As Antigua and Barbuda prepares to welcome global leaders for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the country’s top official has outlined an aggressive timeline to finish critical infrastructure upgrades on one of its busiest thoroughfares. Prime Minister Gaston Browne recently confirmed that major repairs to the heavily used Burning Flames Highway are on track to be wrapped up before the high-profile diplomatic gathering kicks off, marking a key milestone in the government’s island-wide road rehabilitation initiative.\n\nSpeaking during an appearance on the local Browne and Browne Show, Browne revealed that a regional construction enterprise has tabled an 8 million Eastern Caribbean dollar bid for the repair contract, a figure that aligns closely with cost projections compiled by the nation’s Public Works Department. According to the prime minister, the selected unnamed firm could mobilize and break ground on the project within just a few weeks, putting the timeline for pre-CHOGM completion within reach.\n\n“ We have a regional firm that should be starting on the Burning Flames Highway very shortly, ” Browne told listeners. “ I think they have put in a bid for about $8 million to repair that road. ” While Browne confirmed that completion “ possibly ” will be achieved in advance of the international summit, he stopped short of releasing a binding, detailed construction schedule. He also did not disclose whether the 8 million Eastern Caribbean dollar bid has secured final government approval, nor did he release the identity of the regional contractor selected for the job.\n\nThe Burning Flames Highway upgrade is just one component of a far broader government-led effort to overhaul Antigua and Barbuda’s road network, which includes both major arterial routes and smaller local community roads. Browne added that two additional key corridors – Anchorage Road and Factory Road – have also been flagged for necessary repair work, while active construction is already ongoing on community roads across the southern region of Antigua.\n\nGovernment officials have indicated that additional details, including a formal groundbreaking date and final contract confirmation, will be released to the public once all contractual arrangements have been finalized. The infrastructure push comes as Antigua and Barbuda gears up to host international delegates for CHOGM, a major diplomatic event that will put the small Caribbean nation in the global spotlight, making timely completion of critical transport upgrades a top policy priority for the Browne administration.
Burning Flames Highway Repairs Targeted for Completion Before CHOGM
