ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):

United states billionaire investor, Sir Allen Stanford, has surprisingly extended the proverbial 'Olive Branch' to end his verbal feud with Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer.

War of words

Both men have been engaged in a war of words for the past week over Sir Allen's decision to take his plans to develop the off-shore Guiana Islandinto a top class resort and launch a community development initiative in select constituencies including that of the Prime Minister.

Spencer accused Sir Allen of political meddling and branded him "haughty, obnoxious and arrogrant" to which Sir Allen said the outburst was designed "To deflect the attention of the citizens of our nation away from your inept leadership."

Now, Sir Allen has published an apology in his Antigua SUN newspaper and the Daily OBSERVER newspaper, calling for an end to the public squabble.

"Over the past few days there has been a far less than positive rhetoric coming from myself towards the leader of our nation. This is most certainly not in the best interest of Antigua and Barbuda, nor is it a representative of what I know can be a great working partnership between the Stanford Group of Companies and the Government," the apology read.

Differing views

"As a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda, I wish to make it abundantly clear that I hold the office of the Prime Minister in the highest regard. I have seen up close the demands and pressure that the elected leader and chief public servant of our nation faces on a daily basis. I know Prime Minister's love and passion for our country runs as deep as my own even though we may sometimes view things from a different perspective."