Knighthoods from the Caribean?

[ianash]

I have been following the Allen Stanford Fraud story which seems to involve $8 billion, pretty small beer by Madoff standards.

Reuters said "He owns the country's largest newspaper, heads a local commercial bank, is the biggest private employer, and is the first American to receive a knighthood from its government. I wasn't aware that anybody but the UK could grant a Knighthood. Does this right extend to other Commonwealth countries or do their Governments make recommendations to London?

[AlexKP]

As far as I know, I think it does apply to at least some of them. I don't think Australia can confer knighthoods though - it seems to be mostly the carribbean island states.

[FourWheelDrift]

Antigua and Barbuda's head of state is still Queen Elizabeth II so I guess they can give government approved knighthoods, like the comedy awards the Labour government here give to their biggest sponsors. Stanford is a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda so he qualifies.

They might be asking for it back though

[ianash]

It looks like Si Allen can't be found. I wonder if he'll resurface in Antigua and cause a nice diplomatic row, when the US want him deported.