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Finance Minister Harold Lovell on Thursday morning urged those across the aisle to support sanctions against the US Government in the Caribbean island nation’s decade-long dispute over Internet gambling.
On Monday, the World Trade Organization awarded Antigua the right to develop a web portal for sale of ‘pirated’ US copyrighted DVDs, video games, television programs and more.
Some legislators in Antigua have opposed the sanctions, fearing retaliation from the US Government would be “too severe”.
The US has already threatened tiny Antigua with venomous words earlier in the week. The Caribbean nation plans to approach the WTO complaining of what they call Washington’s “misinformation”.
“I propose that we adopt a resolution of the house and make clear that we say to the world that the parliament and people of Antigua & Barbuda stand together in defending our just rights at the world trade organisation. One side brought the case and the other took it to a successful conclusion, so let us now make common cause to defend the rights we both fought hard to win and to stand together in the face of threats and misinformation,” Lovell says.
Lovell also refuted a US trade representative statement that pursuing the sanctions would be illegal.
“I further assure the house that Antigua and Barbuda, whatever we ultimately decide to do, will always adhere to the rule of law as embodied in the relevant WTO and other agreements. It is unprecedented for one country to threaten another for one country to threaten another based on its utilisation of a lawful WTO trade remedy,” says Harold Lovell.
Antiguan officials have made it clear they have no intent of launching the “pirate” site should US finally decide to abide by the WTO decision for monetary damages.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
