Antigua and Barbuda derives many benefits from its membership of the United
Kingdom-based Commonwealth of Nations and irrespective of what direction it
takes on the issue of Republicanism, it should remain within the grouping.
That is the view of the country’s High Commissioner to the UK, Karen-Mae Hill,
who by virtue of her position, sits on the Board of Governors of the
Commonwealth. The UK Monarch is the head of the Commonwealth, and the
upcoming coronation of a new monarch has raised questions about the monarchy
and the commonwealth in countries such as Antigua and Barbuda.
The twin-island state is also among a dwindling group of Commonwealth
Countries referred to as Realm Nations because they maintain the UK Monarch as
their Head of State.
At a recent panel discussion on the issue, High Commissioner Hill highlighted a
host of benefits for Antigua and Barbuda through membership in the
Commonwealth.
Firstly, HC Hill conceded that the Commonwealth does not do a good job in
‘blowing its own trumpet’. “Is there a trumpet to blow? Yes, there is!” she
remarked.
“We have benefited from a fund called the Technical Fund for Development which
finances the work of a team of advisors who assist member countries in a host of
issues, from developing legal drafts-people as there is a shortage of these skills in
the Caribbean. This funding helps to train people in this area, as well as Climate
Change advisors to help others who are placed in these countries. There is also a
programme to assist with reform of our governance structure that is currently
ongoing here in Antigua and Barbuda,” she stated.
Another area she identified is the Commonwealth Scholarship Programme through
which a cadre of highly educated individuals have been trained and who have
returned to their respective countries to contribute meaningfully to their country’s
development.
Perhaps one of the more recent and quite important areas where Antigua and
Barbuda has benefited from assistance through the Commonwealth has been the
delineating of the country’s marine boundaries. “We did not know what parts of
the ocean belonged to us (Antigua and Barbuda) and we have been supported by
the Commonwealth to fund experts to help us to delineate our ocean space. We
have successfully negotiated with the French, for Guadeloupe and St Bartholomew
and we now know ours. We have done the same thing with the British for Anguilla
so far, and we will do the same with Montserrat next,” she reported.
It is important to know that this expert was funded by the Commonwealth and
under normal circumstances, Antigua and Barbuda would not have been able to
afford the expert, according to HC Hill.
