Traveling to Antigua or Barbuda? A MUST READ!

WaterWalker said:

I must be on a roll to knock off places to vacation with my detector.
In August 3, 2018's Antigua Observer I read that:

"Visitors and residents in Antigua and Barbuda are being warned to stop using metal detectors to uncover artefacts on the country’s beaches.

In a press release on Wednesday, Cabinet reiterated that it is against the law for anyone to use metal detectors to unearth artefacts buried under the sand and on shorelines."

The article goes on in an interview on Antigua's reason for their law.

https://antiguaobserver.com/stop-using-metal-detectors/

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Water-walker, I think you are confusing commentary with law . See this thread, to know the distinction I'm referring to :

http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=264945

Whoever this "chief of staff" dude is, that they're quoting from : Notice he is not citing any particular law or rule, that truly says "no md'ing". Instead, he alludes to cultural heritage issues. Which .... sure *could* be morphed to mean "no md'ing", I grant. Because, heaven forbid you or I found something old, eh ?

Why was this "chief" dude, even called upon, to comment on the issue, in the first place ? Was he walking down the beach, saw an md'r, and thought "heavens oh me oh my, we must put a stop to this ?"

Let me put it to you this way: I'm assuming that you live in the USA. And since you're posting on a beach forum, I'm assuming you hunt public beaches here in the USA. Right ? Ok, tell me the name of the beach you hit, and .... I'll bet that within 10 minutes, I can find some archie to make silly comments like your Antigua and Barbuda link . All I would have to do, is approach the administering agency of whatever beaches you hit, and say to them:

"Gee, is it really fair or right for water-walker to be taking home the cultural heritage of such & such beach ?" And I'll bet that within 10 minutes, I could.... likewise .... find a "no" for anywhere you currently hunt. If someone told you "yes", or if no one's ever been bothered, it merely means you/they didn't ask with the right combinations of phrasing.

I mean .... by all means avoid purist archies. Stay out of obvious historic sensitive monuments. But beyond that .... me thinks you're over-thinking this stuff. Sorry.

And lest anyone think I'm full of cr*p , for suggesting these origins, read the smoking gun sentence, straight from the article itself.

".... OBSERVER media spoke with Chief of Staff, Lionel “Max” Hurst, yesterday, who explained the reason why the issue was necessary for a Cabinet discussion. .... "

See? It was "necessary to have a cabinet discussion" (which thus resulted in the "no" or dire-sounding stuff). Ok, what brought about this "cabinet discussion" (ie.: "pressing issue") in the first place ?? Answer: The Observer newspaper (bless their little hearts) needed to go swat hornet's nests.

So perhaps, prior to this "cabinet discussion", it was not an issue ?

Fair enough for your distinction between a commentary and law, but when you have your detecting equipment detained by foreign country's custom personnel as I have had mine detained, all your words pertaining to the United States, are meaningless.

First put your copied in the correct perspective. The discussion had already taken place. Notice the word WAS not is.

AND

If a country's Chief of Staff tell me the country's "Cabinet reiterated that it is against the law", so be it. I don't need to waste time searching for word to mince up as I will not win a battle with their Customs. 20 years of government service taught me a few things.
Also it seems to me that most all the British Commonwealth Realm follow the same ideology on metal detecting as the UK.

WaterWalker said:

Fair enough for your distinction between a commentary and law, but when you have your detecting equipment detained by foreign country's custom personnel as I have had mine detained, all your words pertaining to the United States, are meaningless.

First put your copied in the correct perspective. The discussion had already taken place. Notice the word WAS not is.

AND

If a country's Chief of Staff tell me the country's "Cabinet reiterated that it is against the law", so be it. I don't need to waste time searching for word to mince up as I will not win a battle with their Customs. 20 years of government service taught me a few things.
Also it seems to me that most all the British Commonwealth Realm follow the same ideology on metal detecting as the UK.

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Water-walker, I don't disagree that ..... the EVOLUTION of some stance (policy, commentary, etc...) is irrelevant. The fact that someone, now, might be enforcing it, is all that's relevant. Right ?

But I'm just asking you to look at the vicious circle that such things incite.

And no .... it's not law , it's commentary. The reference to "law" , is the cross-reference to cultural heritage issues. Which, yes, is law. And as said: If that, of necessity, means "no md'ing", then .... how is it that we have endless scores of show & tell posts, from md'rs posting their bragging rights finds , that were found on (gasp) public land ? Because I guarantee you, that similar language exists on/in every speck of public land, in the USA too.

The difference is: No one went swatting hornet's nests.

Common sense is unfortunately not so common in the majority of these trash pit military ruled dictatorships around the world. Assumptions, or the free use thereof can get your butt thrown in jail without your metal detector.

It's important to remember that America has a "one way" border for good reason. You don't see a lot of natural born folks lined up trying to escape.

Even Rosie hasn't moved to Canada yet eh?