Talk Antigua

It is unfortunate that steps have been taken to revoke Stanford’s knighthood.

Texas billionaire, Allen Stanford was knighted by the Queen on recommendation from the government of Antigua and Barbuda, for his role as a top flight businessman in the twin island state, and his sterling contribution not only to Antiguans, but the Caribbean as a whole for promoting cricket.

Stanford businesses in Antigua, including airlines, the Caribbean Star, and the Caribbean Sun, the commercial bank, the Antigua Sunnewspaper, the gaming industry, and several other enterprises that have employed hundreds of Antiguans.

Apart from his business ventures, the flamboyant Texan had spent tens millions of dollars in promoting cricket in 22 countries in the Caribbean. Large sums of moneys were paid out to the cricket boards and associations throughout the region as well as Bahamas, Cayman Islands and Bermuda to refurbish grounds and pavilions. He had also paid the so-called West Indies cricket legends in the likes of Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Vivian Richards, Courtney Walsh, Curtley Ambrose, Lance Gibbs, Andy Roberts, and others, fantastic salaries merely to use their names as Legends and for them to make guest appearances at presentation ceremonies at various islands.

The flamboyant billionaire was the man who promoted Twenty/20 cricket in the region to bring it to the high level by his annual regional tounrment in which he handed out fantastic prizes never experienced in this part of the world.

Guyana won the first million dollar prize followed by Trinidad and Tobago, not to mention the $20 million won by the West Indians, only weeks before Stanford was arrested.

And hours before the announcement was made by the Chairperson of the National Honours Committee in Antigua, Jacqui Quinn-Leandro, that she has advised the Governor General to revoke Stanford’s knighthood since he has brought disrpute to the national honours, the Associated Press reported that the brash Texan was involved in a Ponzi Scheme built on lies, and bribery.

Trinidad and Tobago skipper, Darren Ganga, who led his team to the semi final in the Twenty/20 tournament in India and successfully defended the twin island republic in the recently concluded regional fifty over tournament praised Stanford for his role in promoting regional cricket.

Stanford is not the only British awardee to be disgraced, Lord Archer was jailed for perjury and was not required to give up his peerage and several convicted persons in the Commonwealth are recepients of British awards after receiving their convictions.

Cricket lover Stanford was nominated by the Lester Bird administration for his knighthood and one wonders if Bird had won this year’s elections, if steps would have been taken to strip the 59 year old Texan of his knighthood.

I understand that the Palace does not revoke honours unless a request is made to do so

Source: Caribbean Net News