Caribbean Times 31st Issue - Tuesday 8th November 2016

Informative, reliable, enriching! 

Tuesday 8th November 2016 A n t i g u a a n d B a r b u d a 

Vol.8 No.31 $2.00 

ESCAPED PRISONER 

RECAPTURED 

By Renio Abbott 

A quick response to the 

tween the two; as a result, 

she called the police. 

911 call from his ex-girlfriend 

Officers attached to 

led the police to the the Rapid Response Unit 

apprehension 24-year old (RRU) was on mobile patrol 

Jamie Tittle of Clare Hall, 

who escaped from Her 

Majesty’s Prison on Sunday. 

He was recaptured by 

the police around 2:00 p.m. 

on Sunday inside a house at 

Potters Extension. 

It is alleged that the inmate 

escaped from the confines 

of Her Majesty’s Prison 

earlier in the day and 

went to an ex-girlfriend’s 

home. 

It is further alleged that 

a confrontation ensured besponded 

duty in the area, re- 

to the report and 

found him hiding under her 

bed. 

He was then apprehended 

and taken to into custody. 

He is likely to be charge 

for escaping lawful custody 

along with other related offences. 

Tittle was serving a 

4-year sentence for House 

Breaking and Larceny. 

Right: 

Jamie Tittle 

Body found floating at Deep Water Harbour 

By Renio Abbott 

The body of 68-year old Simon 

Henry of Freetown Village who was 

last seen alive on Friday 4th November, 

2016 sometime in the afternoon 

was recovered by Coast Guard personnel 

yesterday morning in the waters 

of the Deep Water Harbour. 

Police have ruled out that foul 

play, indicating that nothing so far 

points murder. 

Henry’s body has since been 

transported to the Straffies Funeral 

Home. 

Investigations are ongoing.

2 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g 

Tuesday 8th November 2016 

CARTAC, FSRC host workshop on stress testing 

By Joanna Paris 

The Financial Regulatory 

Services Commission 

(FSRC) and the Caribbean 

Regional Technical Assistance 

Centre (CARTAC) 

are hosting a three day 

workshop at the FSRC’s 

Headquarters providing 

training to the participants 

on stress testing in insurance 

companies. 

The November 7th to 

Editor’s Note 

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Antigua. 

Tel: (268) 562-8688, 

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9th workshop is being facilitated 

by Rodolfo Wehrhahn, 

a senior consultant 

who also works with the International 

Monetary Fund 

(IMF). 

Stress testing is a simulation 

technique often used 

in the banking industry. 

It is also used on asset 

and liability portfolios to 

determine their reactions 

to different financial situations. 

Stress tests are used to 

gauge how certain stressors 

will affect a company, industry 

or specific portfolio. 

Acting CEO of the 

FSRC, Paul Ashe, explained 

that the commission 

is happy to be benefiting 

from the important 

training, which will assist 


Women in Antigua & Barbuda will join 

women around the world in the worldwide 

celebration of Women’s Entrepreneurship 

Day (WED) on November 19th. 

Local businesswoman, Sandra Baptist, is 

the United Nation’s World Ambassador for 

Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Antigua 

and Barbuda for the 2nd consecutive year. 

Baptist will be hosting a special cocktail 

and networking reception at the TradeWinds 

Hotel on November 16th, which will celebrate 

women in business. 

The function will also serve to honour 

the growth-oriented women business owners 

and entrepreneurial women in Antigua 

and Barbuda who have successfully completed 

the Women Innovators Network in 

greatly in increasing the 

capacity of the body. 

“We are very happy 

that we have been able to 

partner with CARTAC in 

terms of how we move 

from workshop to implementation 

and the fact that 

CARTAC uses the experiences 

of Antigua and Barbuda 

as a best practice to 

motivate countries in the 

Caribbean. 

“Upon the completion 

of this workshop, we will 

also roll out the stress testing 

of the insurance sector 

to join Barbados and Belize 

who have already started 

stress testing in this regard”, 

Ashe indicated. 

He added that the commission 

will be taking another 

step to create a world 

class regulatory platform. 

Deputy Chairman of the 

Board of Directors for the 

FSRC, Robin Shaw, also 

explained the importance 

of stress testing in the sector. 

“Stress testing has 

emerged as a commonly 

used instrument in the sector 

of financial supervision 

and regulation. 

“In particular, the testing 

is a key component in 

the sector’s assessment and 

is also used in crisis management. 

Regulators are 

expected to monitor vulnerabilities 

inside he insurance 

sector”. 

During the workshop, 

participants will be exposed 

to theoretical and 

practical components. 

Antigua and Barbuda to 

join WED celebrations 

the Caribbean (WINC) Acceleration Program. 

According to Baptist, the program, a 

World Bank/InfoDev Acceleration Program 

(AP), of which she is the country’s certified 

facilitator, is designed for women to give 

them the tools and knowledge required to 

grow their businesses. 

“Women connecting at the reception will 

have access to a global network of resources 

to help them to build successful businesses,” 

Baptist said. 

She added that hosting the WED reception 

is part of her continued mission to support 

women entrepreneurs. As the Country’s 

Ambassador, Baptist’s goal will be to raise 

awareness on WED – its aims, activities and 

results.

Tuesday 8th November 2016 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g 3 

Inland Revenue Department bids 

farewell to another retired public servant 

A bitter-sweet occasion 

marked the climax of 40 

years of dedicated service to 

the Public Sector of Antigua 

and Barbuda. 

Friday (November 4 th ) 

officers at one of the country’s 

main revenue collecting 

agencies, the Inland 

Revenue Department (IRD), 

came together to wish one 

of their colleagues, Sylvanie 

Martin god speed as she 

leaves the public service after 

40 years. 

Martin entered the public 

service as a Clerical Officer 

where she worked for three 

years. She later joined the 

team at the Inland Revenue 

Department, working her 

way up the ranks, her last 

appointment was a Taxpayer 

Service Officer. 

A number of colleagues 

expressed sadness to see 

Mrs. Martin leave since over 

the years they have come to 

appreciate her for the wealth 

of knowledge, respectability 

and her kind and caring nature. 

Mrs. Martin was encouraged 

to make full use of her 

retirement since there is no 

limit to what she can achieve 

in life. 

Upon receiving a few 

tokens of appreciation Mrs. 

Martin expressed profound 

gratitude to her colleagues 

for the time she shared with 

them and says she will mostly 

miss the love and friendships 

she had developed 

over the years. 

She however added that 

she will not be too far away 

in fact, she will only be a 

phone call away.



