As the April 30 general election approaches, Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) candidate Michael Freeland has pledged that long-running, generations-old water access crises in multiple underserved communities across St. George will finally be resolved within the next year.
Freeland made the promise during a pre-election “Know Your Candidates” interview, where he highlighted that unreliable and non-existent water supply remains one of the most persistent and infuriating challenges for local residents. The problem is concentrated in three key areas of the constituency: sections of New George’s, Carlisle’s and Potter’s, where entire neighborhoods have gone without consistent access to clean running water for up to 30 years.
Freeland explained that the decades-long crisis is rooted in obsolete, aging water infrastructure that has failed to keep pace with growing community demand across the constituency. The existing outdated distribution networks cannot deliver adequate water to outlying neighborhoods, even as residential and commercial development has stretched existing supply thinner over the years.
However, Freeland noted that ongoing national water infrastructure upgrades have created a turning point for the struggling communities. He confirmed that senior government officials and water management leaders have already committed to advancing the targeted fixes, which will center on installing new, modern water pipelines and building out more efficient distribution networks.
“I’ve been assured by the minister and the water manager that they have all the necessary equipment on hand, and they are ready to move forward with installing these new pipes,” Freeland said, reassuring frustrated residents who have waited generations for reliable service.
The local infrastructure upgrades will also be backed by a national expansion in water production. Freeland referenced Prime Minister’s recent announcements that the country has boosted daily water output by millions of gallons, a capacity increase that will directly support the improved distribution networks and ensure consistent supply for long-underserved neighborhoods.
While acknowledging that decades of unaddressed need have left residents deeply frustrated, Freeland emphasized that tangible change is now on the near horizon. “I know the frustration is there, but I’m working for you,” he said. “Within short order, we’ll have these problems addressed.” He clarified that full upgrades will not be completed overnight, but residents can expect visible, meaningful improvements to water access within the next 12 months.
The water access crisis has emerged as a defining campaign issue for the St. George constituency, joining other top voter priorities including road maintenance, drainage systems, and affordable housing. Freeland’s pledge underscores how long-running infrastructure failures remain a key factor shaping voter choices ahead of the April 30 general election.