Several indicators have shown renewed interest by our U.S. neighbors in the Caribbean Basin small Islands.

Only recently some Caribbean Ports were given a monetary incentive toward Port development, and now a big American conglomerate is seriously considering Antigua as a strategic location, to establish an International Base for the movement of Cargo between the world, the Caribbean, and South America.

Clearly Antigua’s logistically strategic position in the Caribbean chain of islands has over the years been noted and used, first by the British, and later handed over to the U.S. who solidified the use and the strategic location with a Military Base which grew by Air, Sea, Land, and ultimately Space, thereby bringing Antigua into the futuristic Space Race.

The U.S. over the past 80 years put Antigua and Runway 10(Disused) back into the strategic prominence of its marine history with Nelson & The Dockyard. So really, now, U.S. big business is doing what is fairly normal regarding U.S. operations in the developing world, exploiting the benefits where a global route has been established.

The major benefits to Antigua and the Caribbean in having an International Cargo Base connecting us all by Air to major suppliers globally, can only speed up our islands’ development, thereby reducing time and cost.

Additionally, business builds relationships among countries, through the closeness that good business demands., and we certainly can do with some relationship building with the U.S. at this time in our history.

In order to serve the Caribbean, it is clear that the movement of cargo in our region requires immediate improvement.

To balance the bid by Barbados re Cargo movements by sea, airfreight must be considered at the same time, recognizing that we have been talking for a long time about a regional cargo airfreight airline.

Of course having the Cargo Base located in Antigua will allow for the spill over of jobs, small business activity, serious expansion of bulk suppliers on island, and the establishing of a regional cargo airline.

In the same way that PANAM & BOAC launched Tourism which now serves the island, so not only can an International Cargo Base bring enormous returns to Antigua & Barbuda, but the Caribbean & Latin America to the world.