Prime Minister Browne shows 

appreciation to East Indian community 


Over the weekend, the 

Multipurpose Cultural and 

Exhibition Centre became 

the arena where members 

of the East Indian Community, 

got the opportunity to 

showcase, their culture and 

cuisine as part of the Diwali 

or Festival of Lights celebrations. 

The event took place on 

Saturday and was widely 

attended by government 

officials, members of the 

diplomatic corps and other 

specially invited guests. 

The East Indian community 

game out in their 

numbers decked out in their 

traditional wear and treated 

their guests to an evening 

of entertainment from the 

very young to those who 

have made the twin island 

state their home for a while. 

Prime Minister, the 

Hon. Gaston Browne, congratulated 

the East Indian 

Association of Antigua and 

Barbuda on the organization 

of the activity. 

He expressed appreciation 

to the Indian community 

on the commemoration 

of their celebration of life, 

PM off to London, Morocco 

By Everton Barnes 

The Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, is 

leaving to country today for two important 

overseas engagements. 

His first stop will be in London to attend 

the Global Conference on Migration 

and Citizenship from November 9 to11. PM 

Browne will be one of two Caribbean prime 

ministers attending the conference, regarded 

as the leading marketplace for people seeking 

dual citizenship and countries offering 

these citizenships in exchange for investments. 

Following his engagements in London, 

PM Browne will travel to Morocco at the invitation 

of The King of Morocco. 

The invitation to the prime minister had 

set a date immediately after Antigua and 

Barbuda’s Independence anniversary celebrations 

as ideal for the visit. 

The Prime Minister will be expected to 

use the trip to deepen the relations between 

Morocco and Antigua and Barbuda. 

At the moment, a few scholarships are 

extended each year to Antigua and Barbuda 

by Morocco. 

The Prime Minister will go beyond this 

during his visit. 


She has just signed unto a major 

commercial contract with VP records, 

the largest distributor of Reggae, 

Dancehall and Soca music world-wide 

and Tanzania “Tizzy” Sebastian is extremely 

happy with the accomplishments 

of her team to date. 

The Soca artiste, who is also one of 

the country’s Cultural Ambassadors, 

have indicated that the year 2016, has 

been a very productive one. 

Tizzy appeared on Monday’s edition 

of Good Morning Antigua/Barbuda 

on ABS Television, where she explained 

that the team is committed to 

marketing its music and Antigua and 

Barbuda around the world. 

She stated that the contract with VP 

records is definitely the result of hard 

work, which is now paying off. 

“It has been a long time coming. We 

have been really working hard and now 

all the T’s are crossed and the I’s have 

been dotted”, she said happily. 

Sebastian said that the music of Tizzy 

and El A Kru continue to touch lives 

splendour and beauty. 

The nation’s leader outlined 

that members of the 

community have made and 

continue to make significant 

contributions to the 

social and economic development 

of Antigua and 

Barbuda. 

“We are very appreciative 

of your contributions, 

they go beyond your professional 

contributions, 

even as consumers clearly 

you are significant consumers, 

so as you continue 

to pray, pray for the nation 

of Antigua and Barbuda as 

we seek to transform our 

country into an economic 

powerhouse”, he stated. 

“You should feel included 

and understand that you 

have a significant role to 

play in the development of 

this country and we value 

you as part of our nation”, 

Prime Minister Browne expressed. 

Tizzy elated about upcoming opportunities 

across the world. 

“When opportunities are not available 

to us, we have to work and open 

our horizons so that we can reach to 

that other level. We never stop working. 

We are always at it”, the Soca diva 

noted. 

She is grateful to her fan base for 

their continuous support and to her 

management team, who is behind her 

every step of the way. 

She vows that she will continue to 

wave the country’ flag wherever she 

roams.


‘Brooklynites’ wins Flow 

Caribbean People’s Choice Award 

MIAMI, FL – Esosa Edosomwan 

is the 2016 ‘Flow 

Caribbean People’s Choice 

Award’ winner! Esosa’s television 

show concept ‘Brooklynites’ 

– an inspired tale of 

young hopes, dreams, ambition, 

and the pursuit of lasting 

love – received the most 

online votes. 

This People’s Choice 

Award is part of a broader 

initiative by CaribbeanTales, 

to enable strong content by 

regional artists and those 

living in the diaspora. The 

ten finalists that ‘pitched’ 

their TV show ideas were 

selected participants in the 

CaribbeanTales Incubator 

Programme (CTI) – a yearround 

development and production 

hub for Caribbean 

and Caribbean Diaspora 

Producers, of which Flow is 

the lead sponsor. 


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but there is no outlet or voice for you? You can 

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Call Caribbean Times at (268) 562 8688 

Email: editor@caribbeantimes.ag 

Or news@caribbeantimes.ag 

Reach us now with that breaking news! 

Frances-Anne Solomon and John Reid 

Esosa Edosomwan (Photo 

Credit: Lanly Le) 

The Flow Caribbean People’s 

Choice Award gave regional 

audiences the chance 

to vote online for their favourite 

Caribbean ‘pitch.’ 

Once the polls opened on 

August 23 rd , fans around 

the region closely followed 

Flow’s social media pages 

to see which finalist was 

featured each day and then 

cast thousands of votes on 

the CaribbeanTales website. 

After nearly two months of 

voting, Brooklynites came 

out on top. 

Along with the honour, 

Flow presented Esosa 

with US$1,500 in cash and 

a premium handset valued 

at USD$1,000. ‘Big Man 

Dan’ by Kafi Kareem Farrell 

and ‘The Weekend’ by Sean 

Hodgkinson and Aurora 

Herrera came in a close second 

and third respectively. 

Congratulating Esosa 

and her team, John Reid, 

CEO of Cable and Wireless 

and operator of Flow, 

stated “Brooklynites won 

the people’s choice with its 

compelling story and is a 

great representation of what 

CaribbeanTales is trying to 

achieve through this project 

to help develop the indigenous 

film industry.” Reid 

also added, “All of the concepts 

presented were very 

strong and we look forward 

to working alongside the 

winners to help bring their 

creative ideas to life.” 

CEO and Founder of 

CaribbeanTales, Frances 

Anne Solomon, said, “The 

CPCA is a chance for people 

around the region and the 

world to engage with exciting 

new Caribbean TV series 

ideas and have a say in what 

they want to see on their 

screens! It is a honour to be 

working with Flow on such a 

ground-breaking initiative.” 

Visit the CTI website 

for more information and to 

apply for the 2017 CTI Programme. 

And follow Flow 

and CaribbeanTales on Twitter 

and Facebook to stay up 

to date.



