The majestic islands of Antigua and Barbuda were not spared by the onslaught of the effects of COVID-19. Despite the commendable efforts of the government to contain its spread, the pandemic’s global effects, especially to the travel industry, has gravely affected the Caribbean tourist destination.
Helping Antigua and Barbuda recover
Ambassador Dario Item, the country’s official representative to Spain, Monaco, and Liechtenstein, recognizes that his country still needs help. He, along with other Antigua and Barbuda’s diplomats across Europe, have been proactively fundraising to bolster the country’s capabilities and catalyze its return to normalcy.
Dr. Dario Item, Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda for Spain, Liechtenstein, and Monaco, uses his vast network and experience to come up with dynamic approaches in dealing with the lasting economic effects of the pandemic in the country. He is a member of the caucus of European-based diplomats tasked to help Antigua and Barbuda get back on its feet. This committee has already made gains in terms of organizing, advocating, and delivering resources for the basic sectors of Antigua and Barbuda.
The group leveraged their location and connections to put together a much needed aide integral to the different support groups of Antigua and Barbuda.
Ongoing COVID-19 fundraising
The group has already donated essentials for the frontliners at Mount St John’s Medical Center. By combining their influence and resources, they were able to lend a hand to the healthcare workers, a sector that the diplomats revere as very important. To prove this, their donation was able to cover every healthcare worker that worked in MSJMC. They were able to muster a total of 500 parcels which included antibacterial soaps, deodorants, vitamin C supplements, multivitamin syrup, and energy bars.
The need for these ongoing efforts are far from over though. H.E. Dr. Dario Item plays a pivotal role in making the activity come to fruition through his continuous efforts to garner help from countries and principalities of which he has connections such as Spain, Liechtenstein and Monaco.
Another positive aspect of the project was that all donated items were sourced out from local suppliers. Antigua Distillery Ltd and Frank B. Armstrong Distributors were the partner businesses of the caucus for the event. This was a much-needed boost for the local industries of the Caribbean Country. During the event, E.P. Chet Greene, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, displayed enthusiasm for the program and committed that his diplomats will continue their effort to support frontline workers.
This would not be the last of the European Caucus of Antigua and Barbuda Ambassadors and other diplomats. The committee followed up their crusade to reinvigorate Antigua and Barbuda by donating to the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda (RPFAB). Their donations came in the form of care packages, office equipment, computers, and a laptop to support a member of the youth with special care needs.
During this particular round of donations by the committee, a total of twenty Hewlett Packard desktops, twenty uninterruptible power supply devices, two office printers, and around 1,000 care packages were distributed. Included in the care packages were hygiene, health, and wellness items.
Dr. Dario Item considers the initial rounds of donations as a success, but he also knows that the work is far from over. He, along with the European Caucus, continues to work with support groups to channel the resources to the appropriate sectors of Antigua and Barbuda.
Leading country in the region in terms of safety and security
The country continues to be one of the leading tourist destinations in the region. It is not only known for its pristine beaches, but for its safety and security. Its people enjoy a great quality of life and have excellent travel links making it easy for anyone to visit anytime in the year.
With its little or no exposure to large-scale security concerns, such as terrorism, cybercrime, and money laundering, Antigua and Barbuda remains one of the safest countries in the Caribbean region. With its people’s resilience, together with a little boost from the rest of us especially during these tough times, we can ensure that the country will bounce back from the economic impacts of COVID-19. The country has also recently launched its Nomad Digital Residence Programme (NDR) on top of its Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) to cater for all who want to invest in Antigua and Barbuda, so there are plenty of ways we can help it recover.
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