Here it is January 2024 where most places in the world are shivering in rain, the cold and snow. In the Caribbean island of Antigua & Barbuda it’s 365 beaches are sunny and hot with the island getting ready for its annual migration of wealthy people from around the world not only to visit the island by plane or one of the huge cruise ships that arrive daily through St John’s the capitol but also to English Harbour the Unesco World Heritage Site that houses since the 17th Century the famous Nelson’s Dockyard the old stomping grounds of Horatio Nelson.

One of the most popular landmarks that can’t be missed in Antigua is the St. John’s Cathedral. First built in 1681 it was a wooden structure that was destroyed by earthquake in 1745 and later again in 1746 and then rebuilt out of English bricks. The present cathedral with its imposing white twin towers was built on fossilized reef in 1845. The planters called the Cathedral ‘Big Church’ and that it frightened as a symbol of English power. 

Recently whilst visiting Antigua & Barbuda I visited one of many casinos scattered mainly around St Johns the capitol.  Whilst there I was told that the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States are fighting over a 20 year gambling dispute that stated when Antigua and Barbuda developed an internet gambling industry to replace declining tourism revenues it found itself shut out of the world’s largest gambling market.

One of the new attractions that caught my eye on a recent 2023 return trip to Antigua and Barbuda was a store by the harbour-front selling cannabis.  The name is GROW Antigua & Barbuda Ltd, and its setting a new standard for medical cannabis in the Caribbean.

A month ago, tropical storm Philippe made landfall in Antigua with powerful lightning storms. It is speculated that one of these bolts of lightning hit what was the on-water commercial building of the Antigua Yacht Club Marina in English Harbour, on the southern point of the island.

Antigua and Barbuda is celebrating its 42nd anniversary of political independence from Britain on Wednesday with Prime Minister Gaston Browne saying that the past four decades have been “nothing short of extraordinary, marked by a myriad of challenges and continued progress.

In the heart of the Caribbean, a renewed discussion surrounding the region's air travel has emerged. The continued disruptions faced by inter-Caribbean Airways have cast a spotlight on the challenges of maintaining efficient connectivity in the Caribbean. As we navigate through these tumultuous times, it becomes increasingly evident that the Caribbean's unity and collective efforts must be reinvigorated.

As the vibrant rhythms of the Caribbean echo across the region, the anticipation for the World Creole Music Festival in the Commonwealth of Dominica is building to an exhilarating crescendo. From October 27th to 29th, 2023, Roseau will transform into a cultural haven, showcasing the rich tapestry of Creole music and heritage. Antiguans and Barbudans, with their deep-rooted connections to Dominica, eagerly anticipates this celebration of shared culture and history.