Re: Antigua will look after its own long term interests, not WSEX\'s ne
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"I don't think a one time buy out is what Antigua is looking for. Online gambling is a long-term high-profit industry for them that they would be permanently forfeiting with an agreement like that."
Clearly, you have no direct knowledge of Antigua or its economy. Online gaming is high-profit, but not for Antigua.
1. The income tax paid by the gaming industry in Antigua is ZERO, $0 whether USD or EC.... Only an annual license fee is required.
2. The type of employment offered to Antiguans is easily replicated by ANY call center operation from any industry.
3. Why wouldn't Antigua jump at the chance to develop a different industry, such as tourism or call centers in something other than gaming. The island is ripe for tourism, this "winning WTO hand" has chips which can be cashed in for development aid beyond the "long term" value you ascribe to an embattled gaming industry.
Besides, they could always keep the non-US facing industry.
Nope, I think the outcome may be good for Antigua but bad for US facing companies in Antigua, which is ironic.
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Milton,
Your analysis and *theory* here ignores a couple points.
1) Even if online gaming is an untaxed industry in Antigua, it provides *jobs* to its citizens and *long-term*. One time payments have to be massive to cover the long term.
2) Antigua, despite being to many in the world some piss-ant island looking for a handout, probably actually takes its sovereignty seriously (it could have just stayed a dependancy of the UK and kept sucking on the Queen's teat). This sovereignty will best be demonstrated to the world by long term trade concessions, and not one time payoffs.
3) Antigua probably cares about its reputation in the gaming industry, and thus probably isn't as likely as you think to sell out companies doing business in the US.
Obviously anything is possible, but I doubt that Jay with his inside knowledge of Antigua, would be here touting their cause if he thought Antigua was just looking for a payoff prior to giving his former partners the boot.
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