作者： admin

The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus has formally welcomed its new student Guild Council for the 2026/2027 academic year, marking not just a routine leadership handover but a fresh, purpose-driven commitment to elevating the student experience and upholding the core values of the student governing body. The incoming leadership team opened its public address by grounding its new term in gratitude, pausing to recognize the profound contributions of the outgoing council and every generation of student leaders that preceded it.

The outgoing Guild Council’s tenure was defined by unwavering dedication, remarkable resilience, and consistent commitment to amplifying student needs. Through periods of challenge and celebrated milestones, its members worked tirelessly to advocate for student interests, strengthen campus community bonds, and drive meaningful institutional growth. Their work has left a solid foundation that the new council is privileged to build upon, the incoming team emphasized. Every prior Guild administration has left an indelible mark on the institution, weaving together the legacy of student voice and service that shapes the Guild today. Standing on the work of those who came before them, the new council says it does not take the weight of this responsibility lightly.

Unlike narratives that frame new leadership as a complete break from the past, the 2026/2027 council frames its role as building on a long legacy of service. The team embraces both the achievements and hard-earned lessons of previous terms, and has committed to moving the Guild forward with radical integrity, clear purpose, and full accountability to the student body.

At its core, the Guild exists to champion the needs and interests of every student on campus, advance their educational, personal, and social growth, and encourage active, meaningful participation in all areas of campus life. The new council has made a public pledge to keep these foundational principles at the center of every decision it makes.

For the coming academic year, the council’s core mandate is clear: Rebuild the Guild and Restore Trust. The leadership team emphasizes that trust is never demanded, but earned—through consistent transparency, dependable action, full accountability, and authentic, ongoing engagement with the students the organization serves. Rebuilding the Guild will involve strengthening its internal structures, boosting its visibility across campus, and reinforcing a simple truth for every student: the Guild is not just a bureaucratic campus organization, it is your collective voice, your dedicated advocate, and your partner in shaping the campus experience.

The new council brings a bold yet grounded vision for its term. Its members imagine a campus where every single student feels seen, heard, supported, and empowered to make an impact. They aim to build a Guild that leads proactively, rather than reacting to issues after they arise—one that anticipates emerging student needs and responds with creative solutions, compassion, and decisive action.

Key priorities for the term include increasing overall student participation in campus governance and activities, fostering greater unity and connection across the student body, strengthening collaborative ties with campus administration, and expanding partnerships with other student Guilds and organizations across the region. The council notes that meaningful, lasting progress only comes through open dialogue, cross-group partnership, and collective effort from the entire campus community.

In a direct address to the UWI Five Islands student body, the council reaffirmed that the Guild exists first and foremost for students. “We are honoured by your trust, inspired by your confidence, and humbled by the responsibility you have entrusted to us,” the statement reads. The team has pledged to listen closely to student concerns, advocate fearlessly for student interests, and serve faithfully throughout the coming academic year. Members commit to celebrating student wins, pushing for progress on pressing student needs, and working around the clock to ensure every student has the support and opportunities they need to thrive during their time on campus.

The foundation for progress has already been laid by generations of past leaders, and the mantle of leadership has officially been passed. Carrying gratitude for the work of the past, confidence in what the campus community can achieve together, and a shared commitment to rebuilding the Guild and restoring student trust, the new leadership is ready to move forward alongside the entire student body. The council closed its address with a shared hope: that the 2026/2027 academic year will bring widespread progress, lasting unity, and exceptional achievement for all members of the UWI Five Islands Campus community.

Drivers and commuters traveling across Antigua and Barbuda’s key arterial routes are reminded that adjusted single-lane traffic management will remain in place to support critical ongoing infrastructure rehabilitation works, according to an official advisory from the Project Implementation Management Unit (PIMU) under the nation’s Ministry of Works.

The long-running upgrade works are concentrated along the Sir Sydney Walling Highway, where construction crews have shifted focus to base preparation and asphalt resurfacing operations. These activities are advancing eastward from the Glanvilles area, with daily work commencing at approximately 8:00 a.m. local time.

Transport officials have issued clear guidance for all road users to approach the work zone with extreme caution, noting that large, heavy-duty construction machinery is operating in close proximity to the active travel lane. Safety protocols require drivers to reduce speed, follow on-site directional signage, and adhere to instructions from traffic control personnel to prevent accidents.

Crucially, all commercial establishments located along the affected stretch of highway will remain fully open for business throughout the duration of the repair works, ensuring that local economic activity continues uninterrupted.

The project is being executed by C.O. Williams Ltd., the private construction firm contracted for the scheme. The company has issued a formal statement apologizing to the public for any travel disruptions or inconvenience caused by the ongoing works. The upgrade is a core component of Antigua and Barbuda’s national Second Road Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project, a government-led initiative designed to extend the service life of the country’s key road networks and improve overall transport safety.

