FALL 2021

Governance and the Rule of Law

Antigua and Barbuda’s response to COVID-19 has been characterized by a lockdown and a focus on vaccinating the population. The country’s vaccination rate is one of the highest amongst its Caribbean neighbors. As cases have remained high the last few months, there are strict rules in place for tourists, including mandatory testing and proof of vaccination to enter the country.

• The State of Emergency Curfew in Antigua and Barbuda continues daily until at least December 27, 2021. The extension of the State of Emergency is a response to the increase in cases and community spread on the islands.
• As of September, Antigua and Barbuda has fully vaccinated over 40,000 people with COVID-19 vaccines. This means that more than 40% of the population is fully vaccinated.
• The Ministry of Health and Wellness has declared that from August 1^st, only fully vaccinated individuals will be allowed to visit restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues. 
• Antigua and Barbuda continues using tracking bracelets to ensure people are appropriately following quarantine and/or isolation guidelines.
• Prime Minister Gaston Browne has issued an order requiring all frontline government workers in the islands to either get the COVID-19 vaccine or get tested biweekly at their own expense, starting July 26. 
• The Ministry of Health, Wellness, and the Environment updated the criteria to release contacts of COVID-19 cases from quarantine and can now be released 14 days from their last contact without a COVID-19 case.
• Regardless of vaccination numbers, the government of Antigua and Barbuda expects to remove most, if not all, of the measures to prevent COVID-19 by the end of the 2021 year. 
•  Travelers to Antigua and Barbuda must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 4 days of their flight. Also, all arriving passengers must present proof of at least one dose of a vaccine approved by the WHO.
• Antigua and Barbuda expects to receive 17,550 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from the United States in October.
• Health officials in the country have advised persons who have recovered from the virus to wait for a period of several weeks before receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

See Select Resources for Governance and the Rule of Law

---

Growth and Innovation

The tourism industry has been significantly affected during the pandemic, which shrunk gross domestic product (GDP) by 18% in 2020 and is expected to shrink even more in 2021. Looking forward, economists are concerned about Antigua and Barbuda’s debt, which may need to be restructured to avoid a default.

1. Tourism in Antigua and Barbuda grew by 4.7% from 2020 to 2021.
2. A magnitude 4.5 earthquake was recorded 161 km of Saint John’s, Antigua and Barbuda on October 7th, 2021, following a series of small earthquakes that have challenged the island’s infrastructure in the past month.
3. The Caribbean Development Bank approved loans of $25 million for Antigua and Barbuda’s economic recovery post COVID-19.
4. The CDC has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Antigua and Barbuda due to COVID-19, indicating a very high level of COVID-19 in the country. This predicts a decrease in tourism to the twin islands, affecting their economy.
5. Prime Minister Browne advocated for an equitable vaccine distribution at affordable prices for developing countries to be able to recover from the pandemic during the UN General Assembly.
6.  Antigua and Barbuda participated in the first African-Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of State and Government meeting to begin cooperation due to historical and cultural ties.
7. The government has launched a visa program called Digital Nomad Residence, which allows recipients to reside in Antigua and Barbuda for 2 years while maintaining employment outside of the country. The program aims to increase foreign spending in the country at a point where the tourism industry is suffering. 
8. Antigua and Barbuda’s citizenship-by-investment program announced a new investment pathway, as well as increased online application ability during the pandemic.
9. Antigua and Barbuda has instituted a system for all crewmembers of cruise ships to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, to incentivize tourism and protect the island’s residents from infection due to tourists.
10. The economy of Antigua and Barbuda contracted by 17.3 percent in 2020, and is expected to contract by 1 percent in 2021 before a recovery takes place.

See Select Resources for Growth and Innovation

---

Social and Cultural Inclusion

Pandemic-specific social programs have targeted women, elderly individuals, and those with disabilities. However, residents of the country are feeling ignored in the government’s reopening policies, which they believe prioritize foreign tourists over locals.

