Antigua Crashing and Burning

As a nation we have gotten a reputation as of late of not caring. We don’t care that we have entered into a war that we cannot win. We don’t care that other countries have lost their faith in us. We don’t care that other countries are suffering because of us. We don’t feel the rules that we expect others to live up to apply to us. With President Bush in office, our nation has gone from one of prosperity and respect to poverty and disregard.

No where can this be seen more than the situation with Antigua and Barbuda. This tiny country gets the majority of their revenue and income from the online gambling industry. Online casinos are responsible for their economy, and if they aren’t bringing in money then you can guarantee that they are not doing well.

With the passage of the UIGEA, the US drastically hurt the tiny country because the amount of revenue coming in from their online casinos was now significantly less than what it was before. They tried asking nicely for the US to reverse their policy as it was destroying them, but we refused. Then they went to the World Trade Organization and asked them to help them. They ruled in their favor and still the US did not budge, for now they say that the WTO can’t tell them what to do with their online casino industry.

The country is badly in need of roughly $30 million to help out with their economic crisis, and to help with the lack of jobs and inflation. This is similar to the amount that the US owes the country, yet because we have not paid up they are forced to go to other countries asking for loans to make their debts. We refuse to pay, and we keep stalling the talks to even discuss it.