The Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) has publicly expressed approval for the government’s recent confirmation that it will continue moving forward with the first phase of the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus Expansion Project, a landmark initiative designed to drive national growth and systemic educational transformation across the twin-island nation.
This large-scale public investment in tertiary education marks a deliberate, forward-thinking strategic move to establish Antigua and Barbuda as a leading regional center for advanced academic study, innovative research, and youth capacity-building. Upon completion, the expanded campus will bring cutting-edge, globally competitive infrastructure to the country, including new purpose-built academic facilities, expanded on-campus student housing, and a modern indoor athletic complex. All new construction is paired with foundational civil infrastructure upgrades that will support both the first phase of development and future expansion efforts down the line.
To advance the project into active implementation, Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Works has officially published a tender invitation seeking bids from qualified construction firms to carry out the work. This call for proposals marks a key milestone, shifting the initiative from the preliminary planning stage to on-the-ground execution. It also underscores the governing administration’s stated priorities of tangible results, transparent accountability, and on-schedule project delivery.
Daryll Matthew, the country’s Minister of Education, Sports and the Creative Industries and Parliamentary Representative for St. John’s Rural South, emphasized that the project extends far beyond new construction. “This expansion is more than a construction project; it is a nation-building initiative that will empower generations of Antiguans and Barbudans with access to high-quality education right here at home,” Matthew said.
The ABLP concluded its statement by commending the government for its sustained commitment to ensuring that improved access to opportunity, upward social mobility, and broad-based national progress reach every household across Antigua and Barbuda.