Page 40 - Caribbean-Central America Profile 2018

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

CARIBBEAN-CENTRAL AMERICA PROFILE 2018

Starting a Business - Registration Requirements:
No: Procedure Time to complete: Costs
1 Search and reserve company name 3 days EC 25
2 Retain a lawyer to prepare the incorporation documents 1 day included in procedure 3
Register with the Intellectual Property and Commerce Office
3 10 days EC 3,230
(receive the certificate of incorporation)
4 Make a company seal 5 days EC 200
Apply for a taxpayer identification number (register the
5* 3 days (simultaneous with previous procedure) no charge
company for taxes)
6* Register for VAT/ABST identification number 1 day (simultaneous with previous procedure) no charge

7 Register for medical benefits 1 day no charge
8 Register for social security and education levy 1 day no charge
* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure Source: The World Bank Group

TRADE AGREEMENTS AND the opposition, recognized constitutionally, is MINISTRIES
INVESTMENT TREATIES responsible for advising the Governor General Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries
Antigua and Barbuda has signed trade on the appointment of the remaining four and Barbuda Affairs
agreements and is a member of: senators to represent the opposition in the Government Office Complex
• WTO Senate. The legal system is based on English Queen Elizabeth Highway
St. John’s, Antigua
• CARICOM law. The Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal has Tel: (268) 462-1213
exclusive original jurisdiction and an appellate
• CARIFORUM – European Community jurisdiction consisting of a Chief Justice and Fax: (268) 462-6104
• CARICOM – Colombia / Venezuela / Costa five justices. E-mail: minagri@antigua.gov.ag
Rica / Dominican Republic Ministry of Education, Science and
• OECS ELECTIONS Technology
General elections were held in Antigua and Government Office Complex
It has signed Bilateral Investment Treaties with Barbuda on 12 June 2014. The Antigua Labour Queen Elizabeth Highway
Germany and the United Kingdom St. John’s, Antigua
Party led by Gaston Browne won 14 of 17 seats;
while the UPP won the other three seats. The Tel: (268) 462-0192
GOVERNMENT Fax: (268) 462-4970
The bicameral Parliament consists of the next general election is due in 2019.
seventeen-member House of Representatives, Ministry of Finance & Corporate
responsible for introducing legislation, and GOVERNMENT LEADERS Governance
the seventeen-member Senate, which reviews Governor General Parliament Drive
and gives assent to proposed legislation. Dr. Rodney Williams St. John’s, Antigua
Representatives are elected by popular vote Government House Tel: (268) 462-2922
in general elections that are constitutionally Independence Drive Fax: (268) 462-6398
mandated every five years but may be called St. John’s, Antigua Ministry of Health and The Environment
earlier. Senators are appointed by the Governor Tel: (268) 462-0003 Popeshead Street.
General. The major figures in Parliament Fax: (268) 462-2482 St. John’s, Antigua
and the government come from the House of Tel: (268) 562-3637
Representatives. The Prime Minister is the E-mail: contact@governmenthouseab.org Fax: (268) 462-5003
leader of the party that holds the majority of Prime Minister
seats in the House; the Opposition Leader is Hon. Gaston Browne Attorney General and Ministry of Justice
the representative, appointed by the Governor and Legal Affairs, Public Safety and Labour
General, who appears to have the greatest support Government Office Complex Government Office Complex
of those members opposed to the majority Queen Elizabeth Highway Parliament Drive
government. The Prime Minister creates an St. John’s, Antigua St. John’s, Antigua
executive government and advises the Governor Tel: (268) 462-4956 Tel: (268) 462-0017
General on the appointments to thirteen of the Fax: (268) 462-3225 Fax: (268) 462-2465
seventeen seats in the Senate. The leader of E-mail: pmo@antigua.gov.ag E-mail: legalaffairs@antigua.gov.ag

B-4 Caribbean-Central American Action