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Access to HIV Services for Mobile and Migrant Populations in Antigua

Access to HIV Services for Mobile and Migrant Populations in Antigua

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Kempadoo (2010) recalls that “<strong>Antigua</strong>ns became accus<strong>to</strong>med <strong>in</strong> the 1980s <strong>and</strong> 90s <strong>to</strong> full<br />

employment opportunities. From 2000, with reduced opportunities <strong>for</strong> employment, <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g<br />

numbers of <strong>Antigua</strong>n <strong>and</strong> migrant women are reported <strong>to</strong> have turned <strong>to</strong> prostitution.”<br />

Current Migration patterns<br />

In recent years, the isl<strong>and</strong> has ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed a very high population of migrants. The Census<br />

figures <strong>for</strong> 2001 1 show that we have a large population of resident Guyanese, followed by<br />

Dom<strong>in</strong>icans, Jamaicans, USA, Dom<strong>in</strong>icans (Dom<strong>in</strong>ican Republic) <strong>and</strong> Europeans. The<br />

International Organization <strong>for</strong> <strong>Migrant</strong>s (IOM, 2011) suggests that about one third of the<br />

population of <strong>Antigua</strong> <strong>and</strong> Barbuda is migrant from ma<strong>in</strong>ly Caribbean countries <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Guyana, Jamaica <strong>and</strong> Dom<strong>in</strong>ican Republic.<br />

Kempadoo (2010) stated that while the global recession does not yet seem <strong>to</strong> have impacted<br />

heavily on the <strong>to</strong>urism sec<strong>to</strong>r, locally, the arrest of f<strong>in</strong>ancier Allen Stan<strong>for</strong>d <strong>and</strong> the closure of<br />

mega projects have led <strong>to</strong> loss of jobs particularly <strong>in</strong> construction <strong>and</strong> road build<strong>in</strong>g contracts.<br />

The new government changed police <strong>and</strong> immigration officials <strong>and</strong> vigorous ef<strong>for</strong>ts are made <strong>to</strong><br />

clamp down on illegal immigrants. This, perhaps on <strong>to</strong>p of the economic downturn <strong>and</strong><br />

noticeable presence of many <strong>for</strong>eigners, created a highly xenophobic atmosphere.<br />

In 2008, although statistical data showed that there was 3,000+ Jamaicans liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>Antigua</strong> (See<br />

table below), the <strong>Antigua</strong>n Prime M<strong>in</strong>ister, Honourable Baldw<strong>in</strong> Spencer at a meet<strong>in</strong>g with Hon.<br />

Bruce Gold<strong>in</strong>g, Prime M<strong>in</strong>ister of Jamaica <strong>and</strong> a crowd of Jamaicans <strong>in</strong> <strong>Antigua</strong>, stated that he<br />

estimated that the population of Jamaicans liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>Antigua</strong> were around 12,000 (Official<br />

Website of the Office of the Prime M<strong>in</strong>ister of Jamaica). His estimate appeared <strong>to</strong> be based on<br />

the fact that there were a large number of undocumented Jamaicans liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>Antigua</strong>.<br />

Table 5 - Population of <strong>Antigua</strong> & Barbuda as of 2001 (last census data available).<br />

1 The most recent Census was conducted <strong>in</strong> 2011, but the full data has not yet been released.<br />

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