Carib Scope

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  • Zheng (PL) wil belastingvrije som fors verhogen en pleit voor vrijhandelszones

    Zheng (PL) wil belastingvrije som fors verhogen en pleit voor vrijhandelszones

    As Suriname’s national assembly continues debate over the country’s upcoming national budget, a ruling Progressive People’s Party (PL) legislator Xiaobao Zheng has put forward a sweeping set of economic policy proposals designed to shore up household purchasing power eroded by inflation and position the South American nation as a competitive regional trade and investment hub.

    At the core of Zheng’s domestic policy recommendations is a dramatic increase in the monthly tax-free income threshold, a change he says will put more disposable income directly into workers’ pockets to counter years of rising prices. Currently set at just 9,000 Surinamese dollars (SRD) per month, Zheng is calling for the threshold to be raised to a minimum of 30,000 SRD, with a further increase to 50,000 SRD on the table if government fiscal conditions allow for the expansion.

    Zheng’s calculations show that a jump to 30,000 SRD would leave the average worker with an extra 1,890 SRD in disposable income each month. This additional spending power would not only ease immediate financial pressures on working households, he argues, but would also stimulate broader domestic economic activity by increasing consumer demand for local goods and services.

    The legislator emphasized that Suriname’s current tax framework is misaligned with the country’s long-term growth goals. In his view, the government has become overly reliant on taxing labor and imports, a structure that discourages job creation and deters foreign capital. Instead, Zheng says fiscal policy should shift to incentivize private investment and entrepreneurship, laying the groundwork for more diversified and sustainable economic expansion.

    To advance that goal, Zheng is also pushing for the creation of dedicated free trade zones and free ports across Suriname, drawing on lessons from global success stories. He notes that jurisdictions such as Singapore, Hong Kong (China), and the United Arab Emirates have used these specialized economic zones to attract billions in foreign direct investment, strengthen domestic logistics networks, and generate thousands of new local jobs.

    With the rapid development of Suriname’s emerging oil and gas sector on the horizon, Zheng argues the country has a unique opportunity to reinvent itself as a regional trade and logistics hub. Reaching that potential, however, requires major policy shifts: upgraded modern infrastructure, a more welcoming investment climate, and the gradual reduction of existing import barriers. He advocates for a phased reduction of import duties, noting that as Suriname diversifies its economy and develops new streams of economic activity, the government will be able to reduce its dependence on import revenue over time.

    Zheng stressed that the coming years will be a defining period for Suriname’s economic future. He urged policymakers to leverage the economic opportunities presented by the growing oil and gas industry to drive sustainable development across other sectors of the economy, ultimately lifting overall prosperity for all Surinamese citizens.

    Budget debate is scheduled to continue on the same day of Zheng’s proposal, with the sitting government set to deliver its response in the second round of parliamentary discussion.

  • PM Browne Says Antigua Has “Enough” LGBTQ People Amid U.S. Talks

    PM Browne Says Antigua Has “Enough” LGBTQ People Amid U.S. Talks

    Amid ongoing regional negotiations with the United States over immigration resettlement, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has laid out Antigua and Barbuda’s non-negotiable conditions for accepting third-country nationals that Washington cannot repatriate to their home countries, drawing a firm line on additional LGBTQ asylum seekers and tying the policy to the small island nation’s limited domestic resources.

    In an appearance on the *Browne and Browne Show* this past Saturday, Browne referenced a recent case in neighboring St. Kitts and Nevis, where three third-country nationals were resettled under the US-led framework. According to information Browne received, two of those three individuals identify as LGBTQ. “I’m told the three that were sent to St. Kitts, two of them are LGBTQIAs,” Browne said, adding, “We have enough of those here.”

    The prime minister was quick to frame the government’s position as rooted in practical concerns rather than discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, pointing to three core priorities: national security, public health, and the country’s strained public finances. “We do not want people who are criminals. We don’t want people who are sick. We do not want anyone who is going to become a charge [on the state],” he explained.

