( Real News Antigua) Damani Tabor, public relations officer for the United Progressive
Party (UPP), is unhappy with this year’s timeframe for the Ten Dollar
Barrel Initiative.
The programme, which was started under the UPP as the Dollar
Barrel Initiative, has now increased to $10 and more per barrel on
account of the additional charges associated with clearing Customs.
On Wednesday, November 8, the Cabinet agreed that, this year, the
initiative will commence on December 1 and run until December 31.
It has been customary that the programme runs until the early half
of January in the following year.
While the leaders of other countries have bent over backwards to
assist their citizens, Tabor says that, under the Gaston Browne
Administration, the people of Antigua and Barbuda continue to
struggle.
He says the barrel programme is starting late and ending quite early
when compared to other islands with similar initiatives, whose
programmes run until February in the new year.
According to Tabor, since residents have not received any
meaningful assistance since the COVID-19 pandemic, the
Administration ought to be ramping up its relief offerings at this
time.
The UPP spokesman says the Government should be more liberal
with its ABST-free weekend relief initiative – another brainchild of
the UPP – for the Christmas season.
However, he is asking that the announcement be made early so that
the people can plan their budgets.