1. Antigua and Barbuda will host the fourth session of the Regional Conference on Social Development in Latin America and the Caribbean. This session will focus on transformative recovery with equality and sustainability.
2. Because of the current epidemiological and economic circumstances, the country has withdrawn from hosting CARIFESTA XV, the 15^th edition of a popular Caribbean Festival that brings the Caribbean together.
3. The campaign to get more people vaccinated has been focusing on the potential deadly effects of contracting COVID-19 if unvaccinated, and news articles shame those refusing to get the vaccine.
4. The Daily Observer, a major newspaper of the twin islands, printed a page full of the story of a bisexual women, increasing visibility of LGBTQ+ people in Antigua and Barbuda despite some of the country’s discriminatory policies.
5. Despite the recent surge in COVID-19 cases affecting Antigua and Barbuda’s most vulnerable populations, tourism to the islands is allowed and encouraged to continue.
6. Poverty is predicted to increase by 18% because of the pandemic, meaning that established social programs may only reach 11% of those in need unless adjusted.
7. Antigua and Barbuda has been characterized as lacking digital infrastructure, potentially creating barriers for those teleworking.
8. The government of Antigua and Barbuda partnered with two telecommunication firms to ensure that the National Gender-Based Violence hotline was able to remain open and toll free.

See Select Resources for Social and Cultural Inclusion

---

SPRING 2021

Governance and the Rule of Law:

Antigua and Barbuda’s response to COVID-19 has been characterized by a lockdown and contact tracing, measures which have tightened with a recent increase in cases. Though the country’s borders reopened to tourists in June 2020, there are strict rules in place, including mandatory testing before entering the country. 

• Antigua and Barbuda remains under a State of Emergency, which will last until at least June 30. There is a curfew from 8 PM to 5 AM. The extension of the State of Emergency is a response to the increase in cases and community spread on the islands.
• There has been tension between Antigua and Barbuda and the United Kingdom, after claims from the U.K. that a new strand of COVID-19 originated as a result of travel to Antigua. The government of Antigua disputes this claim. 
• The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment created a National Coordinating Committee to oversee the planning and implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination program. 
• The vaccination campaign on the islands is underway. In the first month of vaccination efforts, 26,000 adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 
• Antigua and Barbuda received 24,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, otherwise known as COVAX.
• The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has praised the contact tracing and quarantine measures taken by the government and the high recovery rate and attributed Antigua and Barbuda’s success to its preparedness.
• The Ministry of Tourism in Antigua and Barbuda has created a Compliance Unit to ensure that hotel properties, including Air BnBs, are compliant with COVID-19 safety regulations.
• Prime Minister Browne announced that Antigua and Barbuda will be implementing tracking bracelets to monitor individuals who are quarantining in their homes. The first shipment of the bracelets, as well as the legislation permitting their usage, came in early December.
• The government of Antigua and Barbuda issued a statutory instrument known as the Quarantine Act, which includes all government guidelines and regulations to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Violations of the Quarantine Act can result in fines of EC$10,000 and/or 6 months of imprisonment. 
• Travelers entering Antigua and Barbuda must present a negative COVID-19 test taken within 7 days of their arrival upon entry into the country. 
• Despite the surge of COVID-19 in Barbados, the government of Antigua and Barbuda announced that travel to and from Barbados would remain open.
• 29 Cuban doctors were welcomed to Antigua and Barbuda in March by Prime Minister Browne. Antigua and Barbuda has supported initiatives to protect Cuban medical brigades through the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States).

---

Growth and Innovation

The tourism industry has been significantly affected during the pandemic, which shrunk gross domestic product (GDP) by 18% in 2020 and has resulted in employment rates around 30%. Looking forward, economists are concerned about Antigua and Barbuda’s debt, which may need to be restructured to avoid a default in the near future.

• Exports from Antigua and Barbuda fell only 3.7% in 2020, compared to an 18% decline on average for other countries in The Caribbean.
• Tourism in the country decreased by 65% in 2020 when compared to 2019 levels, causing an 18% decline in GDP and unemployment rates over 30%.
• Antigua and Barbuda has a particularly high public debt and an analysis from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development stated that Antigua and Barbuda was an example of a Small Island Developing State (SID) that was at “great risk” of defaulting on its debt.
• Prime Minister Browne described “financing for development” to be the most urgent challenge facing all SIDs, including Antigua and Barbuda.
• The Caribbean Development Bank approved a loan of $66.7 million to assist Antigua and Barbuda in its pandemic response.
• The government has launched a visa program called Digital Nomad Residence, which allows recipients to reside in Antigua and Barbuda for 2 years while maintaining employment outside of the country. The program aims to increase foreign spending in the country at a point where the tourism industry is suffering. 
• Antigua and Barbuda’s citizenship-by-investment program announced a new investment pathway, as well as increased online application ability during the pandemic.
• Training for workers in the tourism industry (i.e. water taxi operators, restaurateurs, and hotel staff) was provided by the government in order to integrate public health measures into the reopening of tourism.
• Work permits will not be provided to foreigners to ensure that reopening industries prioritize nationals in their hiring processes. 
• Businesses in the tourism industry have adapted to keep employees on by launching food/cocktail delivery services and farms to grow food.
• LIAT, the Antiguan-based Caribbean airline, will be liquidated and transformed into a new airline, as shareholders were unable to sustain the effects of the pandemic.
• Remittances, especially from the United States, are expected to decrease during the pandemic, potentially affecting overall GDP and consumer purchasing power.

