Antigua and Barbuda’s Parliament has ratified a 30-year-old trade and cooperation agreement between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Republic of Colombia, with support from both government and opposition MPs who underscored the urgent need for stronger regional alliances amid growing external trade pressures.
Opposition MP Richard Lewis of St John’s Rural West rose in the Lower House on Monday to offer his full support for the resolution, questioning why it had taken successive administrations over three decades to formalize an agreement originally signed in Cartagena, Colombia, on 24 July 1994.
“I rise, Mr Speaker, to lend support to this resolution,” Lewis stated. “We have to find ways to cooperate with our region — Central and South America. With the tariff issues being discussed roundabout, we have to find ways to protect ourselves.”
Lewis emphasized that expanding cooperation with Colombia was not only strategic but also deeply beneficial, especially in the area of healthcare. “Our cooperation with Colombia has been enhanced, as we all know, with Colombia facilitating cancer patients from Antigua and Barbuda, and we are indeed grateful for the assistance granted,” he said.
Referencing Colombia’s established reputation in oncology, Lewis called the agreement a timely move and urged swifter action on similar initiatives in the future. “When these opportunities are afforded us, we should try and exploit them in a more timely basis rather than being so tardy,” he urged, adding, “This spans several administrations.”
Tourism and Aviation Minister Charles Fernandez, presenting the resolution on behalf of the Foreign Affairs Minister, echoed the call for diversification of Antigua and Barbuda’s economic partnerships, especially in the face of rising tariffs from larger trading partners, notably the United States.
“Bearing in mind what we’re facing in terms of tariffs coming from our northern neighbor, which is by far our largest trading partner, it is important that we now seek to strengthen these trade agreements between other markets. Hence the importance of this resolution,” Fernandez told Parliament.
He said the agreement aims to deepen commercial, economic, and technical cooperation between CARICOM and Colombia, improving international competitiveness and advancing regional integration.
Beyond trade, Fernandez pointed to potential growth in tourism from Latin America and stressed that Antigua and Barbuda had already taken steps to enhance its border security infrastructure. “We just completed our paperless border entry forms… and one of the key things that is coming out of that is the whole aspect of security,” he said.
He also confirmed that several key government departments, including the Attorney General’s Chambers, police, immigration, customs, and tourism officials, were involved in reviewing and preparing for the implementation of the agreement.
“This is what we are doing, and we will continue to ensure that we have the strongest border protection into Antigua and Barbuda,” Fernandez added before putting the resolution to the House.
The resolution was seconded and passed without opposition.