Government Of Antigua And Barbuda
Background Notes
These publications include facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty. The Notes are updated/revised by the Office of Electronic Information and Publications of the Bureau of Public Affairs as they are received from the Department's regional bureaus and are added to the database of the Department of State website you are now using. ... [Read More]
U.S. Embassy, Bridgetown, Main Page
Individuals applying in person for a visitor's visas (non-immigrant visas) at the Consular Section must have a scheduled appointment. Passport applications and American Citizen Services are available 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:00-2:00 p.m. Reports of Birth Abroad and Notarial Services are available 1:00-2:00 p.m. Passport applications, American Citizen Services, Reports of Birth Abroad and Notarial Services may also be processed at our Consular Agency in Martinique. Telephone Numbers: Main switchboard: (246) 436-4950 Embassy Fax: (246) 429-524 ... [Read More]
International Parental Child Abduction Antigua and Barbuda
U.S. Department of State [Read More]
Antigua and Barbuda
Violence against women was a matter of public concern, and nongovernmental social welfare groups focused on the problem. Many women were reluctant to testify against their abusers. A 1999 Domestic Violence Act prohibits and provides penalties for domestic violence, rape, and other sexual offenses. Organizations such as the Government's Directorate of Gender Affairs sought to increase women's awareness of their rights under the law in cases of domestic violence. The Directorate of Gender Affairs operated a domestic violence program that included training for police officers, magistrates, and judges. The Directorate also ran a domestic abuse hotline and worked with a nongovernmental organization (NGO) to provide safe havens for abused women and children. There were a number of active NGOs that addressed issues affecting women. ... [Read More]
Antigua and Barbuda
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. The Government at all levels strives to protect this right in full, and does not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or private actors. The Government is secular and does not interfere with an individual's right to worship. Christian holy days, such as Good Friday, Whit Monday, and Christmas, are national holidays. ... Antigua and Barbuda's two-island nation has a total land area of 170 square miles, 108 on Antigua and 62 on Barbuda, and its population is approximately 67,448. A significant percentage of the population represents citizens of other Caribbean nations and the percentage of citizens from China is growing. The dominant religion is Christianity (mostly Anglican, Methodist, Moravian and Roman Catholic), but religious freedom for others is not affected adversely. The minority religions are Islam, the Baha'i Faith, and Rastafarianism. ... [Read More]
Antigua and Barbuda
However, print media, including daily and weekly newspapers, are active and offer a range of opinion, often publishing vigorous criticism of the Government. Nevertheless, efforts by print media to expand into electronic media have been restricted. In 1996 a daily newspaper attempted to start a radio station but has been unable to secure a license to operate. The authorities charged the owners with operating a radio station without a license. The case went to trial, and the judge found in favor of the Government, charging the newspaper owners with criminal conduct and finding them liable for damages. The owners sued the State in December 1996 for illegal search and seizure and claimed that their constitutional right to broadcast had been violated. In December 1997, the judge ruled that constitutional rights had not been violated, even though the owners could rightly claim significant delay; the judge found that the Government had not been inconsistent in this case, since it had not gran ... [Read More]
Antigua and Barbuda
The Government is secular and does not interfere with an individual’s right to worship. However, the Government maintains a close relationship with the Antigua Christian Council. The Prime Minister recently assumed responsibility for the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs. This previously obscure portfolio within the Ministry of Home Affairs was established upon independence in 1981. Under the new administration, the Prime Minister has raised this portfolio to prominence, indicating that his government "strongly advocates the involvement of the Christian community in every aspect of nation building and believes that the church and its leaders have a meaningful role to play." The Prime Minister is developing a new mission statement for the Ministry, which is expected to be released in the fall. Until now, the role of the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs has been to coordinate and facilitate greater interaction between churches, religious organizations, and the Government, ... [Read More]
Antigua & Barbuda
U.S. Department of State [Read More]
Antigua and Barbuda
Violence against women was treated as a matter of public concern, and nongovernmental social welfare groups focused on the problem. Women in many cases were reluctant to testify against their abusers. A 1999 Domestic Violence Act prohibits and provides penalties for domestic violence, as well as rape and other sexual offenses. Organizations such as the Government's Directorate of Gender Affairs sought to increase women's awareness of their rights under the law in cases of domestic violence. The Directorate of Gender Affairs instituted a domestic violence program that included training for police officers, magistrates, and judges. The Directorate also ran a domestic abuse hotline and worked with a nongovernmental organization (NGO) to provide safe havens for abused women and children. There were a number of active NGOs that addressed issues affecting women. ... [Read More]
Antigua and Barbuda (08/04)
The United States has maintained friendly relations with Antigua and Barbuda since its independence. The United States has supported the Government of Antigua and Barbuda's effort to expand its economic base and to improve its citizens' standard of living. However, concerns over the lack of adequate regulation of the financial services sector prompted the U.S. Government to issue a financial advisory for Antigua and Barbuda in 1999. The advisory was lifted in 2001, but the U.S. Government continues to monitor the Government of Antigua and Barbuda's regulation of financial services. The U.S. also has been active in supporting post-hurricane disaster assistance and rehabilitation through the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and the Peace Corps. U.S. assistance is primarily channeled through multilateral agencies such as the World Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and through the newly opened USAID satellite office in Brid ... [Read More]
|