Antigua and Barbuda, the little Caribbean island group made famous as home base for megascamster R. Allen Stanford, isn’t having a great year. After selling its soul to a fast-talking Ponzi schemer and watching the money it thought it had drain away it now finds itself in pretty dire financial straits and can’t even muster the cash to pay its public servant payroll.
But fear ye not, island people, because where rampant kapitalism has failed you rampant socialism will come and save the day….with money (!?!?). ALBA, the organization built around Hugo Chávez’s oil revenues to promote the cause in LatAm, has bailed out Antigua and Barbuda to the tune of U$50m so that ends are met and things stay afloat. A&B joined ALBA in June and has just got its first payoff for the decision.
All this does raise some interesting philosophical questions about the nature of money, politics, ideals and stuff like that. Unfortunately I’m too stupid to know what to make of it all (according to recent e-mails received, anyway) so work it out for yourselves.
Anyone for cricket?