CARIBARENA Antigua & Barbuda

The year has undoubtedly left a significant and sizeable imprint on the history of this country. It has virtually cut a new path in the journey towards the successful development of our nation and the improvement of the lives of our people.

There is no year in recent memory that has had such a profound impact on the way of life of Antiguans and Barbudans.

In the short space of time that Caribarena has been in existence, just around a year to be exact, we have managed to capture in our daily reporting some of those events and the personalities that in many ways created the defining moments of 2009

Together they have embodied the myriad circumstances over the past 12 months that have served to characterise one of the most memorable periods in our history.

It was an election year, and politics always dominates the landscape in Antigua and Barbuda, poll or poll not.

An intense campaign led to a tense battle that ultimately ended in a very close result.

Former Prime Minister Lester Bird’s re-entry into the House of Parliament, if not for anyone else, was certainly a poignant moment for him personally.



Not for everyone though, especially his nemesis, Dr Errol Cort, and many UPP supporters, following a hard-fought election season. In the UPP, Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer seemed to have a difficult time holding things together, as a letter from Wilmoth Daniel sharing his deep discontent with how he was being treated crept into the public spotlight, exposing signs of divisions in Cabinet.

The election drama will not soon depart, as the outcome of the election petition cases will continue to stoke the political fires in Antigua and Barbuda in the New Year.

It seemed in less than a wink that Antigua and Barbuda’s economic fortunes took a turn for the worse, with the sudden arrival of the International Monetary Fund on the country’s doorsteps. Before that however, there was no bigger story this year than the arrest of billionaire investor Sir Allen Stanford.

The fallout caused severe dislocation as hundreds lost their jobs, putting even more stress on what was turning out rapidly to be a troubled economy.  Finance Minister Harold Lovell was asked to handle all this, and the British American debacle - still largely unresolved as many who invested their life savings in the company lamented their huge losses.

One other story competed with the headlines of crime and the economy. Joey “Hungry Bird” Medica and six American tourists made life quite interesting for many of us in 2009, giving the authorities reasons to look seriously at the tourism product.

Rising crime kept  law enforcement authorities quite busy, as there seemed to be no end or solution to the unceasing incidents of rape and armed robberies. The year ended with some 16 murders, two more than 2008.

But even as the cloud of adversity swept across the political and economic landscape, there were reasons to celebrate.

There was none grander than in the arena of sports, as Daniel “Bakka” Bailey carried his nation into the well-needed positive spotlight by speeding his way to becoming the fourth fastest man in the world in 2009 at the IAAF World Championships.

The Independence celebrations, though low-keyed, gave us occasion to join in celebrating all those who made a contribution to national development.

The father of the nation, Sir Vere Cornwall Bird, was given his due with appropriate centennial celebrations in recognition of his lifetime of work in uplifting his people and developing his beloved nation.


There was pause for a moment as the shock was felt around the world at the sudden passing of international music star Michael Jackson. But a star was being made here in Antigua as Tian Winter accomplished only what Claudette CP Peter has done before, winning double crowns on the soca stage.

We now step from the old into the new, guided by the wisdom of perspective and the knowledge of experience.

The past behind us, we at Caribarena were indeed happy to be a part of the effort to record and share the events as they happened on this small stage. The year ended with bright prospects as the subregion came together in the formation of an Economic Union.

It is then to the future we look, as we invite you to take a look at some of those stories, features, and events captured on video and featured on our site that coloured the year 2009. We look forward to doing the very same in 2010, wishing you God’s blessings and a bright and prosperous NewYear.

Below you can see a gallery of all the top stories for 2009. This gallery will "slide" all on its own, so just kick back, relax, and enjoy the show! If you would like to view the story, just click on it!