Hon. Asot Michael gives welcome remarks at 

World Travel Market 2016 Appreciation Dinner 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

A pleasant good evening! 

On behalf of the Ministry of Tourism 

and the Antigua and Barbuda 

Tourism Authority, I extend a warm 

welcome to you all and thank you for 

joining us on this unique Thames River 

experience. 

We would have preferred if we 

could be sailing in the warm crystal 

clear waters of our tropical islands, 

but perhaps we can arrange that at a 

later date. 

Perhaps we should not complain 

too much about the cold English 

weather because without it we may 

not have so many of our British guests 

clamoring to escape to the warm Caribbean. 

Cold though it may be this week, 

World Travel Market fortunately provides 

a great opportunity for all of us 

to get together and celebrate the results 

of our combined efforts to bring 

tourism and travel business to our 

destination, and in so doing generate 

valuable economic activity for the 

benefit of our beautiful twin islands 

of Antigua and Barbuda. 

Tourism should and must be profitable 

for all stakeholders, including 

the people and Government. Over 

many years Tourism has become a 

way of life for many of our people 

and a successful industry is vital to 

the well-being of families and communities 

all over our proud and beautiful 

islands. 

Tonight I especially want to say 

how grateful we are that all of you 

here continue to partner with us to 

make this vital industry successful. 

Whichever area of the industry 

you serve, all of you are extremely 

valuable to sustaining and growing 

the travel and tourism business to Antigua 

and Barbuda, and we thank for 

joining this event as our guests this 

evening. 

As we approach the end of 2016 

we can be proud of another successful 

year for our tourism. And in spite 

of the challenges the leisure business 

now faces in some markets, we in Antigua 

continue to have good reason 

for optimism looking forward. And 

our partners can be assured that our 

Government will do whatever is necessary 

to achieve our mutual growth 

objectives. 

Just in the last two years, we have 

seen a number of exciting new projects 

emerging including the opening 

of new hotels such as Ocean Point 

Resort and Spa; Tamarind Hills - the 

stunning collection of villas, and Barbuda 

Belle - which has become the 

belle of the media with its eco-friendly 

luxury concept. The renewed interest 

in Barbuda is not happening by 

accident. 

I am also pleased that the Elite Island 

Resorts has reopened Pineapple 

Beach Club as an adults-only resort 

and that they are also managing Jolly 

Beach which is again becoming a 

bee-hive of tourism activity. 

As a result, 2017 will see an extra 

273 new rooms added to our destination 

room stock. 

Another exciting opening will be 

the new luxury hotel development, 

Hodges Bay, set to open in 2017. 

Poised to assume an iconic status 

as another flagship development for 

Antigua, Hodges Bay will offer luxurious 

oceanfront homes, penthouses, 

villas and suites; hotel accommodation, 

innovative dining options, and 

expansive leisure facilities. Tamarind 

Hills will open a further 40 villas 

and Verandah Resort and Spa will 

open 6 new two bed villa’s with pools. 

Beyond this, over the next few 

years there are a number of projects 

already undergoing the design phase 

and by 2019 we expect to see some 

2,000 hotels rooms under construction. 

Needless to say, this will allow us 

to welcome more flights from our existing 

airline partners and to attract 

new airlines to the island. 

So, my friends and guests, this is a 

time of much growth and innovation 

for Antigua’s tourism product. And I 

ask you to continue your valued efforts 

to sell Antigua & Barbuda as 

one of the leading tourism products 

in our region. 

However, before closing I want to 

remind you that we also have much to 

look forward to in the near future…. 

Later this month we will be honoured 

to welcome His Royal Highness, 

Prince Harry, to our twin islands. 

From 20 th to 22 nd November he 

will visit us as the first stop on an official 

visit to the Caribbean, on behalf 

of Her Majesty The Queen, on the occasion 

of the 35th Anniversary of Independence 

in Antigua and Barbuda. 

And we are getting ready for a 

landmark year ahead as 2017 will be 

a major anniversary year for Antigua 

and Barbuda: 

Our Carnival – the Caribbean’s 

greatest summer festival - will be celebrating 

its 60 th Anniversary in August. 

This emancipation celebration 

will feature an explosion of music, 

cont’d on pg 7


cont’d from pg 6 

colour and fantasy, which 

characterizes the vibrancy 

of our culture. 

Antigua Sailing Week – 

one of the world’s major 

sailing events - will celebrate 

its 50 th Anniversary 

from 29 th to 5 th May. The 

island will come alive with 

class-leading races – everything 

from serious racing 

boats to a variety of 

cruising boats. 

Spectators can enjoy the 

action from the shoreside 

and continue the celebrations 

into the evening with 

live music performances 

from local artists and delicious 

traditional Antigua 

food and drink. 

Finally, further positioning 

2017 as a major 

year for the ‘Sailing Capital 

of the Caribbean’, the 

Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta 

will celebrate its 30 th 

Edition. 

And in March next 

year we will be hosting 

England’s one day cricket 

tour at the Sir Vivian 

Richards Cricket Stadium. 

I believe you know that the 

great man himself, one of 

our two living national heroes, 

is here with us again 

this year at WTM. 

In Antigua and Barbuda 

we say ‘The Beach Is Just 

the Beginning’ which is testimony 

to the fact that we 

offer the visitor the choice 

of 365 beaches magnificent 

beaches to choose from in 

addition to a host of other 

exciting activities. 

All these events coupled 

with the warmth and charm 

of our people make for an 

unforgettable and unique 

authentic holiday experience 

in Antigua and Barbuda. 

That’s what sets us 

apart! 

We do recognize our responsibility 

to ensure that 

development is done responsibly. 

We are moving closer to 

achieving the goal of operating 

the greenest electricity 

sector in the region with 

the addition of a sun2live 

solar power plant at our 

VC Bird International airport. 

The new plant will cover 

almost the entire energy 

demand of the airport 

and the aim is to provide 

24 hours of electricity and 

reduce the impact on the 

environment. We have also 

made the decision to ban 

plastic bags in Antigua and 

Barbuda. 

So on behalf of the 

Ministry and the Tourism 

Authority and the people 

of Antigua and Barbuda, 

let me again thank you for 

your support this past year. 

We look forward to continuing 

to work closely with 

you over the coming year 

and hope we will be able 

to welcome you to Antigua 

and Barbuda in the near future 

to enjoy a slice of our 

island life.



