Following the preliminary ruling by the WTO in favour of Antigua & Barbuda in its dispute with the United States over online gambling restrictions, Dr. Gilbert NMO Morris, Executive Director of The Landfall Centre for Finance, Trade & International Affairs has expressed strong support for the Caribbean jurisdiction's actions.
"I am pleased that Antigua and Barbuda have followed this course. I have been impressed over the last two years with its Foreign Affairs team led by Sir Ronald Sanders," commented Dr Gilbert.
He continued: "It follows Cayman's defence of its right in its suit against Britain's forced imposition of the EU Saving's Tax Directive. I am also pleased that Bermuda, Cayman and our friends in BVI have shown the maturity to begin working together as evidenced by the merger of two mainline law firms."
Dr. Morris added that, "these jurisdictions are leading the Caribbean. Antigua and Barbuda's ruling no matter what happens next is the first WTO ruling on the internet. They have therefore set collateral precedents and have by seeking this ruling in the first instance, an advancement in the rule of law internationally. And that gives the lie to those jurisdictions which continue to backtrack, ignore their constitutions as an inconvenience to capitulation, who readily and increasingly betray clients' interest by failing to think through their responses to the actions or impositions of larger nations or their sponsored surrogates in large organizations".
Antigua & Barbuda brought the case to the WTO in 2003, arguing that by restricting the internet gambling activities of US citizens, the United States was unfairly damaging the jurisdiction's economy, in contravention of the General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS).
Although the ruling is an interim judgement, with the final verdict not due until May, the US government has already announced its plans to appeal.
Speaking on behalf of the US Trade Representative's department last week, spokesman Richard Mills revealed that: "We intend to appeal and will argue vigorously that this deeply flawed panel report must be corrected by the appellate body."
A comprehensive report detailing the online gambling situation in the key offshore jurisdictions is available in the Tax-News Reports Shop at http://www.tax-news.com/reportshop/
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