Antigua was initially first “discovered” in 1684 by Sir Christopher Codrington. He was interested in creating a large-scale sugar cultivation, similar to the other islands in the Caribbean, and was successful. It was eventually known as the “gateway to the Caribbean” because of the control it had over sailing routes to the different wealthy islands in the Caribbean. Similar to the sugarcane cultivation in the Caribbean, Africans were brought over as slaves in the 1670s in large numbers to Antigua, soon becoming the largest racial group in each country. Antiguan slaves were emancipated in 1834, but remained reliant on their plantation owners due to difficulties in obtaining labor.
In 1967, Antigua became an associated state to the United Kingdom, meaning it was fully self governing concerning all internal affairs, but when it came to external affairs and defense, the UK was in control. In the 70s, under Prime Minister George Walter, an independence movement surged but soon died down when he lost in the 1976 elections to Vere Bird, who stood by regional integration. By 1978, the country reverted back to the want for independence, achieving it by 1981.
In more recent years, the main form of corruption occurring in the country regards the government’s involvement with the banks and being known as a “lax tax haven”. The country gained independence from the UK in 1981 with Prime Minister Vere Bird, being succeeded by his son Lester Bird in 1994. Ten years later, Lester Bird was defeated by Minister Baldwin Spencer, who formed a new government and has been ruling since.
Similarly to many freshly independent countries worldwide, a new government allowed for untroubled corruption. There was always suspicion when the country was under the Bird ruling, with the family accepting money for political favors and different forms of abuses of power. The country is a host of major internet gambling sites, and has enacted legislation for strict bank secrecy. They are also deemed untrustworthy because of their encouragement to be used as an offshore financial center for banks and international companies. In 2009, the country’s economy suffered when Robert Allen Stanford, one of their largest investors, was charged with fraud.
(2014). Antigua and Barbuda / Antigua’s history and culture. Retrieved April 11, 2021, from http://www.antigua-barbuda.org/aghis01.htm
Bak, Mathias, et al. Overview of Corruption and Anti-Corruption in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, St Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. Transparency International, 2019, www.jstor.org/stable/resrep20499. Accessed 11 Apr. 2021.
Clarke, S. (2011, January). Antigua and Barbuda: History of corruption and the Stanford case. Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://www.loc.gov/law/help/ag-corruption/stanford.php“History of Antigua and Barbuda.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/place/Antigua-and-Barbuda/History.