Cable & Wireless Communications 

posts preliminary Q2 2016/17 results 

MIAMI, FL – Cable & Wireless 

Communications Limited (“CWC”) is 

the leading telecommunications operator 

in substantially all of its consumer 

markets, which are predominantly 

located in the Caribbean and Latin 

America, providing entertainment, 

information and communication services 

to 3.5 million mobile, 0.4 million 

television, 0.6 million internet and 0.8 

million telephony subscribers. In addition, 

CWC delivers B2B services and 

provides wholesale services over its 

sub-sea and terrestrial networks that 

connect over 30 markets across the region. 

Liberty Global’s Acquisition of 

CWC 

On May 16, 2016, a subsidiary of 

Liberty Global plc (“Liberty Global”) 

acquired CWC (the “Liberty Global 

Transaction”). Revenue, Adjusted 

Segment EBITDA and subscriber 

statistics have been presented herein 

using Liberty Global’s definitions for 

all periods presented unless otherwise 

noted. Further adjustments to these 

metrics are possible as the integration 

process continues. The results for the 

six months ended September 30, 2016 

(“Q2 2016/17”) have also been aligned 

to Liberty Global’s EU-IFRS accounting 

policies and estimates. Significant 

policy adjustments have been considered 

in our calculation of rebased 

growth rates for revenue and Adjusted 

Segment EBITDA. 

Operating and financial highlights*: 

Delivered 9,000 organic RGU additions 

in Q2 2016/17 

Mobile revenue 2% lower than the 

prior year in Q2 2016/17, as compared 

to Q2 2015/16 on a rebased basis, due 

primarily to a decrease in the Bahamas 

Establishing Flow as a leading 

sports broadcaster in the Caribbean 

Successful Olympics campaign 

with over 4.6 million viewers tuning 

into Flow channels 

85% increase in Flow Sports viewership 

in August versus May through 

July average 

Exclusive rights to broadcast Premier 

League commenced during the 

quarter 

Strengthened customer proposition 

in Panama through launch of MAS- 

T3R fixed bundles in September 

Providing HD, play from start, live 

pause and rewind functionality 

300 Mbps broadband product now 

available to 135,000 homes 

YTD revenue of $1,141 million, 

2% lower YoY, on a rebased basis 

10% rebased top-line growth in 

Jamaica more than offset by declines 

in other major geographies primarily 

due to competitive and macroeconomic 

factors and lower managed services 

revenue 

Net losses of $18 million and $124 

million in Q2 2016/17 and YTD, respectively 

YTD Adjusted Segment EBITDA 

of $411 million, up 1.5% YoY, on a rebased 

basis 

$9 million (4%) sequential EBIT- 

DA improvement from Q1 2016/17 

to Q2 2016/17, reflecting margin improvement 

of 200 basis points 

Property, equipment and intangible 

asset additions declined to 17% of revenue 

in Q2 2016/17 from 25% in Q2 

2015/16 

BTC in the Bahamas suffered significant 

infrastructure damage and 

business interruption as a result of 

Hurricane Matthew during early October 

2016 

Anticipate Q3 2016/17 adverse Adjusted 

Segment EBITDA impact of $8 

million to $12 million 

Total infrastructure repair costs estimated 

at $35 million to $45 million 

We expect that our third-party insurance 

will cover a significant portion 

of the hurricane-related losses 

Synergies from combination with 

LiLAC 

LiLAC is targeting $150 million of 

synergies by December 31, 2020 

50% OCF related – primarily recurring 

cost reductions 

50% capital expenditure related – 

recurring and nonrecurring 

Anticipate a substantial amount 

of total LiLAC synergies will benefit 

CWC 

* The financial figures contained 

in this release are prepared in accordance 

with EU-IFRS. 28 CWC’s financial 

condition and results of operations 

will be included in Liberty Global’s 

condensed consolidated financial 

statements under U.S. GAAP 10 . There 

are significant differences between the 

U.S. GAAP and EU-IFRS presentations 

of our condensed consolidated 

financial statements. 

Subscriber Statistics 

We delivered organic subscriber 

growth across video, internet and 

telephony product categories in Q2 

2016/17. In our mobile business, 

which represents roughly 40% of total 

revenue, postpaid subscriber growth 

was more than offset by a decline in 

our prepaid base, primarily due to the 

impact of competitive offers to lower 

value subscribers in Panama. 

cont’d on pg 9



On the mobile front, we 

continue to invest in our networks 

to enable the delivery 

of high speed, resilient mobile 

services and leading 

converged products to our 

customers. We are actively 

expanding our LTE coverage 

in Panama and plan to 

launch LTE in the British 

Virgin Islands later this year. 

Turning to our video, 

internet and telephony 

businesses, we added 9,000 

organic RGUs during the 

quarter, as we achieved subscriber 

growth in each of 

our products. 

In terms of broadband 

internet, we added 7,000 

organic subscribers on the 

back of 5,000 RGU additions 

in Jamaica and 2,000 

RGU additions in Trinidad 

and Tobago. On the video 

front, we added 1,000 RGUs 

in the quarter, primarily 

driven by our DTH business 

in Panama. The increased 

RGUs from our DTH business 

were largely offset by 

declines in video RGUs in 

Barbados and Trinidad and 

Tobago as a result of increased 

competition. 

During the quarter, our 

regional sports offering, led 

by Flow Sports and Flow 

Sports Premier, performed 

strongly, helping to establish 

Flow as a leading sports 

broadcaster in the Caribbean. 

Our official Olympic Games 

application was downloaded 

approximately 60,000 times 

during the event with over 

73,000 hours of live content 

streamed. Flow Sports Premier, 

following its launch 

in July, also began providing 

unrivaled coverage of 

the Premier League in the 

region beginning in August 

2016. 

Rounding out fixed-line 

products, we added 1,000 

telephony subscribers in the 

quarter, as we continued to 

modestly increase penetration 

of our VoIP-based 

services through bundling 

across our footprint. 

At September 30, 2016, 

our bundling ratio stood at 

1.51 RGUs per customer as 

10% of our customers subscribed 

to a triple-play product, 

32% to a double-play 

product, and 58% took only 

one product from us. This 

relatively low bundling ratio 

provides ample runway for 

RGU growth as we seek to 

sell additional products to 

our customers. 

From a geographic 

standpoint, highlights of the 

trends in our largest markets 

are as follows: 

In Panama, mobile subscribers 

declined by 36,000 

in the quarter on an organic 

basis with the decline 

weighted towards lower 

value customers as our postpaid 

base continued to grow 

(up 2,000). 

We are seeking to improve 

our fixed video and 

internet performance with 

our improved “Mast3r” 

bundles featuring HD, play 

from start, live pause and rewind 

functionality and 300 

Mbps broadband speeds. 

