Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda
3216 New Mexico Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20016
Tel. (202) 362-5122
Fax (202) 362-5225

Text of Statement delivered by Ambassador Lionel Hurst at the OAS meeting on:
Enhancing Probity and the Fight against Corruption in the Hemisphere
Washington, D.C.,    March 31, 2000

1. I join others in congratulating you on a very successful meeting, Madame Chair. My delegation has listened with interest to the remarks by representatives from international institutions, civil society groups, and from several member-states of the OAS. We have found their statements enlightening.

2. When our Secretary-General spoke, he indicated that there are three conditions extant in society which can be blamed on unchecked corruption: a) a widening gap between rich and poor; b) slow economic growth or negative economic growth; and c) rising poverty within society.

3. Utilizing the Secretary-General’s three-point condition as a tool of analysis, I am pleased to report that in my small state, poverty has been receding since 1981- the date of our full independence. These results attest to the corruption of colonialism. Economic growth has been at 8% annually, except when hurricanes have battered us; five major storms in the past five years have done more harm than all the corrupt acts combined in the past two decades. Hurricane Luis in 1995 cost us more than US $400 million dollars in damages and economic losses. The gap between the haves and the haves-not has narrowed considerably, creating a sizeable middle-class and leaving only the aged and the infirmed behind. We have enacted special programmes to empower youth so that poverty -one of the conditions which can lead to criminality and corruption- will be kept at bay; we have greatly reduced poverty among youth.

4. Despite our overall improved condition since 1981, Antigua and Barbuda has had to address specific acts of corruption among public servants. Public hearings and the establishment of ad-hoc commissions have been used effectively to fight corruption. Yet, my Government intends to sign and ratify the OAS Convention Against Corruption. Modern, national legislation is also being considered and will be enacted into law this year, 2000. We will also respond to the questionnaire which was distributed today.

5. A number of very small states have become the targets of groups of large and wealthy states. Citing the potential for corruption, these large states have sought to undermine legitimate economic activities where small size gives small states a decided advantage. 47 small states in fact have a July 1st deadline hanging over them, like Damocles’ sword. Unless we agree to enter into discussion to alter our low-tax regimes -which they regard as harmful- these 47 small states will be blacklisted.

6. My country joins the global struggle against corruption, against the laundering of ill-gotten gains, the unjust enrichment of public officials, and against criminal activity which undermines the functioning of an economic system requiring a level playing-field. We also stand firmly against those who may wish to undermine our legitimate efforts to compete with them by branding our system of low-taxes as "harmful competition" and therefore seek to shut us out of the highly mobile capital markets. We see a certain kind of corruption in their acts.

7. We can only pray that superior political and economic power will not be utilized by large Luddite states against the very smallest and weakest of states. These large states seem determined to reverse the gains which accrue to small states by the systems of advanced technology. We regret that an opportunity to question the official from the OECD could not have been afforded us this morning. Thank you.