The Education Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Daryll Matthew, has called upon the country’s residents to seize the opportunities presented by the expansion plans of the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus (UWI FIC).

The minister expressed his disappointment with the poor turnout during a town hall meeting held on Thursday night.

He emphasized that the transformative impact of the expansion project on Five Islands, neighbouring communities, and the nation as a whole is unprecedented.

The expansion project, which would cost a significant amount of US$80 million, is crucial for the nation’s progress.

The purpose of the town hall meeting was to educate the public about the expansion project and to encourage the residents to prepare themselves for the economic activities that the project will generate.

Minister Matthew emphasized that the benefits of the expansion project would not be limited to contractors but would extend to all the residents of the area and the nation.

​The Principal of UWI FIC, Prof. Justin Robinson, underscored the importance of a university to any community or country and cited examples of other universities that have made significant contributions to their respective countries’ GDP.

He noted that the expansion project would allow UWI FIC to become self-sustaining by achieving a critical mass.

The event was attended by notable personalities such as former Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer and the Parliamentary Representative, Richard Lewis.