Stakeholders, including daily commuters, freight operators, and leisure travelers, are encouraged to review and adjust their travel schedules in advance, as minor to moderate delays should be expected when passing through the work zone. For any questions or additional information about the project or traffic arrangements, members of the public can contact the C.O. Williams project office directly via telephone at 562-9573.

A confirmed fuel leak from an abandoned storage tank at the former Friars Hill Facility in Antigua has triggered a coordinated multi-agency emergency response, led by the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA).

Once the leak was detected, APUA moved rapidly to activate internal emergency protocols and immediately notified a broad network of relevant government and regulatory bodies to join the assessment and mitigation effort. Partner agencies including the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS), Antigua and Barbuda Police Force, Central Board of Health, Development Control Authority (DCA), Antigua and Barbuda Fire Department, National Solid Waste Management Authority, West Indies Oil Company (WIOC), Department of Public Health, and Department of Environment have all deployed personnel to the site to support containment operations.

Crews are currently working around the clock to install critical containment barriers designed to stop the spread of leaked fuel and reduce any potential harm to local ecosystems and nearby residential communities. As of the latest update, investigations into the root cause of the leak and full mapping of the spill’s total size remain ongoing, with no definitive conclusions released to the public.

Local authorities have issued a public advisory urging motorists traveling along Friars Hill Road and residents living in adjacent neighborhoods to remain vigilant and follow all safety guidance posted by response teams throughout the duration of cleanup operations. APUA has reiterated its commitment to resolving the incident in full compliance with public safety and environmental protection standards, noting that it will continue to closely monitor site conditions and share new updates with the public as additional details are confirmed. The authority has also expressed gratitude for the public’s patience as response teams work to bring the situation under control.

A concerned citizen from Antigua and Barbuda has issued an open appeal to Prime Minister, the entire cabinet, and members of parliament, demanding urgent legislative intervention to tackle the country’s worsening affordable rental housing crisis. The appeal frames access to reasonably priced rental accommodation not as a privilege for high-income groups, but as a core basic necessity that all working citizens deserve regardless of their earnings.

For a growing share of Antigua and Barbuda’s hardworking labor force, especially those earning the national minimum wage, market rental rates have slipped far out of reach in recent years, the petitioner argues. Safe, stable housing is universally recognized as a foundational requirement for human flourishing: it underpins personal dignity, keeps families intact, supports good physical and mental health, enables educational attainment, and sustains consistent economic productivity. When full-time workers cannot cover their rent, it undermines core principles of fairness and social equity, putting the overall well-being of national society at risk.

Today, the problem hits low-wage workers in essential sectors the hardest. Employees in hospitality, retail, security, cleaning, caregiving and other frontline industries are routinely forced to allocate a disproportionate share of their limited earnings to housing costs. In a large number of cases, rent eats up more than 50% of a minimum wage worker’s monthly pay, leaving barely any funds left for other critical needs including groceries, transportation, utility bills, medical care, children’s education, or emergency savings.

To address this systemic failure, the petitioner has laid out six targeted policy and legislative solutions for the government to adopt. First, develop new affordable rental housing projects through collaborative public-private partnerships. Second, offer financial or regulatory incentives to private property owners who rent units at below-market rates to low-income workers. Third, launch targeted rental assistance programs to support vulnerable working families that are struggling to cover housing costs. Fourth, implement rent stabilization policies in neighborhoods and regions that have seen uncontrolled, excessive rental price inflation. Fifth, update national housing regulations to mandate that all new residential developments set aside a share of units for affordable rental purposes. Sixth, introduce mandatory regular reviews of the national minimum wage to ensure it keeps pace with actual housing and living costs across the country.

The appeal emphasizes that affordable rental housing is far more than just an economic policy issue: it is a question of social justice and long-term national development. A nation can only prosper when its core workforce can live with dignity, security, and confidence in the future. From teachers and nurses to hotel staff, cashiers, security guards and maintenance workers, low-wage essential workers form the backbone of Antigua and Barbuda’s economy. Their contributions to national prosperity deserve recognition through guaranteed access to housing they can afford, the petitioner argues.

Concluding the appeal, the citizen urges the government to treat the ongoing affordability crisis with the urgent attention it demands. Current rental conditions are unsustainable for thousands of working people, and for minimum wage earners, the status quo is unnecessarily punitive and unreasonable. Deliberate, meaningful legislative action and practical, on-the-ground solutions are needed to turn affordable rental housing from an out-of-reach dream into a tangible reality for all working Antiguans and Barbudans. The petitioner closes by thanking officials for their time and expressing hope for decisive action to protect the welfare and dignity of working people across the twin-island nation.