Antigua Talks With US Over Gambling Dispute Must Start Over

The Finance Minister for Antigua and Barbuda had hoped that his meetings last week with the outgoing administration in the US would come to a head. He was hoping the two sides could have reached a settlement in their ongoing Internet gambling dispute.

That did not happen, although an agreement was close to getting done, and now Errol Cort is concerned that the two sides may have to start over with Obama's administration taking control today.

"These discussions would have been held over all of these months under a Republican administration and if we go into a new administration it will be new players. we will virtually need to start from scratch," said Cort last week when he flew to Washington to try to finalize a deal with the US.

Cort and the US are in the position of negotiating because Antigua and Barbuda are heavily reliant on the Internet gambling industry. The World Trade Organization ruled in favor of Antigua and Barbuda for $21 million annually in the trade dispute, but the US has ignored that ruling.

Both sides have been in negotiations throughout 2008, but they resulted in no agreement. Now, Cort is resigned to the fact that he will have to begin the process all over again with the new administration. That is something that could work to Antigua's benefit.

"Antigua and Barbuda should be pleased with the change of leadership in the US. The new administration will likely be much more receptive with finding common ground with the island nation that the previous administration," said observer Gary Greenwood.

Still, the negotiations will take time, and starting from scratch will delay the process of an agreement. Cort has not ruled out going back to the WTO for arbitration. That likely will only happen, however, if negotiations between Antigua and Barbuda and the US break down.

January 20, 2009
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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