Could you tell us about how the situation was when you came into office? What have been your priorities and what were the main challenges to tackle?

When we came into office in 2014, we met a crumbling infrastructure and a failing economy. Just about all of the state services were in need of overhaul. Our mission, at the point of arrival, was one of rebuilding. While we take no blame for what we inherited, we take full responsibility for fixing Antigua and Barbuda for the benefit of its people.

What role does industrialisation play in the country’s development?

The truth is, based on economical scale, some of our industries may not amount to export industries.
However, there are several industries we have that are globally ready: Mr. Shooz produces the best candles in the Caribbean; we have Antiguan rums, Cavalier and English Harbour; we also have a product called Susie’s Hot Sauce, easily the best hot sauce in the western hemisphere; and Lee Wind Paints, a local paint factory in which the government is the majority shareholder.
There are other industries which will be basically localised, and I encourage people to buy locally because every dollar that we keep in the economy through local purchases allows for what I call ‘linkages’ that plug ‘leakages’. We need to have an enlightened population of consumers who understand that an investment in a local product is an investment in our own economy and in the future of our country.

“We need to have an enlightened population of consumers who understand that an investment in a local product is an investment in our own economy and in the future of our country.”

I’m sure you’ll agree that tourism is the country’s key engine of growth, but what role, looking toward the future, does economic diversification play?

It is critical. It is certainly not the best model to place all of your proverbial eggs in one basket, so to diversify the economy is a part of our mission. As Minister of Trade, Culture, Industry and Commerce, I have posited that culture and sport are two very powerful vehicles for transformation of the economy. I gave the example this morning of Bob Marley, who died over 30 years ago but whose work continues to be a source of great pride and financial resources to the Jamaican economy. We are of the same stock and the same lineage, so what we are doing as a government today is to invest significantly in the creative industries and the cultural development of our people. Through investment, we expect to see Antiguan artists and performers moving up the ladder, so that contributions to culture and sport can help to transform the economy.

How is government fostering local entrepreneurship in order to create competitiveness and a strong local market?

The small business sector in an economy of our size is basically the engine of growth. We welcome FDIs, but we also understand the value of local investment. The Ministry of Trade have a three-tiered arrangement of advocacy, facilities, and services for the small business sector.
We also offer technical and financial assistance; we created a fund at the Antigua and Barbuda Bank which is targeted toward small business, toward youth and single mothers in particular because those are vulnerable demographics. Nurturing and encouraging small business development is critical to the ministry’s work and the government’s vision.

How are the country’s cultural treasures, which are many, being marketed to the international community?

We are forming some synergies with important international institutions. At Yale University, there is a reservoir of artefacts belonging to Antigua and Barbuda from our Arawak era. The intention is not to bring them back to the island, because that would require the sort of curation and care which I don’t think we have the resources for, but a recognition of ownership and a working relationship with Yale will allow for Antiguans to study, hopefully, in the institution and to have that level of synergised relations. We are also now talking to the Smithsonian Institute about the raising of at least five slave-ship wrecks around the coast of Antigua and Barbuda. The preservation of our forts, of which we have so many, is something we will not shy away from doing. These things are not just tourist attractions, they represent our cultural heritage.
The arts were targeted specifically in the budget for 2017. As a tourism-based economy, we see the need to have that level of Antiguanness shining through in what we offer our visitors. We want to grow the tourism product and at the same time enliven the consciousness of our people.

Tours to heritage sites like the ones you have spoken about could be the key to having cruise passengers stay longer on the island. Are you limited currently?

That is true. That is why the concept of heritage tourism is being explored. Nelson’s Dockyard now having been awarded UNESCO Heritage Site status adds to the value of the country as a destination. We are working determinedly on developing new sites and new attractions. Raising five slave ships will in itself be quite an attraction. We will also be creating a sculpture park themed on our slave ancestry. If you come to Antigua and Barbuda by this time next year, you should be able to see many of the sculptures already in place. If we’re going to preserve our culture and have a culturally enlightened population, it is important that we have these points of remembrance dotted across the country. They serve two purposes: firstly to remind us of ourselves and our past, and secondly as destinations within our tourism package. The local community and the visiting community will find places of interaction and shared experiences.