400 protest Paradise Found in Antigua

A group calling themselves The Movement recently held a protest outside Parliament over the Paradise Found Project Bill that had a turnout of close to 400 people from both Barbuda and Antigua. Recently the UPP have failed to show interest or support for Barbudans in their most recent struggle, in spite of the Land Act being a partnership between Barbudans and the previous UPP government led by Baldwin Spencer. 

Harold Lovell, current political leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), said later that this is one of the new approaches to the fight to prevent ‘excessive and unnecessary’ giveaways to the billionaire investors. ‘It would be very difficult for the UPP to prevent the governor general from assenting to the Bill.  But we are of the firm view what the government is doing and the way they are proceeding are wrong. We believe the agreement was badly negotiated and sufficient thought was not put into it, and we would wish to see the terms re-negotiated.’ he said.

The controversial Paradise Found Bill was passed in the Senate yesterday, in spite of Opposition Senators who appealed to government to withdraw the proposed legislation. Lovell said having examined the proposal for the project, there is nothing in it for Barbudans and the Barbuda Council will not benefit from any taxes since they will be waived entirely in some areas or for a number of years in others.

Visitors from the UN have recently been to Barbuda to assess the Barbuda Belle hotel with regard to its position close to the Bird Sanctuary, and the proposed Paradise Found development.