In the Bahamas, we grew 

our mobile customer base 

by 4,000 subscribers (up 

1%) due to increased promotional 

activity, successfully 

targeting higher-AR- 

PU postpaid customers. We 

have made steady progress 

with our broadband internet 

and video products following 

the roll-out of our 

fiber-to-the-home (“FTTH”) 

network, which now passes 

14,000 homes. 

Turning to Jamaica, 

broadband internet and video 

RGUs were up 3% and 

1%, respectively, as our improved 

product offering and 

strong Olympics campaign 

resonated well in the market. 

We grew our mobile 

subscriber base by 3,000 

RGUs in the quarter, as we 

continued to win back market 

share and launched new 

products such as Flow Lend, 

an innovative solution enabling 

prepaid customers 

to request credit advances 

and earn rewards for prompt 

payment. 

In Barbados, competition 

drove RGUs lower across all 

products in the quarter. We 

are implementing changes 

to our bundling strategy and 

focusing on quickly migrating 

customers who are on 

legacy DSL services to our 

high-speed FTTH network. 

Rounding out our main 

operations, in Trinidad and 

Tobago we delivered 3,000 

organic RGU additions, 

despite a tough macroeconomic 

environment and increased 

competition.



PM Harris is keynote speaker at Investment 

Immigration Summit in Hong Kong 

BASSETERRE, ST. 

KITTS — Prime Minister 

Dr. the Honourable Timothy 

Harris is a keynote speaker 

at the Investment Immigration 

Summit in Hong Kong, 

which runs from today, 

Monday, November 7th to 

tomorrow, Tuesday, November 

8th, 2016. The Prime 

Minister of St. Kitts and 

Nevis will open the Caribbean 

Developments segment 

of the summit with an official 

address. 

Two Caribbean projects 

are to be spotlighted in that 

segment following Dr. Harris’ 

highly anticipated speech 

SALE! 

SALE! 

– both of them are located in 

St. Kitts and Nevis, namely 

Royal St. Kitts Hotel’s (the 

former Jack Tar’s) Vacation 

for Life condominium 

ownership programme and 

Range Developments’ Park 

Hyatt St. Kitts at Christophe 

Harbour. Mr. John Zuliani, 

President of Trans-Americainvest 

(St. Kitts) Limited 

and Owner of Royal St. Kitts 

Hotel, and Mr. Mohammed 

Asaria, Co-Founder and 

Vice Chairman of Range 

Developments, will present 

on their respective projects. 

Royal St. Kitts Hotel and 

Range Developments are 

SALE! 

State Insurance Corporation announces the sale of 

damaged vehicles. Contact us at 481-7818/17/12 to 

make an appointment to view vehicles. Then submit 

sealed bid including name address and telephone number 

of bidder, bid value and make and model of vehicle. 

Address bids to Salvage Sales and drop off at our 

office on Redcliffe St. Our representative will contact 

you. 

“investment spotlight sponsors” 

at the two-day Investment 

Immigration Summit. 

Beacon Events, a conference 

and exhibition organizer, 

is holding the summit 

in partnership with Harvey 

Law Group, a leading Canadian 

multinational immigration 

and business law firm. 

The Investment Immigration 

Summit provides an opportunity 

for property developers, 

immigration agents and 

lawyers, as well as governments 

around the world to 

have an audience with some 

of Asia’s high net worth individuals 

(HNWI), private 

bankers and wealth managers 

who are seeking investment 

opportunities. 

In St. Kitts and Nevis, 

which has the oldest Citizenship-by-Investment 

Programme in the world, a 

cadre of qualified staff led 

by Mr. Les Khan, Chief 

Executive Officer of the 

Citizenship-by-Investment 

Unit (CIU), delivers a platinum 

service to investment 

opportunity seekers. This 

platinum service is backed 

by their high-level expertise 

in administration, anti-money 

laundering, immigration, 

international banking and 

marketing. 

At the Investment Immigration 

Summit, Mr. Les 

Khan is to participate in a 

panel discussion chaired by 

Ms. Micha-Rose Emmett, 

Managing Director of CS 

St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister 

Timothy Harris 

Global Partners, which is a 

legal advisory firm that specializes 

in citizenship and 

residence solutions. The 

panel discussion will explore 

developments in the Caribbean’s 


Programmes and 

also include participation 

by the Honourable Alexandra 

Otway-Noel, Minister 

with responsibility for Citizenship-by-Investment 

in 

Grenada; Mr. Emmanuel 

Nanthan, Director of the Citizenship-by-Investment 

Unit 

in Dominica, and Mr. Ryan 

Devaux, Chairman of the 


Board in St. Lucia. 

In addition to Prime Minister 

Dr. the Honourable 

Timothy Harris, the keynote 

speakers’ list for the two-day 

event comprises Prime Minister 

of Dominica the Honourable 

Roosevelt Skerrit; 

Global Managing Partner 

of Harvey Law Group, Mr. 

Jean-François Harvey, and 

Miss Universe 2005, Ms. 

Natalie Glebova.


Monday’s Sudoku Solution 

S U D O K U 

CROSSWORD 

Across 

1. Result of a punch in the face, 

perhaps 

7. Ticker tapes? 

11. “6-pack” muscles 

14. Procession 

15. Literary sleuth Wolfe 

16. “___ Clown” (Cole Porter 

tune) 

17. Quote, part 1 

19. Op or Pop follower 

20. Approaches 

21. Vocal quality 

22. 1952 Winter Olympics site 

23. Baby’s second word? 


26. Quartet minus one 

28. Spotted 

29. Obtain by flattery 

33. Bar, legally 

37. “Agnus ___” 


41. “___ Como Va” (Tito Puente 

favorite) 

42. It pours from pores 

44. Star golfer from South Africa 

46. Some necklines 

49. “Lemme ___!” 


54. Tabletop sculpture 

58. Deli side 

59. Attire 

60. Shaping machine 

61. “Silent” Coolidge, familiarly 

62. Casino owner/speaker of 

quote 

64. Lend a hand 

65. Rice-shaped pasta 

66. Short sock 

67. Golf teacher 

68. Exam for high-school jrs. 

69. Medicine givers 

Down 

1. Stimulate the economy 

2. “___ nice day!” 