    Under the terms Antigua and Barbuda has put forward during negotiations, any individual accepted under the resettlement arrangement must pass rigorous, comprehensive security and medical screenings before they are allowed to enter the country. Additionally, the government has demanded that all resettled individuals hold valid, official travel documents from their countries of origin, rejecting the proposal that they enter with temporary documentation issued by US authorities.

    Browne confirmed that Antigua and Barbuda has left the door open to a limited annual intake, offering to consider accepting up to 10 third-country nationals per year. This offer, however, remains contingent on all applicants meeting the strict vetting requirements: no serious criminal record, no threat to national security, no public health risks, and full compliance with the government’s entry criteria.

    The prime minister emphasized that the island nation’s small geographic size and constrained public infrastructure make absorbing large numbers of resettled people unfeasible. He noted that once temporary US-funded support for resettled individuals expires, any long-term social assistance would fall to Antigua and Barbuda’s government, a burden the country cannot sustain at higher intake levels.

    Going forward, Browne confirmed that negotiating teams will continue talks with US officials, but the country will not compromise on its sovereign right to control who enters and establishes residence within its borders. The current talks between Antigua and Barbuda and the US are part of a broader diplomatic push by Washington, which has been negotiating with multiple Caribbean governments to resettle third-country nationals that cannot be sent back to their countries of origin as a key component of Washington’s wider immigration enforcement strategy.

  • AG Jeremie vows to go after ‘1% gangs’ funding PNM

    AG Jeremie vows to go after ‘1% gangs’ funding PNM

    In a dramatic parliamentary address delivered on June 10, 2026, Trinidad and Tobago’s Attorney General John Jeremie has laid bare extraordinary allegations against three high-profile individuals—businessman Dominic Hadeed, 52, his wife Genevieve, 42, and relative Star Sabga, 69—who now face preventive detention orders over claims they conspired to assassinate top government officials. The bombshell revelations came as Jeremie tabled a motion to extend the country’s ongoing state of emergency by three months, pulling back the curtain on a widening crackdown that blurs the line between elite financial power and organized criminal activity.

    Jeremie used the parliamentary platform to confirm a sweeping development: the U.S. government has revoked travel visas for multiple members of what he called Trinidad and Tobago’s “1%”, a cohort of wealthy and connected elites he accuses of operating as an organized criminal network. Acknowledging the U.S. intelligence community’s robust surveillance capabilities, he noted that American authorities had made an independent determination that these individuals’ activities warranted barring them from entry to the U.S., a move in which the Trinidad and Tobago government had no hand.

    The Attorney General pushed back against the common framing of gang activity as confined to working-class street groups identified by numeric names like Sixx, Seven and Eight. Instead, he argued, the Anti-Gang Act’s broad definition—covering any informal or formal grouping of two or more people engaged in criminal activity—applies equally to the country’s economic elite, who have built decades of unchecked influence. For ten years under the previous People’s National Movement (PNM) administration, Jeremie claimed, these elites thrived, exploiting their connections to secure unlimited access to U.S. dollars, while ordinary citizens are forced to queue for hours at banks to access just $200 in foreign currency for travel. These elite figures, he added, move hundreds of thousands of dollars in foreign exchange through their credit cards on a monthly revolving basis— a privilege out of reach for most Trinidadians.

    Jeremie went further, alleging the elite not only funded the PNM but were revered by the party and have effectively taken control of it, with opposition politicians acting as willing pawns for their interests. The revelation of visa revocations, he explained, came unexpectedly: a question from a journalist at Guardian Media Ltd, which Jeremie claimed is owned by the accused group, first piqued his interest. Though he initially ignored the query, he was later contacted directly by multiple elites who confirmed their U.S. visas had been revoked, he said.

    Stressing that the Trinidad and Tobago government cannot influence U.S. visa policy, Jeremie made clear that authorities retain full jurisdiction over illegal activity occurring within the country’s borders. “The days when wealth could shield elite criminals from prosecution and law enforcement scrutiny are over,” he warned, arguing that any individual who operates as a gang member—regardless of social standing—will face the same consequences as street-level gang members. “If your designation is within the 1%, or if you are Sixx, Seven or Eight, Teteron (a detention facility) awaits,” he stated.

