Antigua and Barbuda, 1992

Exactly 500 years ago, in 1492,

two worlds collided. That collision completely altered the fate of human

civilization and the destinies of the two peoples involved. One people

achieved ascending heights; the other virtually disappeared. What remains of

the indigenous populations of the Caribbean, or much of the "new world",

serves as a measurement of man's ability to be brutish in the pursuit of

wealth. My Caribbean island country has been more than a witness of change in

the 500-year decline, transformation and recreation of the region. From

conquest through slavery, from colonial hegemony to political independence,

Antigua and Barbuda has been a maker of history in the Caribbean and, indeed,

in the larger region.

In 1992, however, our country stands, with the rest of the world, on the

threshold of yet another momentous collision. This time the collision is

between human civilization and nature; this time there are no ascending

heights; this time humanity itself could disappear.

For 500 years, from Columbus to Rio, our forests and our oceans, our air

and our lands - the Earth's gifts to humanity have been wrongly regarded as

inexhaustible and unchanging. "If Columbus uncovered our Earth's expanse, Rio

revealed its limits." Humanity, all agree, cannot march along on its present

course for another 500 years. In fact, humanity cannot proceed with business

as usual for even another 100 years. Island countries, like my own and others

in the Caribbean and in the Pacific, stand in real danger of being submerged

by swollen oceans. Moreover, global warming, insidious climate change,

ozone-layer depletion, the loss of forests and other dangers threaten

humanity's very existence.

Dramatic changes in the systems of production, distribution and disposal

are required of the industrialized countries if we are to save ourselves.

Developed countries cannot consume the Earth's resources at current rates;

developing countries cannot be made to languish in the dusty exhaust of

rapidly accelerating technological societies. Sustainable development that

takes account of environmental costs must begin to guide humanity's

technological future. Only the United Nations and its General Assembly can

construct the new world which, in Rio, this family of nations agreed to

commence building immediately.

It is thus fitting that, in 1992, a representative of Bulgaria has been

selected to preside over the General Assembly at its forth-seventh session.

His nation is taking part in a great regional experiment, the outcome of which

is sure to influence the course of human civilization worldwide. Antigua and

Barbuda hails Bulgaria for its courage, and I pledge the full support of my

delegation for the President throughout the forty-seventh session of the

General Assembly.

Permit me to applaud the outgoing President, Mr. Samir Shihabi of Saudi

Arabia, for his unfailing efforts to bring reform to the United Nations and

for his diligence during Saudi Arabia's year-long tenure. This community owes

Mr. Shihabi a debt that can be repaid only through a continuous effort to

strengthen the General Assembly during the coming years. We must focus our

efforts on economic, social and humanitarian matters with no less vigour than

is currently directed at political and security concerns. Antigua and Barbuda

can be relied upon to promote the multilateral approach to problem solving,

confident that multilateralism will always prove to be superior.

In that regard, it may be recalled that when we commenced the forty-sixth

session of the General Assembly one year ago Haiti was free. The first

democratically elected President of Haiti stood at this podium. The United

Nations had contributed to the ending of tyranny in the Caribbean's oldest but

poorest Republic, and all delegations celebrated with President Aristide.

Ten days after President Aristide"s triumphant declaration in this Hall,

tyranny once again raised its ugly head in our sister Caribbean isle. The

military plotters who brutally seized power in Haiti one year ago are still on

their perch. But this Assembly will never rest until democracy is restored

and Haiti's people are again free.

Antigua and Barbuda, working within the framework established by the

Organization of American States, will continue to press for the expansion of

sanctions in order to isolate further the military regime in Haiti and to

return Haiti to democracy. If we do not succeed quickly in Haiti, the United

Nations will risk tarnishing its well-earned reputation for being able to

tackle exceedingly complex problems in extremely violent situations in other

corners of the globe.

In South Africa, for example. United Nations sanctions have assisted in

bringing the apartheid regime to the negotiating table. It was 46 years ago,

in 1946, that India brought the question of apartheid in South Africa to the

attention of the United Nations; today, 179 Member States are anxious to see

legalized racism exorcized from the body politic.

Twelve weeks ago, when the Security Council convened to seek a solution

to the violence in South Africa, my delegation gave notice to the racist

regime that any attempt on its part to delay the establishment of democracy in

South Africa by fomenting violence would cause us to press for the

reintroduction of the sanctions that had been relaxed. We repeat our pledge

today. While they praise the courage of those who have entered into

constitutional talks, my countrymen will never lose sight of the fact that

apartheid is an evil whose demise the world's peoples eagerly await. Until

apartheid is eliminated. South Africa will continue to be excluded from this

family of nations.

