Parliament has passed two bills granting legal incorporation to long-standing organizations in Antigua and Barbuda, strengthening their ability to operate and expand their services.
The Girl Guides Association of Antigua and Barbuda (Incorporation) Bill and the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahais of the Leeward Islands (Incorporation) Bill both received unanimous support during Tuesday’s parliamentary session.
The Girl Guides Association, which has operated in Antigua for 95 years since its founding in 1931, will now be able to hold property and enter into contracts as a legal entity.
Attorney General Sir Steadroy Benjamin, who presented the Bill, emphasized the organization’s long history of service to the community.
“For years, we have known of the work of the Girl Guides in Antigua and Barbuda. These young ladies dressed in blue, parading… during Independence, rendering services to the community, and offering shelter to those who need it and doing many things that charities normally do,” Sir Steadroy said
St John’s Rural East MP Maria Browne highlighted that the incorporation was significant as the organization was recently granted five acres of land by Cabinet to establish a campsite, which can now be developed further.
The legislation formalized the organization’s operations, with membership reaching around 500-600 guides with 14 official local units.
“This [Bill] allows the Girl Guides Association to do so much more and to reach boundaries that they’ve been trying to break for a long time,” Browne said.
MP for St Mary’s North Sir Molwyn Joseph recognized the contributions of longtime Girl Guides leader Lila Simon and emphasized the importance of youth organizations.
“We need to find environments that are more wholesome for young people. I have benefited from that,” Sir Molwyn said.
The incorporation act came during International Women’s Month, as MP Browne noted that the Act was “a remarkable step in terms of empowerment of our women and girls”.
Meanwhile, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai’s of the Leeward Islands also received incorporation status, following some discussion about the proper transfer of assets from its previous legal structure.
The Bahai Faith was first established in the Leeward Islands in the 1960s, with members working “together with their neighbours and friends to promote and contribute to the well-being and progress of society.”
During the debate, the Attorney General acknowledged some concerns about the faith but emphasized Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to religious freedom.
“Some [people] may be concerned about this group, but we are a democratic society,” Sir Steadroy said. “All we’re doing is to show how democratic we are by permitting all types of faith, religious faith, to come and to get the benefits of the law of this land.”
MP for St Philip South Sherfield Bowen raised questions about the transfer of assets from the previous corporate entity to the newly incorporated body, leading to an amendment ensuring the transfer would comply with the Companies Act.
