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| Antigua and Barbuda Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see English Harbour English Harbour Anne Stamps Antigua and Barbuda are two interesting islands in the Caribbean. Colonized by the English in 1632 - they left a few forts scattered around Antigua. Barbuda mainly served as a stud farm for slaves and actually slavery continued longer there than anywhere else in the British Empire. |
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| Antigua went from crushing poverty after the abolition of slavery and the
collapse of the sugar cane market to a top holiday destination. The island
combines charming towns with cobblestone streets with old forts and great
beaches. English harbour and St. Johns offer the best places for sightseeing. English Harbour has a big old fort with cannons used by admiral Nelson in his Caribbean campaigns. St.Johns has many small streets, a nice cathedral and some good museums. __________History Edit This Antigua was first inhabited by the Siboney ("stone people") whose settlements date at least to 2400 BC. The Siboney were succeeded by the Arawaks who originated in Venezuela and gradually migrated up the chain of islands now called the Lesser Antilles. The warlike Carib people drove the Arawaks from neighboring islands but apparently did not settle on either Antigua or Barbuda. Christopher Columbus did not actually landon the islands in 1493 but off the coasdt he did name them . Naming the larger one "Santa Maria de la Antigua." The English colonized the islands in 1632. Sir Christopher Codrington established the first large sugar estate in Antigua in 1674 and leased Barbuda to raise provisions for his plantations. Barbuda's only town is named after him. Codrington and others brought slaves from Africa's west coast to work the plantations. Antiguan slaves were emancipated in 1834 but remained economically dependent on the plantation owners. Economic opportunities for the new freedmen were limited by a lack of surplus farming land no access to credit and an economy built on agriculture rather than manufacturing. Poor labor conditions persisted until 1939 when a member of a royal commission urged the formation of a trade union movement. The Antigua Trades and Labor Union formed shortly afterward became the political vehicle for Vere Cornwall Bird who became the union's president in 1943. The Antigua Labor Party (ALP) formed by Bird and other trade unionists first ran candidates in the 1946 elections and became the majority party in 1951 beginning a long history of electoral victories. Voted out of office in the 1971 general elections that swept the progressive labor movement into power Bird and the ALP returned to office in 1976; the party won renewed mandates in the general elections in 1984 and 1989. In the 1989 elections the ruling ALP won all but two of the 17 seats. During elections in March 1994 power passed from Vere Bird to his son Lester Bird but remained within the Antigua Labor Party. The ALP won 11 of the 17 parliamentary seats. The ALP was also returned to power in 1999. The official opposition in parliament at that time was led by Baldwin Spencer of the United Progressive Party. Queen Elizabeth II remains head of state represented by the Governor General. However on March 23rd 2004 the United Progressive Party in an historic election brought to an end the 28 year rule of the Antigua Labour Party. This election boasted a more than 90 percent turnout by voters at the polls. The UPP led by Baldwin Spencer claimed 13 seats including the St. John's Rural East seat which was long held by the former Prime Minister Lester Bird. Bird was defeated in Rural East by his former friend and ex-Attorney General Dr. Errol Cort. Dr. Cort who was a newcomer to politics defeated Bird by more than one thousand votes. After serving as leader of the opposition for over ten years, the tables were turned and Baldwin Spencer now holds the office of Prime Minister. The official opposition in parliament, is the Antigua labour Party led by Robin Yearwood-former deputy Prime Minister. _______Economy Edit This Economy—overview: Tourism continues to be by far the dominant activity in the economy accounting directly or indirectly to more than half of GDP. Increased tourist arrivals have helped spur growth in the construction and transport sectors. The dual island nation's agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding handicrafts and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world especially in the US which accounts for about half of all tourist arrivals. GDP: purchasing power parity—$470 million (1997 est.) GDP—real growth rate: 3.3% (1997 est.) GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$7 400 (1997 est.) GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 18.9% services: 77.3% (1995) Inflation rate—consumer price index: 2.5% (1996) Labor force: total: 30 000 by occupation: commerce and services 82% agriculture 11% industry 7% (1983) Unemployment rate: 5%-10%(1995 est.) Budget: revenues: $107 million expenditures: $132 million including capital expenditures of $18 million (1995) Industries: tourism construction light manufacturing (clothing alcohol household appliances) Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity—capacity: 26 000 kW (1995) Electricity—production: 95 million kWh (1995) Electricity—consumption per capita: 1 458 kWh (1995) Agriculture—products: cotton fruits vegetables bananas coconuts cucumbers mangoes sugarcane; livestock Exports: total value: $45 million (f.o.b. 1996 est.) commodities: petroleum products 48% manufactures 23% food and live animals 4% machinery and transport equipment 17% partners: OECS 26% Barbados 15% Guyana 4% Trinidad and Tobago 2% US 0.3% Imports: total value: $350.8 million (f.o.b. 1996 est.) commodities: food and live animals machinery and transport equipment manufactures chemicals oil partners: US 27% UK 16% Canada 4% OECS 3% other 50% Debt—external: $225 million (1996 est.) Economic aid: $NA Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1—2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) Fiscal year: 1 April—31 March ___________Health Before setting off, you might want to check the illnesses described below that occur here. The information is from the CDC and should be pretty accurate, but if you really think you have something, go see a doctor. If you're not sure where to find good medical attention, check with a the nearest international hotel, they are usually in the know (though the facilities they refer to might charge you a little bit more) Rabies A dangerous and possible deadly disease, can be contracted from a wild animal to a human w/ a single bite. Please when visiting do not touch animals that do not seem tamed. :::::::English harbour Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Museum at English Harbor Museum at English Harbor Rick Vest In the harbour area, there are sports and watersports facilities such as tennis, squash, horseriding, swimming, sailing, fishing, scuba-diving etc. as well as some of the beautiful beaches Antigua is famous for. Golf courses are a short drive awa :::::::St. Johns Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see photo_1 marco marinho Restored colonial buildings line the waterfront of Antigua's capital, which sits on the northwest coast of the island. Stroll down the old streets, visit the National Museum and admire the twin-towered cathedral. Many locals sit on the thumbs eating or just calming down. Redcliffe Quay is a popular shopping destination. |