    Directing a specific warning at those who have targeted him and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Jeremie alleged the group has hidden behind the media outlets it controls to attack the government, and that intelligence indicates they are now planning more direct violent action. “If you target me, as I expect you will, or my Prime Minister, as you have… if, as our intelligence suggests, you have in contemplation more and direct action, the indignity of the cells at Teteron await,” he said.

    Jeremie declined to elaborate on additional allegations, including irregular deals over valuable state lands that he claimed the group pursued up until the night of the last general election, noting that the matter is already under active review by the Commissioner of Police. He also accused the former PNM administration of turning a blind eye not only to white-collar gang activity but to the spread of street-level blue-collar gang violence across the country.

    Closing his address, Jeremie emphasized equal application of the law: an offense committed by a wealthy member of the 1% is no different than a crime committed by young working-class people in marginalized communities like Morvant and Laventille. While the government has no control over actions taken by its American ally, it will act firmly on evidence of criminal activity gathered by its own law enforcement, he confirmed, declaring that the era of unchecked influence for Trinidad and Tobago’s elite is definitively over.

  • Alexander: Let police complete Hadeed probe

    Alexander: Let police complete Hadeed probe

    Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander has publicly called on the country’s citizens to step back and let law enforcement investigators complete their work into the high-profile detention of local businessman Dominic Hadeed, his wife Genevieve Hadeed, and Genevieve’s maternal aunt Star Sabga. Speaking at an event held at the Roslyn Hall and Lounge in Tunapuna yesterday, Alexander issued a clear warning against the rising trend of what he labeled “trial by social media” and premature judgment in the court of public opinion.

    Alexander opened his remarks by stating he would not share any specific details about the ongoing investigation, noting that uniformed police officers require space to carry out their probe free of unwarranted external pressure. “What I can share with you at this time is that the police need to do their job, and I am one of the people who advocate that,” Alexander told attendees. He emphasized that law enforcement teams must be granted the space to pursue their inquiries both effectively and efficiently, without being swayed by widespread public commentary or ungrounded speculation about the case.

    “In order to do that job effectively and efficiently, they must be given that option, that opportunity to do that, without this set of crosstalk and the court of public opinion making statements and thing,” he said. “Do your job and let’s see where we go from there.”

    Alexander confirmed that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) is advancing a targeted probe into the three detainees, and urged the public to wait for official conclusions before drawing any final judgments on the case. “All I can say is that the police are pursuing a particular type of investigation and we await the outcome,” he added.

    The minister also voiced criticism of the flood of commentary on the case across social media platforms, calling out premature public statements from political figures — including remarks from the country’s Opposition that left him surprised. “The court of public opinion and the social media advocates and the persons who are making various statements…I was taken aback even by certain pronouncements made by the Opposition,” Alexander said.

    He went on to defend the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), a cornerstone institution of Trinidad and Tobago’s justice system, highlighting the office’s critical role in upholding the rule of law. “The DPP holds an office in Trinidad and Tobago second to none,” Alexander said. Drawing on his own decades of experience as a former police officer, he shared that he has long observed the DPP carries out all official duties with extreme care and attention to detail. “He, from my knowledge and from my experience as an ex-police officer, is very meticulous in how he does things,” Alexander added.

    Alexander’s address wrapped up with a broader appeal to national values, urging all citizens to prioritize respect for the rule of law — a standard he argued should be taught to children from a young age within family households. “Respect the rule of law. If you start with it at home as a parent, you will see your sons and daughters growing up respecting that,” he said.

    He also warned that eroding public respect for legal and state authority carries profound long-term risks for the entire country. “When you as a citizen, or you as a society, or you as a country, start to pull away from that type of respect for authority, then what do you expect to happen?” he asked.

    In closing, Alexander called on the public to allow the formal judicial process to proceed unimpeded, and to commit to accepting the court’s final decision regardless of outcome. “Let us move away from that and return to the day when a citizen was proud to be a citizen in Trinidad and Tobago and allow the court, where everybody does run to, make a decision, and we respect the outcomes,” he said.

