubbed Father of the Nation, died this year, and Members of Parliament in both the House and the Senate were lavish in their praise of one who was internationally acclaimed — particularly in Africa, where he had an impact on many of its leaders, both during and after the colonial era, and in the African diaspora of the New World. We have remained committed to the empowerment of the socially and economically challenged. Women occupy senior positions in the civil service and are represented in significant numbers in the professions. In one they outnumber men.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We are additionally faced with the activities of Kick'em Jenny, an undersea volcano off the spice island of Grenada. The Caribbean Development Bank is providing a grant to the Seismic Research Unit of the University of the West Indies for the establishment of a mechanism for 35 continuous monitoring of the volcano. According to one scholar, “Not only will the communities of the Grenadines and nearby islands have to guard against debris ejected during a volcanic explosion, but the entire Caribbean will be jeopardized by the threat of seismic waves, known as tsunami”. This is yet another example of our vulnerability. Irrespective of our trials, tribulations and unfair castigations, my country, when appraised objectively, has been considered a marvel; hence its continued high ranking on the human development index.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“I sincerely hope that in this body, particularly among the major financial contributors, that it is not the view that small island developing States cannot advance beyond a certain level of development, as, otherwise, they would be overreaching themselves and delving into a domain reserved for members of a certain club. Antigua and Barbuda takes its role in the United Nations very seriously and will remain dedicated to the principle of egalitarianism. We annually recite our vulnerabilities, paying most attention to the furore of natural disasters, and over the last 10 years my country has experienced four hurricanes. Whereas it is a glorious sight to witness volcanic eruptions in Montserrat from Antigua, the reality of the dangerous consequences is always present.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Antigua and Barbuda supports the concept of UNDP and the United Nations Population Fund working with and rendering assistance to countries described as having transition economies, as well as countries which have suffered the ravages of internecine warfare, that have absorbed significant numbers of refugees and which are subject to many vulnerabilities, including natural disasters, and are victims of economic practices which work against their advancement. The work of UNDP is valued worldwide, and countries which are most vulnerable should certainly be at the forefront for assistance and guidance. We have to ask once again if we must be penalized because of our successes.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Consequently, Antigua and Barbuda once again had to offer a reminder that its graduation from the loan windows of international financial institutions and from development assistance of other international agencies, based only on the narrow criterion of per capita income, which ignores the serious and persistent problems confronted by Antigua and Barbuda and most Caribbean small island developing States, is both unfair and unjust. We also had to point out that 5 per cent of our country's population consists of Montserratans who have been displaced by volcanic eruption. This has meant expanding our infrastructure to accommodate the unfortunate souls from the Emerald Isle.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The perils of our States are certainly not limited to bananas, and Antigua and Barbuda, as well as the majority of countries represented on the Executive Board the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), were most surprised to experience a challenge from a member of the Security Council relating to our first-country cooperation framework. This was presented, by a country with which we have cordial relations, as being a matter of principle, as Antigua and Barbuda's per capita income is $8,000 and in 1998 it ranked twenty-ninth in the Human Development Report. There was absolutely no mention of the fact that in the vulnerability index, Antigua and Barbuda ranks extremely high, due in part to the frequency with which hurricanes batter our twin-island State or threaten our lovely shores.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It should not be viewed as the institution of the dominant countries in the five regional groups; and, more than that, it ought to be the body that stands up to the encroachment of multinational enterprises that attempt to stifle the lifeline or lifeblood of legitimate and sovereign countries. If indeed the United Nations is the champion of equality, of sovereignty, of the maintenance of traditional practices which in reality do not harm others, then the collective countries should denounce this imposition by a multinational entity, which will bring ultimate and profound hardships upon our humanfolk — be they young men or old men, children or maidens, matrons or old women. We have said it before, and will reiterate that what is being inflicted upon the Caribbean banana producers is an act of war.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Glenys Kinnock, a member of the European Parliament, put it succinctly when she stated that the banana trade provided a ladder out of poverty for the Caribbean region and that the call for the regime to be dropped and direct aid to be substituted was unrealistic. She went on to state that it was wrong to claim that attempts to diversify were not taking place. In CARICOM, we do not wish to become international mendicants; otherwise the current situation, in which some dominant countries exercise undue pressure upon our modus vivendi, will increase to the point where we will have to dance to whichever tune the piper or pipers play. The United Nations should be viewed as the foremost international body with a semblance of egalitarianism.