Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism Charles Fernandez has issued a formal public reassurance that the two locally owned and operated restaurants currently situated at Half Moon Bay will not face eviction, addressing widespread community concerns raised during a recent broadcast appearance on the popular Browne and Browne Show. The statement came in direct response to a caller who submitted a query about the long-term operational future of small local businesses along the beloved coastal stretch, later clarifying their specific focus on the two longstanding food service establishments. Fernandez emphasized that the nation’s cabinet has taken an unwaveringly firm stance on prioritizing local business ownership in all coastal tourism development plans, noting that the two restaurant operators have no grounds to fear forced relocation as government initiatives move forward to expand visitor amenities at the site. During the radio interview, the minister also shared updates on ongoing collaborative work between his portfolio and the office of Minister Rawdon Turner to develop a structured proposal for new pop-up small businesses to operate in designated zones adjacent to the Half Moon Bay beachfront. Fernandez confirmed that dozens of local entrepreneurs have already submitted expressions of interest to participate in the upcoming pop-up program, but stressed that all new operations will be subject to strict aesthetic guidelines designed to protect the area’s iconic natural scenic appeal. He explicitly noted that no pop-up venture will be approved if it risks making the coastal landscape cluttered or unsightly, though he declined to release a finalized implementation timeline or full regulatory details for the new program, as final cabinet reviews of the framework are still underway.
Local restaurants at Half Moon Bay will not be moved, Fernandez says