Antigua and Barbuda takes this opportunity to welcome to our family the

12 newly independent nations that have emerged with the end of the cold war

and the collapse of an empire. Island countries in the Caribbean gained their

independence, beginning 30 years ago, during the decline of another empire.

It is thus with a shared sense of exhilaration that we welcome Armenia,

Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,

the Republic of Moldova, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to

membership of the United Nations. It may be too late to caution our new

Members to avoid the pitfalls of fierce nationalism and unharnessed ethnic

rivalry. Both inevitably lead to fractious and violent turmoil, which, we

know, surely end without victors. All multiracial and multi-ethnic societies

must learn to settle historic and current differences peacefully.

Notwithstanding the domestic discord which may obtain following the

arrival of independence, small nations which dwell in the geopolitical shadow

of a giant must be forever diligent in protecting their sovereignty. The

United Nations, fostering as it does respect for international law, remains

the most certain guarantor of a small nation's independence.

Knowing the importance of the United Nations, therefore, we work towards

fashioning a system which responds favourably to the interests of even the

least among equals. Our world parliament cannot become, and must not ever

appear to have become, the handmaiden of a few powerful Member States. The

integrity of the United Nations lies in the ability of even its smallest

Member to participate meaningfully in shaping United Nations policy.

Antigua and Barbuda thus welcomes San Marino to membership in this our

family of nations. As our smallest Member State, San Marino bears a special

responsibility to pronounce on the responsiveness of the United Nations to the

initiatives of the less powerful. Antigua and Barbuda pledges its fullest

co-operation with the delegation of San Marino, now and in the future.

We also congratulate the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, on

demonstrating a willingness to speak boldly concerning matters to which

insufficient attention has been paid. United Nations leadership must chart a

course which promotes peace, justice and freedom wherever these cherished

human values are in danger of disappearing.

The danger to cherished human values is also manifested in

underdevelopment. Island developing countries, and other small countries,

must look increasingly to the multilateral institutions for varied assistance

in finding solutions to vexing problems. The United Nations system cannot

reduce its economic and social development roles without adversely affecting

prevailing material conditions.

Notwithstanding this admonition, our experience confirms that development

is also greatly influenced by good governance and the intelligent use of

scarce resources, including investment capital. While we have relied and will

continue to rely on ourselves to provide good governance, our investment

capital has to be imported. Our small size, however, puts us at the mercy of

the major capital markets, over which Antigua and Barbuda, like other small

countries, exercises not one iota of control. The United Nations, aware of

the special disadvantages that are inherent in the small island developing

country, must respond in a manner which appropriately reflects these

circumstances.

My delegation thus takes this opportunity to commend highly the United

Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Its funding of, and support for, a

number of beneficial projects within my region earns it great applause.

However, we continue to object to the use of the per capita gross national

product (GNP) device for determining development status and funding

eligibility of small island countries. For large countries, the device is

perfect. It was devised with large countries in mind. But when applied to a

small island country, the per capita GNP device results in a distortion.

The measurement device fails to take into account the much higher cost

per person which small populations incur for routine services that are

provided at minimal cost to large populations, even large populations in poor

countries. It fails to reflect the inherent inability of our embryonic

manufacturing industries to penetrate major markets because their production

levels reflect small size. It fails to reward good governance and sacrifice,

preferring instead to believe the fiction that a well-run small island

developing country has graduated, is developed and, hence, in need of no

assistance because a distorted per capita GNP device so determines. We are

flattered to be regarded as developed, but that characterization is

inaccurate. We reject the per capita GNP device and therefore call for the

use of more reliable indicators when assistance to small island developing

countries is contemplated.

In projects relating to improvement of the environment, small island

developing countries have been successful in persuading their larger partners

to accept the fact that their unique vulnerabilities require special

consideration. In this regard, Antigua and Barbuda, in its country report to

the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED),

identified high-priority areas pertaining to its heritage resources that

require special assistance. It is our hope that the UNDP and its capacity 21

funding mechanism will be persuaded to acknowledge our special needs.

Antigua and Barbuda applauds the United Nations Development Fund for

Women (UNIFEM) for its very compelling promotion of the rights of women. It

takes no special effort for my small island developing country to recognize

that successful development requires the unhindered contribution of every

able-bodied adult, regardless of gender. The elimination of de facto

discrimination against women is therefore of paramount importance in my

country and my region. UNIFEM, an active partner in the development process,

can rely upon Antigua and Barbuda's solid commitment to its universal

objective of empowering women in order to strengthen development and to ensure

that justice is gender-blind.

