Antigua and U.S. Agree to New Deadline Re Online Casino Dispute
Antigua has bent over backwards to try to resolve its trade conflict with the United States. Even after receiving a judgement by the World Trade Organization against the U.S. for $21 million annually, the island nation has extended deadlines on negotiations as to the penalty should be paid, and ignored U.S. truculence and foot-dragging regarding the dispute.
As of today, a new deadline has been agreed to by both countries, establishing this Friday as the point at which negotiation shall cease. Antiguan Finance Minister Dr. Errol Cort still spoke optimistically, saying a resolution could be reached by the June 20th date.
Damages are due to Antigua as a result of U.S. policy effectively blocking Antiguan online casinos from the American market while local casinos offer the same services, a protectionist violation of free trade.
Cort said that face-to-face meetings with U.S. trade representatives could allow amicable resolution to the dispute by Friday.
A spokesman for the office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Antigua and the U.S. were trying hard to achieve a good faith settlement, and the extra time might allow such an end to occur.
The truth is that the U.S. has ignored the Antiguan situation from the start. Trade violations were committed in an offhand manner, the complaint to the WTO was viewed as a joke, and virtually no attempt was made to resolve the issue by the deadline the WTO had set. Antigua should forget negotiation and pursue legal resolution through the WTO'S court as agressively as possible.