---

Social and Cultural Inclusion

Pandemic-specific social programs have targeted women, elderly individuals, and those with disabilities. However, residents of the country are feeling ignored in the government’s reopening policies, which they believe prioritize foreign tourists over locals. 

• Since the reopening of the country to tourists, some employees of the tourism industry have experienced exclusion in their communities due to fear that they will spread the virus because of their interaction with tourists. 
• Vaccine distribution efforts have focused on workers in the tourism sector, which is partially intended to speed up reopening efforts and reduce poverty in the sector.
• Some residents believe that the country’s quarantine rules are being enforced unequally, with visiting tourists facing fewer consequences for violating quarantine and curfew restrictions. The government argues that there is not evidence of this claim. 
• Poverty is predicted to increase by 18% as a result of the pandemic, meaning that established social programs may only reach 11% of those in need unless adjusted.
• The government has taken measures to provide online learning, school meals, and teacher-prepared packages for children to continue learning.
• The Ministry of Social Transformation and Human Resource Development invited those who are elderly, disabled, or single parents to receive food packages and medicine deliveries during the 24-hour curfew (in place until at least May 14).
• Antigua and Barbuda has been characterized as lacking digital infrastructure, potentially creating barriers for those teleworking.
• The government of Antigua and Barbuda partnered with two telecommunication firms to ensure that the National Gender-Based Violence hotline was able to remain open and toll free. 
• Antigua and Barbuda is still committed to hosting Caribbean Festival of Arts, a festival that celebrates art of the Caribbean, in August 2021, though the organization of the festival may differ based on COVID-19 protocols. 

---

Summer/Fall 2020

Governance and the Rule of Law

Antigua and Barbuda’s response to COVID-19 has been characterized by a strict lockdown and contact tracing. Though its borders reopened to tourists on June 4, testing is required to enter the country and additional reopenings have taken a measured pace.

• Antigua and Barbuda enacted a 24-hour curfew from April 2-May 14.
• The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has praised the contact tracing and quarantine measures taken by the government and the high recovery rate (60 recovered of 73 positive cases as of July 10) and attributed Antigua and Barbuda’s success to its preparedness.
• Travelers entering Antigua and Barbuda must present a negative COVID-19 test upon entry into the country until further notice. 
• Antigua and Barbuda announced a reciprocal travel “bubble” between other Caribbean countries with sufficiently low COVID-19 positivity rates. Individuals from these countries would not need to be tested upon entering Antigua and Barbuda.
• Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced no hospitalizations as of June 25, as well as increased testing capacity in the form of 12,500 additional rapid test kits along with swabs and reagents.
• 29 Cuban doctors were welcomed to Antigua and Barbuda in March by Prime Minister Browne. Antigua and Barbuda has supported initiatives to protect Cuban medical brigades through the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States).
• Antigua Public Utilities Authority suspended cuts to water and electricity for a period of 3 months effective March 27.
• The United Arab Emirates donated 12.5 metric tonnes of medical supplies and 500,000 rapid testing kits to 14 Caribbean countries, including Antigua and Barbuda.

---

Growth and Innovation

The tourism industry has been significantly affected during the pandemic, which could potentially shrink gross domestic product (GDP) by 10% by the end of 2020. Companies in tourism have found ways to diversify their activities and initiate a public health-informed reopening of the industry.