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It is not my intention to de-glorify Richard Cobden and John Bright, but the repeal of the corn laws in nineteenth-century Britain had more to do with the failure of the potato crops in Britain and Ireland, strikes by workmen against wage reductions and an alliance of industrial and commercial 34 interests against the landed gentry than it had to do with free trade. Yet irrespective of the fallacy of this free trade argument, recipients of benefits under the Lomé Convention are literally being told that they, but not the dominant Powers, must conform to and operate under the fallacy. Any disaster to banana production in the Caribbean will affect not only the banana-producing countries, but all of the Caribbean Community. Our countries are striving to remove themselves from dependence on aid.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Protective devices are inbuilt for farmers in the dominant economies, which include subsidies, guaranteed markets, payments not to produce beyond a certain level in order to maintain price levels and quite often insistence that imported farm belt products come in by way of limited means of processing and under the most stringent of guidelines. On the other hand, when former colonial countries provide preferences to their previous colonies of exploitation, challenges are mounted through the World Trade Organization by multinational enterprises. There is no more blatant example than Chiquita in regard to the Caribbean banana producers. The sad thing is that there is clear knowledge that in modern times there has never been free trade.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“220) Clearly, globalization leads to the reduction of the sovereignty of States, with the weakest and the smallest being the biggest losers. Sadly lacking in the arguments for globalization is the need to give consideration to the pace, direction and content of liberalization due to different levels of development and the need to build up national capabilities. Above all is the insistence on the principle of free trade for the developing world and an exemption from the same for the industrialized countries.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Globalization is manifest in the growth in trade, technology and financial flows; in the continuing growth and increasing influence of international civil society actors; in the global operations of transnational corporations; in the vast increase in transboundary communication and information exchanges, most notably via the Internet; in transboundary transmission of disease and ecological impact; and in the increased internationalization of certain types of criminal activity. Its benefits and risks are distributed unequally, and the growth and prosperity it provides for many is offset by the increasing vulnerability and marginalization of others — and by the growth of 'uncivil society'.” (A/54/1, para.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It was with delight and glee that I read the Secretary- General's descriptive definition of globalization, as it took in some of the considerations that my country has brought before this body over the past three years. He stated, “Globalization is a summary term for the increasingly complex interactions between individuals, enterprises, institutions and markets across national borders. The manifold challenges it poses, challenges that cannot successfully be addressed by nation States acting on their own, provide the most immediate and obvious reason for strengthening multilateral cooperation.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“To the people of our sister Caribbean Community (CARICOM) State of the Bahamas, we extend our profound sympathy in the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Floyd upon the islands of Abaco, Eleuthera, San Salvador and Cat Island, as well as other parts of the country. We thank donor countries and international institutions for the assistance given in the past, and we hope that there will be a speedy response to the needs of the Bahamian community at this time. In this regard, special mention has to be made of Kuwait for the manner in which it follows up on assisting small Caribbean countries in times of peril, and we urge the international community to work towards the preservation of that country and the maintenance of the dignity of its people.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“My country is most supportive of his plea and would urge that the priceless treasures of artwork, icons and relics be returned to the continent from which they were taken. My country also wishes to thank his predecessor, Didier Opertti, who hails from Latin America and the Caribbean, for the astute and skilful manner in which he conducted the affairs of the fifty-third session. Likewise, my nation's sentiments go out to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and we wish him continued success in the arduous tasks of bringing peace, harmony, development and justice to a global community not yet united into a true family of nations. A warm welcome is simultaneously extended to the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru and the Kingdom of Tonga on becoming full-fledged members of the United Nations.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Antigua and Barbuda offers hearty congratulations on the election of the president of the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session. His efforts towards bringing about the independence of Namibia are well known, and many of us remember when he occupied a seat on the right side of 33 the main section of this Hall, sitting as an observer behind the name plate of the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO). Mr. Gurirab's call for the return to Africa of its plundered artwork and artifacts struck a chord, as those of us who studied the African liberation struggles will recall that some 25 years ago, when he was a younger individual, he pleaded with this body for the return of African icons which adorned European and North American museums and private collections.