The injustices heaped upon the heads of the world's indigenous peoples

must also quickly cease. To that end, the United Nations has declared 1993

the International Year for the World's Indigenous People. In December 1993

progress made will be measured by deeds, not words. National legislation and

funded projects which are intended to ensure the continued survival of the

indigenous peoples that inhabit remote corners of the Earth must be in place.

Having lost the indigenous Arawaks and Caribs of Antigua and Barbuda beginning

in 1492, my country is duty-bound to ensure that powerless indigenous people

who have inhabited the lands of their ancestors for many millennia are

adequately protected by the United Nations.

Each year, Antigua and Barbuda brings to the attention of the Assembly

the state of affairs prevailing on Earth's last uninhabited continent

Antarctica. Last year, we applauded when the 26 voting members of the

Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties entered into a binding agreement

forbidding mining and oil exploration on Antarctica for 50 years, until the

year 2040. Although the agreement successfully curbs this generation's

cupidity, we believe that Antarctica must never become the possession of large

States only. Transforming Antarctica into a world park or protected area

under the umbrella of United Nations control would be a more certain guarantee

of its preservation.

During the past year, more human beings died of starvation and violence

in Somalia than the entire population of my country. Tens of thousands more

will die in the coming months by self-inflicted violence complicated by the

ravages of nature. The United Nations, recognizing the desperation of

Somalia's 4.5 million people, must further increase its efforts to find a

solution to the crisis.

On the question of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Nations has spared

no effort to end the crisis. The European Community is apparently determined

that some crises require more than a regional response. Those of us from

Latin America and the Caribbean, whose regional organization has addressed the

intractable question of Haiti with little success, have the benefit of the

European experience as a guide.

My country rejoices with the Central American countries as peace blankets

their region. The sound of working hands has replaced the sound of working

guns, we are told. If future civil war is to be prevented, however, the

economic systems which prevail in Central America must become far more

inclusive: the sharing of wealth must result in more than a trickle going to

the poor.

The trickling flow of peace in the Middle East is most heart-warming.

Antigua and Barbuda applauds the Israelis and the Palestinians for finally

sitting down together and negotiating their future. It is our hope that,

soon, Israel will be allowed to exist within secure and accepted borders and

that the Palestinians will have a sovereign State of their own.

We rejoice at the wave of peace which has engulfed Lebanon. Despite the

unresolved problems, which the electoral system has attempted to address,

Lebanon is facing the future with a certainty of peace that has eluded it for

more than a decade. A land as beautiful, as culturally diverse and as full of

so many warm people as is Lebanon must pledge to enter the twenty-first

century at peace with itself.

My delegation concludes by recalling that the modern history of our

peaceful Caribbean began 500 years ago when another world collided with it.

The pursuit of accumulated wealth which propelled one world towards the other

remains the motive force of the dominant civilization of today. Yet, complex

webs have been weaved into this underlying theme, which even a small country,

a small place, like mine can take credit in reshaping.

For example, on 3 October 1736, exactly 256 years ago this year, an

unsuccessful slave revolution took place in Antigua. The leaders of that

revolution are the heroes of the freedom-loving people of Antigua and

Barbuda. In 1736, our heroes attempted to destroy a wicked system which

guaranteed the most certain accumulation of wealth at the expense of human

misery. By our own choosing, therefore, Antiguans and Barbudans of today, the

descendants of those slaves and those slave-masters, have declared that in our

hierarchy of values freedom is superior to all else.

In 1992, the human being, not wealth accumulation, is at the centre of

development and civilization. Yet, our countries are now engaged in a great

debate about the future, and the United Nations General Assembly is the

platform. The importance of keeping the entire United Nations system from

becoming homogenized in its thinking is most important at a time when the

emerging new world order is being shaped increasingly by a single Power.

Our task is not merely to express a differing point of view, but to

demonstrate in a concrete manner that the raison d'etre of the civilization of

the next 500 years has not yet been decided. In fact, given the threat to the

very existence of small islands from rising sea levels, violent hurricanes,

hazardous-waste disposal and other looming environmental calamities, the

burden of defining the future may very likely fall upon the thinkers and

actors from these most vulnerable, small countries.

Indeed, our Prime Minister, the Right Honourable V. C. Bird, has

frequently said that small size does not mean small minds or the absence of

grand ideas. And so, my countrymen and I, having learned well the lessons of

our history, shall continue to do all in our power at this United Nations and

elsewhere to influence the future. We shall rely upon our collective wisdom.

the strength of our institutions, the vitality of our youth, and the will of

our leadership to exercise that influence. Our very existence requires

success; and so we shall succeed.