The GIIC made the regulatory recommendations to increase the transparency and accountability of diplomatic appointments’ work with the country’s Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP). The recommendations are part of the GIIC’s collaboration with Professor Craig Barker, Dean of the School of International Law and Social Sciences, London South Bank University, and included proposals for more thorough due diligence, stricter appointment procedures and tighter controls.

“In order to manage the risks associated with these appointments, the appointment shall be for a maximum of two years, subject to renewal upon satisfactory performance.” shared the Hon. Gaston Browne. Further he shared “To ensure appropriate representation by non-national ambassadors-at-large, special envoys and honorary consuls, thorough background and other due diligence checks shall be conducted on persons under consideration and prior to their appointment.”

Mykolas Rambus, Chairman of the GIIC shared “For countries with citizenship by investment programs, diplomatic figures are of even greater importance. Conscious of preserving the integrity and standing of diplomatic and other passports of Antigua and Barbuda, the government has implemented even more rigorous appointment procedures including expanded due diligence and monitoring practices. Antigua and Barbuda have clearly taken steps to advance the reputation of the country and improve the performance of its citizenship by investment program.”

About the GIIC

The Global Investor Immigration Council (GIIC) is the investor immigration industry’s self-regulatory body, protecting integrity, ensuring transparency, and advancing advocacy for all constituents. The GIIC develops and maintains best industry practices, serves as a non-partisan, not-for-profit forum for all stakeholders to ensure dialogue, stability, and success. To learn more, please visit www.giic.uk.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150831/262500

The flights will provide convenient connecting opportunities to Seaborne’s sizable portfolio of airline connecting partners at San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport.  In tandem with connections to other Seaborne flights in the Caribbean, and connecting partner airlines

Air Europa, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and United Airlines, passengers will be able to connect to 33 destinations in the America’s and Europe.

All flights will be operated by 34-seat Saab 340 aircraft.  The plane operates with two pilots and a flight attendant, and offers inflight service, a roomy cabin with overhead bins, and other amenities.

Service will operate four times weekly on a year-round basis.  To celebrate the new non-stop service, Seaborne Airlines is offering a promotional fare of $128 each way, inclusive of all taxes and fees.

“We are excited to make Antigua the 17^th airport served by Seaborne Airlines in the Caribbean, ” said Seaborne CEO Gary Foss, “I expect visitors and residents of Antigua and Barbuda alike to appreciate Seaborne’s award-winning customer service, commitment to low fares, and connectivity to our airline partners.”

“Puerto Rico continues to shine as a first-rate destination. Our alliance with Seaborne continues to strengthen the connections between Caribbean destinations and our position as the leading air access hub of the region”, stated Ingrid I. Rivera Rocafort, Executive Director of the

Puerto Rico Tourism Company. “With this new route between San Juan and Antigua we expand our reach towards new markets in the area and provide more options for travelers who want to visit multiple destinations during their vacation”.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism, The Honorable Asot Michael said, “With a more modern, efficient airport terminal built to enhance the experience of Antigua and Barbuda visitors, we are pleased that Seaborne will be arriving into the destination this winter, increasing our airlift and providing us with the ability to offer more flight options to our visitors, as well as truly positioning Antigua and Barbuda as a major gateway for passengers connecting to other Caribbean destinations.”

Schedule effective December 13, 2015

     Dep. Airport      Arr. Airport Dep. Time Arr. Time     Day of Week

     ------------      ------------ --------- ---------     -----------

San Juan (SJU)    Antigua (ANU)       12:45     14:20   Mon, Thu, Sat, Sun

-------------     ------------        -----     -----   ------------------

Antigua (ANU)     San Juan (SJU)      15:05     16:40   Mon, Thu, Sat, Sun

------------      -------------       -----     -----   ------------------

About Seaborne Airlines

Seaborne Airlines has been operating in the Caribbean for over 23 years, carrying approximately 3 million customers safely.  With over 1,500 monthly departures to 17 airports, Seaborne serves San Juan’s Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, St. Thomas airport and Seaplane base, St. Croix airport and Seaplane base, Anguilla, Antigua, Tortola, Dominica,  Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, St. Kitts, Nevis, La Romana, Punta Cana, and Santo Domingo.  All flights operate with two pilots and two engines under Federal Air Regulation Part 121, the strictest code of the US Federal Air Regulation governing air travel.

CONTACT: Sandra Colon, Scolon@nlppr.com

“Our partnership will provide accessible, high-quality cancer care for a population that is underserved,” said Gordon Baltzer, CEO of MEI Healthcare Inc. Baltzer will be speaking at the groundbreaking. “Currently, patients need to be treated abroad, which is costly and incredibly difficult for patients and their families. As a result, many patients have gone without treatment.”

The Cancer Centre Eastern Caribbean will provide high-quality medical, radiation and surgical oncology services. The facility will include state-of-the-art technology capable of administering intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). The centre will be used as the hub for consultation services being offered to the participating member countries.

“Nearly 1,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed each year in the OECS and, of those, approximately 400 will need radiotherapy at some time in their disease course,” said Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister, The Hon. Baldwin Spencer in a prepared statement. “I recognize that currently there are no facilities in the Eastern Caribbean that are truly comprehensive and offer both surgery and radiation…(and) it’s important for us to develop the facilities necessary to provide support to patients who have cancer.”

The Hon. Arthur T. Porter, M.D., Chair of the Board of MEI and a key driver of this project, stated, “MEI insures that the Eastern Caribbean will have the technology platform to deliver modern day cancer therapy at a level commensurate with that of the USA, Canada or Europe.”

During a regional healthcare symposium in 2009, government officials expressed interest in developing a partnership with the private sector to equip a cancer center in Antigua with the latest oncology services and technical expertise. The “partnered care” model being used to create the facility is a cost-effective solution to bringing the latest technology to the region.

MEI provides business development, capital equipment funding strategies and growth consulting services to physicians, hospitals and healthcare systems worldwide.

About MEI Healthcare Inc.

Headquartered in Coral Springs, Fla., MEI is a comprehensive healthcare strategy firm that works with physician groups and medical centers to provide turnkey healthcare solutions. MEI and its subsidiaries, MEI Development Group, MEI Healthcare Capital, MEI Informatics, MEI Healthcare International and MEI Healthcare Foundation, offer its clients more than 40 years of healthcare business experience and the value-added benefits of its strategic alliances. For more information, visit http://www.mei.com.