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“In concluding, a statement has to be made in regard to our appreciation for the work done in the Caribbean by the United Nations Development Programme. Particular thanks have to be expressed for its work in economic management and governance initiatives. We will continue to be proud of and to cherish the United Nations, as we recognize its capacity for achievements in areas beyond the reach of national or regional authorities. Subsequently, the nations that compose this Assembly must redouble their collective commitment to translate vision into reality. That is why it is essential to have international cooperation for development in the forefront of our activities. The United Nations is still our greatest hope for peace, development and social justice.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In approaching the twenty-first century, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has decided that it should focus on human capital and its development, rather 12 than focusing narrowly on the economic question. There will be a continuance of the policy of carrying out intense investigations and feasibility studies to decide on where to concentrate limited resources. In addition, even though the Government is divesting itself of some of its holdings and encouraging greater private investment in vital services and commodities, there are some areas, particularly those surrounding technology, in which the Government has to remain directly involved and catalytic; it will continue its practice of seeking consensus to determine key industries and activities that are crucial and critical for development.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In that connection, a draft resolution is being circulated on United Nations assistance to Caribbean countries affected by hurricane Georges. This year we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. My country will continue to focus on efforts to ensure that the protection of human rights is integrated into all activities of the United Nations system. We view seriously the many reports of child abuse worldwide. We are concerned about children affected by internecine warfare, and the now rampant tales of child labour, child prostitution and child pornography. Additionally, we will remain vigilant in seeing to the mainstreaming of women’s concerns. Overall, my country will be exercising efforts to see to the furtherance of endeavours to strengthen human rights programmes.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“For ourselves, we have put out a plea for international assistance, as for the third time in three years we have been afflicted by a hurricane. Until the passage of hurricane Georges, our country had been advancing because of the prudent and experienced management for which we are known. We had built a network of superb roads and improved our telecommunications system, tourism had re-established itself after the powerful Hurricane Louis of 1995, new buildings including schools had been erected, and our economy was on course for 8 per cent growth by the end of the year. This, of course, duly manifests the absurdity of using gross national product as a basis for eliminating us from consideration for concessional loans. At present we have to ask our friends and well-wishers for assistance.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Antigua and Barbuda is deemed to be middle-income, and its numerous vulnerabilities are ignored as gross national product is the sole deciding factor. Our challenge is to convince the international agencies that we should be on the priority list for development loans and assistance. Antigua and Barbuda and other Caribbean countries have demonstrated how developing countries can use their limited resources for the advancement of their populations. We should not be penalized for progress. Small island developing States are constantly and continually at risk, whether through sea-level rise, hurricanes, earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, as has been the case with the emerald isle of Montserrat. A single hurricane can put back our development some 10 years.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The very nature of our colonization — that is, to exist as colonies of exploitation as opposed to colonies of settlement — demanded continued underdevelopment. The sad thing is that, today, the multilateral financial institutions which provide resources to developing countries at concessional rates continue to use gross national product as a basis for judging our economic wherewithal. The present situation in regard to my country provides a most germane example. The envoys of Antigua and Barbuda are basking in their glory because of the high ranking the country received in the 1998 Human Development Report. The laudations and accommodations received have been profuse, but this very factor puts forward the absurd premise that we are more developed than Mexico or Brazil.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“But the specific reasons for establishing the Court as advanced by Trinidad and Tobago and other States of the Caribbean Community were put on the back burner. We had pleaded for a Court that would try to sentence those involved in the trans-shipment of narcotics, in terrorism and in marine abuses, including the violation of our territorial waters. What is before us is a Court emphasizing genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. All of these we support, yet we are faced with a clear indication that we are still on the periphery. The West Indies have always been on the periphery of dominant economic systems — in reference, that is, to the post-Columbian era. The West Indies, since the initial period of colonization, have provided goods and services for more advanced industrial entities.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)