The government of Antigua and Barbuda has tapped into decades of institutional experience by naming former Director of Works Alden Crump as a special consultant to the Ministry of Works, a move designed to address growing demands on the country’s expanding infrastructure and road development program. The announcement of the appointment was made by Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant during a post-Cabinet press briefing held on Thursday.
Cabinet’s decision to bring Crump on board stems from a recognized need to supplement the technical and managerial capabilities of the current Director of Works, equipping the ministry to deliver on its fast-growing pipeline of public projects. “After careful discussion, Cabinet has approved the engagement of Alden Crump, the former Director of Works, as a consultant to the Ministry of Works, reporting directly to the sitting Director,” Merchant confirmed during the briefing.
Though Crump had been preparing to enter retirement, Cabinet has tapped his decades of on-the-ground expertise to strengthen core operations within the ministry. His specific mandate will center on boosting productivity, streamlining management processes, and resolving longstanding bottlenecks that have slowed project delivery as the infrastructure program scales up.
The appointment coincides with a major acceleration of infrastructure works across Antigua and Barbuda, covering road upgrades, drainage system improvements, and a range of other public works projects. A key priority for the current program is completing all critical upgrades ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, scheduled to take place in the country this November.
Cabinet also received an update on the ministry’s recent operational performance, with officials noting that strengthened oversight of projects and procurement contracts has already generated cost savings across multiple project areas. Even with these early gains, government leaders acknowledge that continuous operational improvement will be critical as the scope and scale of the national infrastructure program continues to grow in the coming months.