Caribbean Times 97th Issue - Tuesday 14th February 2017

4 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g
Tuesday 14th February 2017
No outside influence on new passports
By Everton Barnes
A government official has debunked
suggestions that the move to provide fingerprints
as part of the security features
for the new passports is being done at
the behest of ‘outside forces’.
The suggestion was made by one of
the panelists appearing on a weekly radio
talk showed, who advanced the notion
that countries in the Caribbean are being
‘pressured’ to introduce fingerprints on
the passports by foreign powers.
But the government spokesman said
nothing could be further from the truth.
“It is now the global standard for biometric
information such as fingerprints to be
included in the security chip imbedded
By Everton Barnes
A team from the Barbuda
Council has just completed a
weekend fact-finding visit to
St Kitts.
Led by Barbuda representative,
Arthur Nibbs, and
included the Barbuda Senator,
Knacynta Nedd, the
four-member team traveled
to Basseterre at the invitation
of a group that has a proposal
before the Barbuda Council.
“We went to see what
these people were all about
and whether or not they had
the capabilities to complete
the proposed of building villas
as they had proposed.”
Nibbs stated.
He disclosed that the team
visited a number of projects
that the group has undertaken
in St Kitts and having seen
what is ‘on the ground’ there
he is convinced that the developers
have the expertise
and the finances to undertake
the Barbuda project.
According to Nibbs he
was particularly pleased with
the involvement of Senator
Nedd, who is a candidate for
the upcoming Council elections,
but who has already
displayed a keen interest in
the affairs of Barbuda.
He said the future for the
sister isle looks bright with
several projects in the pipeline
ready to take off within
the upcoming months. He
revealed that he anticipates
that Barbuda will have full
employment within the next
two years with the projects
– the Paradise Found, PLH
development, the new airport
in the passports. That chip will display
this information to immigration officers
at various ports of entry when the holder
travels,” the spokesman noted.
He said by taking this step, rather
than being pressured, it demonstrates
that Antigua and Barbuda is moving in
step with the major developing countries
where this is already a feature of their
security apparatus.
He noted that during the re-registration
process that took place back
in 2003, the idea for fingerprints to be
included on the new voters I.D cards
was first muted by the then opposition
leader, Baldwin Spencer, and which was
accepted and implemented by the government
of the day, headed by Sir Lester
Bird.
According to the spokesman the
method used back in 2003 was ink and
an ink-pad.
“There was little or no objections
then and later in 2013 when the re-registration
took place but with the latest
technology, again the process had widespread
‘buy-in’,” the spokesman stated.
The spokesman explained that it is
believed that the information contained
in the new passports will overtime reduce
the time spent at foreign immigration
kiosks as the data on the holder
of the passports would be more readily
available.
Barbuda Council team visits St. Kitts & Nevis
among others – providing
jobs for islanders.
The Barbuda representative
says he the next step
is to recommend to the full
Council that it should ratify
the proposal from the group
and then the other steps in
the process of approval will
follow.
Senator Lake advocates for talks
on abortion and gender issues
By Joanna Paris
The Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party’s
newly appointed Senator, Senator Aziza Lake,
has advocated for more discussions on a myriad
of issues that she believes need to be addressed
within society.
Senator Lake was a guest on ABS’s Against
the Backdrop on Monday with Amar Spencer
in her official capacity. She indicated that there
needs to be more dialogue about generally
contentious issue- abortion.
Senator Lake, who stated that she was
“pro-choice” said that “discussions need to
take place on the topic”, which is one that society
has a lot to say about.
“For me, I am pro-choice, I believe that
bringing a child into this world is an important
sacrifice. I think it is a very important decision
that is made”, she said.
“Women are an important part of society.
I don’t think that it is something that we talk
about, we don’t talk about what is pro-life and
what is pro-choice, it is a big discussion in the
United States but for us it is not something that
we really discuss here”, she noted.
Senator Lake also expressed a similar view
with regard to gender rights and gender equality.