3. “___ you loud and clear” 

4. Tell 

5. Rival of Ben and Jerry’s 

6. Confederate soldier 

7. Finish with 

8. Macroeconomics pioneer 

John Maynard ___ 

9. Dolphins Hall of Fame QB 

Bob 

10. “Mayday!” relative 

11. Put to shame 

12. Comedian called “the thief 

of bad gags” 

13. Didn’t use, as a news story 

18. “Lawrence of Arabia” star 

Peter 

22. Has title to 

24. Like a piccolo’s range 

25. ___-weenie 

27. Thelma of film fame 

29. Superegos inhibit them 

30. Just out 

31. Contend (for) 

32. Katrina’s or Wilma’s center 

34. Single digit 

35. Popeye’s Olive 

36. Footlike part 

39. In an unpleasant mood 

40. Entry fee for a poker hand 

43. Declare bluntly 

45. Builds a levee 

47. Lawn-care tools 

48. Piece of poetry 

50. Tin Pan Alley org. 

51. Special talent 

52. Nick ___ (rival of 

44-Across) 

53. “Believe It ___” 

55. Worth having 

56. Blacksmith, at times, or a 

farrier 

57. Portable shelters 

60. Floor covering, in Britain 

62. Dizzy’s jazz 

63. Ill-behaved



Today’s weather forecast 

Antigua and Barbuda 

Partly cloudy. 

High - 85ºF 

Low - 76ºF 

Wind: East South East 9 mph 

Sunrise 6.08 am; Sunset 5.33 pm 

Monday’s Crossword Solution 

HOROSCOPE 

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). 

Communication isn’t always effortless. 

Go ahead and put work 

into it now, because it will be 

important to get this right. This 

argument, pitch or joke will be 

like a scorpion. The stinger belongs 

in the tail. 

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 

21). You’ll meet someone you 

want to get to know better. At 

this point it’s hard to see how 

this person might fit into your 

big picture, but that will work 

itself out in time if you take the 

next step to keep in touch. 

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 

19). In all that has to be accomplished 

today, you cannot 

underestimate the importance, 

ever and always, of emotion. 

The feeling behind what you do 

will matter more than what gets 

done. 

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). 

It will help you to be more data-driven 

in your approach. Decide 

early on the metrics that 

should be met in order for you 

to feel it’s been a productive day. 

This will focus you. You may 

even amaze yourself. 

momentary exhilaration, but 

what you really need even more 

these days is to work alongside 

consistent, reliable people who 

will encourage and move you 

toward your goal. Try a Capricorn. 

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). 

The best way to take on this day 

will be to break it out of autopilot 

as soon as possible. The 

sooner the better. There’s depth 

and variety to be explored, but 

you’ll never get there by following 

the routine. 

CANCER (June 22-July 22). 

Anyone who assumes that 

you’re just like the others in your 

category is sadly mistaken. You 

share similarities to the others in 

your group, but you’re not the 

same. You want something different. 

Go on and tell the world 

what it is. 

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The 

correct answer for most of what 

you’ll be asked today is: “It depends.” 

There are many variables. 

In most cases, if you’re to 

steer the situation in a favorable 

direction, you’ll need more information. 

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). If 

you are working for the attention 

of the room, you’ve already lost. 

When you give people what they 

need, you will have their full attention. 

The same is true when 

you take away what they need. 

ARIES (March 21-April 19). 

It’s a day to build a consensus, 

so go ahead and include others 

in the decision-making process 

(or at least make them feel included!). 

You certainly don’t 

want anyone to feel marginalized 

or ignored. 

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). 

Exciting people may give you 

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). 

Your reputation goes before 

you to do most of the work. So, 

while you don’t waste much 

time remembering your accomplishments 

and counting all the 

ways you’re a good person, 

someone else will and you’ll 

reap the benefit. 

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It’s 

said that you are the amalgam 

of the five people you hang out 

with the most. Not true in your 

case! And you’ll expend a great 

deal of mental energy reconciling 

a few of your many differences 

from the people in your 

inner circle.


Under the Distinguished Patronage of Dame Louise Lake 

Tack The Short Term Fund-raising Committee of the St. 

John’s Cathedral present The Annual Black Tie Dinner & 

Dance. Friday 25th November, 2016, 7:30 p.m. until. Grand 

Royal Antiguan Resort. Price $175.00 Entertainment by the 

Specialist Band, Chiki Hi-fi, door prizes, lots of surprises, 

including the Master of Ceremonies who is a Priest. Continue 

to support our efforts as all funds raised will assist the 

ongoing restoration work at our beloved Cathedral. 

The St. John’s Branch of the Mothers’ Union invites one and 

all to their Goat Water and Souse evening at the Dean William 

Lake Car Park St. John’s Street. Friday 18th November 

2016 3-6p.m. Tickets only $15ec. And can be bought from 

any member of the organization or at the Deanery Office. All 

proceeds in aid of their community outreach programs. 

The Liberta Wesleyan Holiness Church invites you to its 

Harvest Fun Fair on Saturday November 26th, 2016, from 

12:00pm – 7:00pm on the church grounds in Liberta. There 

will be lots of attractions for the children including bounce 

castle, face painting, donkey ride. Other attractions include 

hat show competition, live music and entertainment. Come 

and enjoy an afternoon of food, fun, fellowship and the 

bountiful blessings from the Lord. An entry fee of $2:00 will 

be charged per person. All proceeds from the fair will go 

towards the building of the new sanctuary. 

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 

CLUB ELDORADO 

Notice is hereby given for the Annual General Meeting of 

Club El Dorado to be held on: 

Sunday 13th November 2016 

Venue : Paradise Café Market Street St Antigua 

Time: 4:30 PM 

ARTICLE 7- ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS 

The business to be discussed at the Annual General Meeting 

shall be as follows:- 

1. Minutes 

2. Matters Arising out of the Minutes 

3. Consideration of Financial Report 

4. Any other Business 

5. Election of New Committee of Management 

6. Appointment of Trustees 

Amendment to Article 24 Laws and Bye Laws 

1. All registered members of the Club are entitled to vote. 

Members MUST pay at least eight (8) out of twelve months 

contribution to be recognized as a financial member to be 

elected to office. 

Article 25 Laws and Bye Laws 

The Quorum at all meetings must be one fifth (1/5) of the 

general membership. 

On the 19th November 2016 the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism 

Cadets Corps will be hosting a Lunch and Fun Fair at 

the House Culture Parliament Drive. As the Tourism Cadets 

Corps is nearing the end of the 2016 Program, a cadet’s ability 

to effectively manage a project is an integral part of the student’s 

success in the program. The Tourism Cadets invite you 

to come and experience tomorrow’s Tourism leaders through 

song, dance, music and service on November 19th 2016, Old 

Parliament Building. All funds raised will go towards the 

graduation which is slated for December 16th 2016. 