• The Caribbean Development Bank has approved a loan of $66.7 million to assist Antigua and Barbuda in its pandemic response.
• Training for workers in the tourism industry (i.e. water taxi operators, restaurateurs, and hotel staff) was provided by the government in order to integrate public health measures into the reopening of tourism.
• GDP is predicted to drop as much as 10% by the end of 2020, due to the shutdown of the tourism industry from March-May.
• Businesses in the tourism industry have adapted to keep employees on by launching food/cocktail delivery services and farms to grow food.
• LIAT, the Antiguan-based Caribbean airline, will be liquidated and transformed into a new airline, as shareholders were unable to sustain the effects of the pandemic.
• Antigua and Barbuda’s citizenship-by-investment program announced a new investment pathway, as well as increased online application ability during the pandemic.
• Remittances, especially from the United States, are expected to decrease during the pandemic, potentially affecting overall GDP and consumer purchasing power.
• Antigua Distillery made 4,300 liters of 70% alcohol available for the manufacture of hand sanitizer and cleaning products.

---

Social and Cultural Inclusion

Pandemic-specific social programs have targeted elderly individuals and those with disabilities. However, as poverty could increase by 18% and economic decline is expected, these initiatives may need to be expanded in the future.

• Poverty is predicted to increase by 18% as a result of the pandemic, meaning that established social programs may only reach 11% of those in need unless adjusted.
• The government has taken measures to provide online learning, school meals, and teacher-prepared packages for children to continue learning.
• The Ministry of Social Transformation and Human Resource Development invited those who are elderly, disabled, or single parents to receive food packages and medicine deliveries during the 24-hour curfew (in place until at least May 14).
• Caribbean Community Implementing Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), with the United Kingdom, donated preparedness supplies to be utilized in Antigua and Barbuda’s Her Majesty’s Prison. No cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the prison.
• Antigua and Barbuda has been characterized as lacking digital infrastructure, potentially creating barriers for online learning.
• Alcohol produced by Antigua Distillery was donated to essential workers, healthcare workers, Her Majesty’s Prison, and to support government care packages.

Select resources for Antigua and Barbuda:

Governance and the Rule of Law:

Caribbean National Weekly. (2020, October 25). Antigua and Barbuda Announces New COVID-19 Protocol for Travelers. https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/caribbean-breaking-news-featured/antigua-and-barbuda-announces-new-covid-19-protocol-for-travelers/.

————. (2020, December 7). Antigua and Barbuda Begins Rollout of COVID-19 Bracelets. https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/caribbean-breaking-news-featured/antigua-and-barbuda-begins-rollout-of-covid-19-bracelets/.

————. (2021, January 4). Antigua Offers Assistance to Barbados as COVID-19 Cases Surge. https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/caribbean-breaking-news-featured/antigua-offers-assistance-to-barbados-as-covid-19-cases-surge/.

Dominica News Online. (2020, August 31). Antigua & Barbuda to introduce tracking bracelets for persons quarantining at home. https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/covid-19/antigua-barbuda-to-introduce-tracking-bracelets-for-persons-quarantining-at-home/.

Fraser, N. (2021, April 9). Covax delivers vaccines to Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda. Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. https://newsday.co.tt/2021/04/09/covax-delivers-vaccines-to-grenada-antigua-and-barbuda/.

Government of Antigua and Barbuda. (2020, September 25). Compliance Unit formed to ensure conformity to COVID-19 Protocols by Certified Properties. https://ab.gov.ag/media_page.php?page=273.

Loop News. (2021, February 11). More non-imported COVID-19 infections reported Antigua and Barbuda. https://www.loopnewscaribbean.com/content/more-non-imported-covid-19-infections-reported-antigua-and-barbuda.

Ministry of Health, Wellness, and the Environment. (n.d.). Antigua and Barbuda Covid-19 Dashboard. https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/a1afd1f877ba4549aa0bbc9c44d32de5.

Morgan, K. (2021, January 28). Health Ministry establishes Covid-19 National Coordinating Committee. CARICOM Today. https://today.caricom.org/2021/01/28/health-ministry-establishes-covid-19-national-coordinating-committee/.

Nurse, M. (2020, June 29). Statement by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States on Cuban Medical Brigades. CARICOM Today. https://today.caricom.org/2020/06/23/statement-by-the-organisation-of-eastern-caribbean-states-on-cuban-medical-brigades/.

Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries. (2021, March 29). PAHO update: 32 countries and territories in the Americas have detected infection by one of three ‘variants of concern.’ Pan American Health Organization. https://www.paho.org/en/documents/ecc-covid-19-situation-update-126-29-march-2021.

Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). (2020, May 13). COVID-19 and Beyond: Impact Assessments and Responses. https://www.oecs.org/en/our-work/knowledge/library/business/covid-19-and-beyond-impact-accessment-and-responses.

