Antigua Deadline to Settle Online Gambling Damage by U.S. Reset
Antigua drew a line in the sand last week with a deadline of Friday, June 20th, and told the United States that a failure to realize an agreement on settling damages incurred by Antigua's online casinos due to the loss of American business by that date would be unacceptable.
Then the date passed, the U.S. crossed the figurative line in the sand, and Antigua allowed the bully to push it into extending the deadline yet again, this time to July 11th.
Talks between Antiguan Finance Minister Dr. Errol Cort, Antiguan Ambassador to the World Trade Organization John Ashe, and Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador John Veroneau are ongoing.
Dr. Cort asserted that progress has been made, but many issues remain to be resolved. He asked for the patience of the citizens of Antigua and the nation's online gambling industry as attempts are made to reach a comprehensive settlement.
Cort acknowledged that the process had encountered many delays and extensions, and stated the new deadline was purposely set in the immediate future to keep urgency in the discussions.
Still, it seems as if all the compromise has been on Antigua's part. The need for continuous extensions falls to the disregard the U.S. has displayed for first the initial complaint by Antigua, and then the award of damages to Antigua by the World Trade Organization.
The U.S. is still practicing the same protectionist policies and ignoring free trade treaties which it has signed. Antigua would be well within its rights to forego any further negotiation and begin their own disregard for American international property rights granted to them by the WTO.