The St. John’s cathedral parish presents its Annual Family 

Christmas bazaar on Saturday, 3 rd December, 2016 from 

2:00pm – 9:00pm at Deanery Grounds St. John’s Street. Lots 

of food and drinks will be on sale.Attraction for ALL ages. 

Santa Claus will be rolling through with his elves. Come on 

out with the family and have a wonderful time. Proceeds 

in aid of Restoration of our beloved Cathedral Church. NO 

outside vendors will be allowed. 

All members of the public,corporate citizens, schools, 

churches and visitors are requested to support the 2016 annual 

poppy appeal, with their voluntary donations, to help 

the local national veterans and widows who are in need. This 

year`s Remembrance ceremony will be held on Sunday 13 

November 2016 at the Cenotaph/ War Memorial. For further 

information call the Chairman on 720-0058, the PRO on 

721-1970 or the Welfare Officer on 561-1062. 

All members of the Antigua Barbuda Diabetes Association 

are kindly asked to attend a general meeting on Wednesday 

9th November, 2016 at 5:00pm at the conference room 

across from the lab. Please be on time and in full attendance. 


Think you have a good news story; did you witness 

anything that is news-worthy; did you take that 

valuable picture; things happening in your community 

but there is no outlet or voice for you? You can 

earn just by telling your story. 

Call Caribbean Times at (268) 562 8688 

Email: editor@caribbeantimes.ag 

Or news@caribbeantimes.ag 

Reach us now with that breaking news!



James emerges overall winner 

of Junior Golf tournament 

By Carlena Knight 

Demar James was 

crowned the overall winner 

of the Independence Junior 

Golf tournament last Monday 

at the Cedar Valley Golf 

course. 

James, who has previously 

represented Antigua 

Barbuda in golf, took the 

overall crown in grand style 

out scoring all the other 

competitors by double figures. 

The event which was 

put on by the Ministry of 

Sports and sponsored by 

Paul Sudolski, a longtime 

supporter to the sport and 

Island Provision saw a number 

of bright and upcoming 

golfers. 

Nichols Elvin took the 

Boys Six Holes Title while 

Rhys Scott emerged the winner 

in the Boys Four Holes. 

Michelle Singh took the 

crown in the girls four holes 

while Nicole Weatherill and 

Joshua Burley were named 

champions in the girls and 

boys chip and putt competition. 

Coordinator of School 

golf, Otis Thomas was very 

pleased about the potential 

seen and commended his 

coaches, Bobby James, Tedson 

Weatherill and Ski Anthony 

for their work this far. 

The golfers will prepare 

to compete in the Thornhill 

competition slated for December. 

Antiguan racer 

finishes second 

runner up 


Antiguan racer, Jason 

‘Watty’ Marsh finished 

second runner up over 

the weekend in the Haltec 

World Cup championship 

in Maryland, USA. 

Marsh drove his heart 

out in the the True Street 

class to capture the second 

runner position edging out 

a number of races from all 

over the globe. 

We join with the Antigua 

Barbuda Drag Racing 

Association in congratulating 

Marsh on his achievements 

thus far. 

Antiguan racer, Jason ‘Watty’ 

Marsh 

Employment 

Cashier Supervisor needed for a large supermarket. A mature 

individual that is a great team leader and able to work 

shifts. Must be computer literate and sales driven. Apply 

to Human Resource Manager.


Estwick: A chance to create new culture 

POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa – 

Bowling coach Roddy Estwick believes 

West Indies can build on last week’s Test 

win over Pakistan and use it to create a 

new culture in the embattled Caribbean 

side. 

West Indies have endured a lean run 

of late in the longest format but broke out 

of their prolonged slump when they beat 

Pakistan by five wickets in the third and 

final Test in Sharjah. 

Estwick said the victory was more 

than just a triumph as it had served as a 

template of how West Indies ought to approach 

their cricket going forward. 

“What we’ve got to do is build on 

it. We’ve got to make sure that anybody 

coming into the side now would see a culture 

of hard work and discipline and once 

you can achieve that, [improvements will 

come],” Estwick pointed out. 

“[When players] come in, you don’t 

sit back, you’ve got to work hard and if 


Pares Secondary thrashed 

Glanvilles Secondary in the 

Ministry of Sports Interschool 

Football League, 6-0 on Friday. 

The Plate league matchup 

saw Tyrese Hughes leading 

the charge with 3 goals while 

you want to stay in the unit, you’ve got 

to be prepared to work hard and stay disciplined. 

West Indies cricket is very important 

to all of us and especially to the 

people of the Caribbean. 

“I know it’s only one game we’ve 

won but we’ve won because of hard 

work and proper planning. We’re trying 

to take the cricket to another level and 

once we continue to do that, we’ve got a 

greater chance of success.” 

The match was the only success for 

the Windies on tour after suffering 3-0 

whitewashes in the Twenty20 and One- 

Day International series, and also losing 

the first two Tests of that three-match 

rubber. West Indies lost the opening Test 

in Dubai by 56 runs and the second in 

Abu Dhabi by 133 runs but despite this, 

Estwick said the side needed to take heart 

from the way they challenged Pakistan. 

“It should give you confidence. 

You’ve come to the UAE against the 

teammates, Michael Charles 

and Patrick Barthley scored 

2 and one goal for the victors. 

In the second match of the 

afternoon, Irene B Williams 

edged out Clare Hall Secondary, 

3-2. 

Christon Trowers, Tajah 

Morton and Zedon Carr 

were the goal scorers for IBW 

while Clare Hall Secondary’s 

Demiah Joseph and Kobi 

Elien found the net in a losing 

effort. Joseph leads the competition 

for most goals with 5 

goals. 

The Under 20 females 

were also in action on Friday 

with Princess Margaret defeating 

Jennings Secondary, 

number two side in the world. Not a lot 

of teams have success here and we managed 

to push them in all three Test matches,” 

he noted. 

“Obviously it’s a young team but 

it should give them confidence and it 

should give them the belief that if they 

work hard and are prepared to be disciplined 

that you can reap the rewards.” 

He continued: “It shows that the hard 

work and fitness they are trying to implement 

into West Indies cricket is beginning 

to pay off and it’s a good sign that 

we came away with a win. 

“I thought we played reasonably well 

in the UAE. We still have a way to go but 

if we can keep that discipline and work 

ethic up, I’m sure we’ll be ok.” 

