Since 2003, the United States and the tiny archipelago of Antigua and Barbuda have been involved in a major dispute regarding online gambling. It began after the US shut Antigua and Barbuda out from its online gambling industry – a harsh move considering that the twin-island state had managed to build up its online gambling industry to replace declining tourism revenues.
Antigua and Barbuda took the case to the World Trade Organization, and after a while was awarded the right to compensation when judges ruled that the US had passed discriminatory laws against a WTO member. The US was ordered to pay Antigua and Barbuda $21 million annually in compensation. While the WTO ruled that Antigua could use trade sanctions as a way to get recoup their losses, they decided instead to go for a settlement.
Fast forward over 15 years and Washington is still dragging its feet regarding the payout. Antigua and Barbuda are desperate to settle the case once and for all, since they claim to have lost more than a quarter of their annual GDP so far – or $315 million.
Now, Antigua and Barbuda are mulling their options once more to see how they can get back the money owed to them. One of the methods suggested was seeking a mediated solution.
The Antiguan ambassador to the United States, Ronald Sanders, was quoted by Reuters as saying that the country had hoped that a “sense of justice and fairness would prevail”.
However, he said, the country was “losing all hope”.
“After a long period of exhausting attempts to engage the United States, Antigua and Barbuda is now contemplating, once again, approaching the (WTO) Director-General… to join in seeking a mediated solution that would bring much needed relief after these arduous 15 years of damage to our economy,” he said.
The situation has been exacerbated by Hurricane Irma which battered Barbuda and caused extensive damage. The millions owed to Antigua and Barbuda would go a long way in helping the country repairing some of the damage.
In response, the US Ambassador, Dennis Shea told a WTO meeting in September last year that Antigua and Barbuda had “extreme demands”, and the US was not ready to settle with monetary payments.
Sanders noted: “All of Antigua and Barbuda’s attempts, in a spirit of good faith, have failed.” This is perhaps why the island state is now pushing for a mediated solution.