U.S. Embassy in Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and the OECS. (2020, April 9). United States Congratulates Antigua and Barbuda and COVAX Donor Countries on Arrival of COVID-19 Vaccines. Department of State. Western Hemisphere Affairs. https://bb.usembassy.gov/united-states-congratulates-antigua-and-barbuda-and-covax-donor-countries-on-arrival-of-covid-19-vaccines/.

————. (2020, April 14). Eastern Caribbean COVID-19 Status: Antigua and Barbuda. Department of State. Western Hemisphere Affairs. https://bb.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/covid-19-information/.

Growth and Innovation:

Caribbean Development Bank. (2020, May 18). CDB to Provide Almost US$67 Million to Seven Caribbean Countries to Counter the COVID-19 Crisis. https://www.caribank.org/newsroom/news-and-events/cdb-provide-almost-us67-million-seven-caribbean-countries-counter-covid-19-crisis.

Caribbean National Weekly. (2020, October 16). Antigua and Barbuda Will Not Provide Work Permits to First-Time Foreign Nationals. https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/caribbean-breaking-news-featured/antigua-and-barbuda-will-not-provide-work-permits-to-first-time-foreign-nationals/.

Caribbean Tourism Organization. (2020, May 15). The Future of Caribbean Tourism—Key Considerations for the COVID-19 Recovery [Webinar Slides]. https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3Ab9f9e241-0dea-468f-bd0c-92481169ee9b#pageNum=1.

————. (n.d.). Five tourism businesses in Antigua and Barbuda that are changing their game as a result of COVID-19. https://www.onecaribbean.org/resources/coronavirus/.

CARICOM Today. (2021, April 6). Financing for development in era of COVID-19 most urgent pre-occupation of small states – PM Browne. https://today.caricom.org/2021/03/30/financing-for-development-in-era-of-covid-19-most-urgent-pre-occupation-of-small-states-pm-browne/.

Dunkley-Malcom, J. (2020, June 24). Barbuda training in protocols against COVID-19 exercise deemed a success. CARICOM Today. https://today.caricom.org/2020/06/19/barbuda-training-in-protocols-against-covid-19-exercise-deemed-a-success/.

Dunlop, K. (2021, March 30). Tourism in Antigua and Barbuda Is Sending Covid Skyrocketing. Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-30/tourism-in-antigua-and-barbuda-is-sending-covid-skyrocketing.

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). (2021). International Trade Outlook for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2020. https://www.cepal.org/sites/default/files/publication/files/46614/S2000804_en.pdf.

Hiltner, S. and Fisher, L. (2021, March 15). How Bad Was 2020 for Tourism? Look at the Numbers. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/08/travel/tourism-2020-coronavirus.html.

Immigration and Naturalization Services. (2020, October). NDR Visa. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Immigration, Department of Immigration. https://antiguanomadresidence.com/ndr-visa/.

Investment Migration Council. (2020, May 31). COVID-19 The Positive Effects on Citizenship & Residency by Investment. https://investmentmigration.org/news-section/covid-19-the-positive-effects-on-citizenship-residency-by-investment/.

Nurse, M. (2020, July 1). LIAT to be Liquidated and New Airline Formed – PM Gaston Browne. CARICOM Today. https://today.caricom.org/2020/06/29/liat-to-be-liquidated-and-new-airline-formed-pm-gaston-browne/.

Tourism Analytics. (2020, August). Antigua and Barbuda. https://tourismanalytics.com/antigua–barbuda.html.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. (2021, April 12). Small island developing states need urgent support to avoid debt defaults. United Nations. https://unctad.org/news/small-island-developing-states-need-urgent-support-avoid-debt-defaults.

Social and Cultural Inclusion:

Education Development Management Unit: OECS Commission. (2020). OECS Education Sector Response and Recovery Strategy to COVID-19. https://www.oecs.org/en/our-work/knowledge/library/oecs-education-sector-response-strategy-to-covid-19/viewdocument/2115.

Hopegood, Rosie. (2020, November 8). Lockdown in paradise: Antigua’s plea for visitors. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/11/8/lockdown-in-paradise-antiguas-plea-for.

Nagle-Meyers, G. (2021, March 23). Vaccine distribution targets tourism workers on Antigua. Travel Weekly. https://www.travelweekly.com/Caribbean-Travel/Vaccine-distribution-targets-frontline-workers-in-the-tourism-industry.

United Nations Development Programme. (2020, October). COVID-19 Global Gender Response Tracker. https://data.undp.org/gendertracker/.