Last Friday, a high-level team led by the Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Browne and the Works Minister, Maria Bird-Browne, visited Barbuda to initiate infrastructural and other development works.

The team also included representatives from the ministry of works, the Development Control Authority, and the Environment Division.

The visit was made at the invitation of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party’s caretaker for the island constituency, Sen. Knackcynta Nedd, who wanted to look at areas of immediate concern for the people of the sister island.

During the visit, Sen. Nedd requested the ministry of works to address some of the pressing issues faced by residents of the island, such as the need for government buildings to house agencies like the registry of births and deaths, Medical Benefits Scheme, and Social Security.

There are several government-owned buildings on the island that have not been in use for several years and have fallen into states of disrepair.

Sen. Nedd wants an assessment of these buildings to ascertain whether they are structurally sound enough to undergo repairs or whether they should be demolished to make way for new structures.

Two of these buildings were identified as the former Principal’s House, where the principal for the Holy Trinity School lived in earlier times when a principal came over from Antigua, and a second building generally referred to as Government House.

The team decided to demolish the former police station building, while an estimate has been submitted for the completion of the Justice Complex, which remains uncompleted for several years.

The team also visited the island’s main road, the River Road, to make an assessment of what would be the best way forward in upgrading the roadway.

There are two options; to use asphalt or concrete. Both are still under consideration.

The visit took the team to the site where a new primary school will be constructed on lands at Loui Hill, near the Sir McChesney George Secondary School. The prime minister and party also included a visit to the new airport as part of the Barbuda trip.

Sen. Nedd said the consultations with the ministry of works and the other agencies will continue over the coming weeks, and she expects an announcement to be made shortly.