BREAKING NEWS - July 08, 2007 In the on going Internet Gambling dispute with the USA, Antiqua and Barbuda said it has gained full support of Caricom (Carribbean Community).

PM Baldwin Spencer said “Regional leaders have thrown their full support behind his country and were calling on the USA to respect the World Trade Organization (WTO) in a recent ruling on the issue.”  The regional leaders will conclude their 28th Heads of Government conference on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007.

He also said “This matter has been fully ventilated at the conference and the position of Caricom is that Antiqua and Barbuda should be fully supported by Caricom in this matter, because it should have serious implications for the region going forward as we seek to develop the financial services sector in the region.”

The WTO recently ruled against the USA in an online gambling dispute with Antiqua, and they also agreed that actions taken by Washington to prohibit access to Antiquan companies to USA markets were illegal. It also ruled that the USA position was contrary to its General Agreement on Trade in Services commitment and instructed it to bring its laws into conformity with its trade agreement.

The Spencer administration has filed formal trade sanctions against the USA, demanding USA pay $3.4 billion in compensation for failing to open its domestic market to remote gambling services.  This move it said resulted in the loss of well over 400 jobs and a lost opportunity to earn millions in foreign exchange.

Staff Writer