Antigua to revoke Stanford knighthood

ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):

Disgraced billionaire cricket financier Sir Allen Stanford is to have his knighthood revoked by Antigua, the first time in the country's history officials have ever withdrawn its second highest honour.

Dr Jacqui Quinn-Leandro, chairperson of the National Honours Committee, said communication had been sent to Governor General Dame Louise Lake-Tack to kick-start the process.

Sir Allen was earlier this year charged with running a US$7 billion Ponzi scheme through his Antigua-based Stanford International Bank and is currently awaiting trial in a Texas jail.

"We've heard the cries of the general public about the honour being brought into disrepute and as per the National Honours Act," said Quinn-Leandro, also the labour, public administration and empowerment minister in the Antigua government.

"We wrote the governor general, through the prime minister, recommending that the order be revoked for Sir Allen Stanford."

Sir Allen was awarded the honour in 2006 when the island celebrated its 25th year of independence.

Lucrative tournament

The Texan came to prominence in the Caribbean when he conceptualised and bankrolled the lucrative Stanford Twenty20 tournament which was staged in Antigua in 2006 and 2008.

Last year, he also staged a US$20-million winner-take-all match here between a Stanford Superstars and England.

Quinn-Leandro said that the six-member honours committee voted unanimously to revoke the knighthood.

"We took a vote, and I would want to say that that vote was unanimous, with ... members from the government and members of the opposition voting unanimously (that) the order should be revoked," Quinn-Leandro said.