The Chinese are bribing their way into the Caribbean in much the same way as in Africa. Many of the islands have new cricket stadiums courtesy of the Chinese. Antigua’s stadium is named after Sir Vivian Richards and cost the Chinese $60m to build (it is pictured at the top of this page). These new stadiums have no atmosphere being all concrete and nowhere as nice as the old ones which were probably death traps being rather rickety and with no thought given to emergency exits.
We have seen new stadiums in Barbados, Dominica and here in Antigua, they are “stadiums”, definitely not cricket grounds. I seem to be unlucky as I did hope to watch a match whilst I was here but it seems to be closed season. One very positive move, the under 19’s Cricket World Cup takes place in the West Indies at the end of January, there is no charge for entry (although you must have a covid pass). Perhaps this will encourage a revival in WI cricket.
There is a big development project taking place here in Antigua. The Antigua and Barbuda development zone, 2,000 acres of what is prime coastline, where the Chinese have been given a license to establish their own special economic zone for a new community, residents and businesses will benefit from tax waivers.
They are supposedly going to invest $740m in the project building hotels, a golf course and fishing businesses. There is a fancy entrance but no one in the gatehouse, the road beyond seemed unmade and at present it looks like a white elephant but if they were to go ahead presumably they could bring in Chinese staff, keep all the foreign currency income and contribute nothing to the local economy, not good. It seems just like the Concession Areas in Shanghai in the early 1900’s where the Europeans had their own areas in China, perhaps the Chinese are getting their own back.
To show their intent they are building a new embassy, it is huge, bigger than the Antigua Governments own buildings (two pictures). The locals say the government are effectively in debt to the Chinese so give them whatever they want to avoid the debts being called in.
The sign in the picture is from a lovely Caribbean shack which does a very nice goat curry.
I mentioned a few days ago that we were going to be picked up by boat so we could visit a fancy Italian restaurant, well the bastards did not pick us up and claimed their boat was broken but despite knowing where we are staying and having our email address they did not let us know. There was Mrs Lucas in her fancy frock waiting by the quayside only to be disappointed. In the event we went to an equally posh restaurant within walking distance. I wrote a “Terrible” review on Trip Advisor much to the annoyance of the owner and I am pleased to say it knocked them off the top spot for English Harbour, serves him right.
On Wednesday night we visited Hummus Antigua, a vegetarian establishment, the hummus was very good as a starter but of course that’s all they do so it was not great. On Thursday day we went next door, Flatties Flame, who specialise in BBQ’d meat, if the two restaurants got together it would be ideal although I somehow doubt the vegetarians would agree. In fact they also disagree on music having rival sound systems which I find a bit annoying. Their pictures are below.