West Indies kicked off a one-week 

preparation camp here on Sunday as they 

tune up for the Tri-Nations Series against 

Sri Lanka and hosts Zimbabwe from November 

14-27. (CMC) 

Pares Secondary thrashes Glanvilles Secondary 

Alorica bounce back 

to pick up victory 


Alorica bounced back after their upsetting defeat to defending 

champions, Jumby Bay to upset Island Provision in straight 

sets in the ABVA Business Volleyball league on Saturday night. 

Alorica took charge and never let go the reigns on Saturday 

night crushing Island Provsion, 25-23, 25-10. 

In the feature match, Ministry of Sports Coaches also redeemed 

themselves from their upsetting loss to crush APUA 

Inet in straight sets, 25-15, 25-22. 

Games will continue on Tuesday as MEDSO will take on 

Alorica at 6:30 and at 7:30 APUA Inet will battle Aces. 


ing it directly as a FICA issue 

with the WICB and making 

them aware of the implications.” 

Insignia Sports, who manage 

Pollard along with other 

leading West Indies players 

including Sammy, Chris Gayle 

and Dwayne Bravo, has 

also said it will be challenging 

the WICB move. 

“It is a blatant restraint of 

5-0 while Clare Hall Secondary 

edged out Antigua Girls 

high, 2-0. 

The under 20 leading goal 

scorer, Janequa Lewis scored 

four of the five goals for PMS 

with the other goal coming 

from Anniya Friday while 

Shawnisha Hector was the 

lone goal scorer for Clare hall 

Secondary. 

trade on a player who has not 

been selected by WICB for 

the upcoming tri-series, does 

not have a contractual tie to 

the WICB permitting such a 

restriction,” said Eddie Tolchard, 

one of the partners at 

Insignia Sports. “Applying an 

unreasonable and unjustifiable 

fee and requesting CSA pay 

it in order to provide a NOC 

is a restraint of trade.” (ES- 

PNcricinfo)



Pollard barred from Ram Slam 

as WICB imposes NOC levy 

Kieron Pollard, the West Indies allrounder, 

has been denied a No-Objection 

Certificate to compete in South Africa’s 

Ram Slam T20 Challenge, after the West 

Indies Cricket Board made the unprecedented 

move of levying 20% of the contract 

fee on any Caribbean player wishing 

to participate in an overseas T20 tournament. 

Pollard, who signed a two-year contract 

last season with Cape Cobras, was informed 

of the WICB decision on November 

3 by the board’s chief executive officer 

Michael Muirhead in an emailed letter. He 

is currently still in Trinidad, with the tournament 

due to get underway on November 

11. 

Muirhead called the move a “policy” 

decision, taken by the WICB board of directors. 

He also said that the WICB had 

notified all the ICC Full Member boards of 

this decision. 

“The WICB will levy a charge for 

the granting of an NOC for West Indian 

cricketers seeking a release to participate 

in Leagues outside the jurisdiction of the 

West Indies,” Muirhead informed Pollard 

in the email, which has been accessed by 

ESPNcricinfo. “This will be an amount 

equivalent to 20% of the player fee (as defined 

in the player contract) that is actually 

paid to the relevant player.” 

Pollard was told he would not be granted 

the NOC until the WICB had received 

“acceptance of our position” from the various 

boards which feature Caribbean players 

in their domestic T20 tournaments. 

It is understood that the Bangladesh 

Cricket Board is considering a 10% payment, 

but might ask the BPL franchises to 

carry out such a payment. Cricket South 

Africa has rejected the WICB proposal 

while there has been no response as yet 

from the Pakistan Cricket Board and Cricket 

Australia. 

The Federation of International Players’ 

Association (FICA) has described the 

WICB decision as “restraint of trade” and 

warned that it could attract legal challeng- 

Kieron Pollard has been denied a No-Objection 

Certificate to compete in South Africa’s 

Ram Slam T20 Challenge. 

es. 

Muirhead argued that a release fee was 

necessary given how many Caribbean 

players are now seeking to maximise their 

earnings in the various T20 tournaments 

around the world. 

“WICB however, having invested in 

developing a player’s talent, is not able 

to realise a return on its investment if the 

player is not available to play in local tournament, 

which would allow lesser experienced 

players the opportunity to face a 

more experienced and skilled opposition, 

thereby improving on the standard and 

competitiveness of the domestic tournaments,” 

he wrote. 

However, the move comes as little surprise 

to seasoned observers of the current 

WICB administration. The board has consistently 

said that senior players who earn 

big money in the T20 leagues need to compromise 

and give back something to the 

regional cricket. Otherwise, as Muirhead 

noted to Pollard, it “disadvantages” the 

West Indies team. 

“In the end, it compromises the standard 

of the WICB’s international team 

and that team’s performance internationally. 

The primacy of international cricket is 

threatened.” 

Muirhead stated in his email that the 

WICB move could not be called as restraint 

of trade. “While we do not wish to act in 

restraint of trade, we must seek a balance 

to ensure that there is fair and adequate 

compensation for the investment made in 

the players,” he wrote. “What WICB seeks 

is some compensation to recognise the investment 

made into players, an investment 

from which another Full Member is benefitting.” 

Although Pollard is the only player officially 

contacted by WICB so far, many 

other Caribbean players are predicting a 

similar email in their inbox at some point 

in the near future. 

Muirhead said the board could put the 

fees collected for an NOC from various 

players into a pot which then could be redistributed 

as contracts to players who only 

play T20. Pollard, along with the former 

West Indies captain Darren Sammy, are 

some of the prominent voices who have 

asked WICB to offer them T20 contracts. 

“It is our expectation too, that the accumulation 

of these fees will facilitate the offer 

of contracts to players participating only 

in the short format of the game,” Muirhead 

said. 

Pollard, however, is not even a contracted 

WICB player, having been controversially 

dropped for the tri-series in Zimbabwe, 

scheduled for later this month. And 

for that reason, Tony Irish, the FICA chairman, 

believes that the move is unjustified. 

“We have made it very clear to all 

the boards that any restrictions placed on 

players are likely to constitute restraint of 

trade and there challengeable legally,” he 

said. “In the case of Kieron, he is not even 

contracted by the WICB. Therefore their 

attempt to levy 20% in exchange for the 

NOC effectively imposes a restriction on 

freedom of movement.” 

Irish called the decision arbitrary, considering 

the WICB had not even discussed 

the move with players and the other boards. 

He added that he will be speaking directly 

to the WICB on Tuesday about a decision 

that looks set to prevent Pollard from fulfilling 

his second year of the contract with 

the Cobras. 

“It is not a good situation. I will be takcont’d 

on pg 15

Caribbean Times 31st Issue - Tuesday 8th November 2016

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