  • DNA-leden uit westen vragen impuls voor landbouw, wegen en visserij

    DNA-leden uit westen vragen impuls voor landbouw, wegen en visserij

    During ongoing national budget deliberations in Suriname, two sitting members of parliament representing the country’s western districts of Coronie and Nickerie have publicly called on the national government to prioritize targeted, large-scale investment in key local sectors to reverse uneven regional development that has left the resource-rich region falling far behind national growth trajectories.

    Speaking on behalf of his constituency Coronie, National Assembly member Le-Roy Doorson, who represents the National Democratic Party (NDP), painted a stark picture of the once-thriving regional agricultural sector. Once celebrated as one of Suriname’s most productive agricultural hubs, Coronie now counts only one active commercial rice farmer among its residents, Doorson told fellow lawmakers during the budget debate. He has urged the administration to introduce targeted policy measures designed to revitalize the district’s legacy rice and coconut sectors, while also improving access to underutilized agricultural land to draw new participants into the industry.

    Beyond agriculture, Doorson highlighted a series of long-standing unaddressed infrastructure and public governance issues that are holding back Coronie’s development. He called out the poor condition of the critical East-West Connector road, persistent seasonal flooding that disrupts livelihoods, the urgent need to encourage young people to pursue careers in farming, and a lack of government transparency around public land allocation within the district. All of these issues, he argued, require immediate government attention to unlock Coronie’s economic potential.

    Joining the call for greater investment was Rawien Raghoenandan, a National Assembly member from the ruling Progressive People’s Party (VHP) representing neighboring Nickerie district. Raghoenandan outlined his own constituency’s most pressing priorities, starting with widespread gaps in reliable drinking water access for local residents. He also noted that Nickerie’s large fishing community needs a modern, upgraded docking facility to support their operations, called for urgent remediation of the uncontrolled waste dump located along H.D. Soekoeweg, and stressed that the aging Henar Bridge requires immediate structural repairs and upgrades to remain safe for public use.

    Across multiple political factions in the National Assembly, lawmakers have echoed the core argument put forward by the two district representatives: western Suriname holds significant untapped economic potential across agriculture, fishing and other key sectors, but unlocking that growth will require tangible improvements to core infrastructure and targeted public investment that has not yet been forthcoming. The assembled representatives have formally called on the Suriname government to integrate investments in agricultural development, fisheries expansion and core regional public services into the final implementation plan for the upcoming national budget, to address the growing development gap between the western region and more prosperous areas of the country.

  • New Title? ‘Just Call Me Gassy Dread,’ PM Browne Tells Antiguans

    New Title? ‘Just Call Me Gassy Dread,’ PM Browne Tells Antiguans

    In a surprising display of lighthearted humor that has captured the attention of the entire nation of Antigua and Barbuda, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has openly embraced an unexpected viral nickname bestowed on him by local citizens – ‘Gassy Dread’.

    The unusual moniker began circulating across social media platforms and local community conversations in recent weeks, quickly gaining traction as a playful talking point among Antiguans. Instead of dismissing the joke or issuing a formal rebuke, which many would expect from a sitting head of government, Browne leaned into the moment during a recent public address to his constituents.

    When addressing the crowd, the prime minister acknowledged the nickname directly, telling Antiguans that they need not tiptoe around the playful title. “Just call me Gassy Dread,” he reportedly told attendees, breaking the tension of typical political speech and drawing laughter and applause from the audience.

    The moment has quickly become a viral talking point across Caribbean social media, with many members of the public praising Browne for his willingness to engage with informal public culture and show a more approachable, human side of political leadership. Political observers note that the move signals a refreshing break from the often stuffy formality that surrounds high-level political office, allowing voters to connect with their leader on a more personal level.

    While the origin of the nickname remains rooted in casual local wordplay linking Browne’s first name Gaston to the playful adjective, its unexpected adoption by the prime minister has turned a minor online joke into a defining moment of people-focused political communication in Antigua and Barbuda.

  • WATCH: PM Browne Wants Antiguans to Own Part of New Yeptons Beach Hotel

    WATCH: PM Browne Wants Antiguans to Own Part of New Yeptons Beach Hotel

    Antigua and Barbuda’s government is reshaping the proposed Yepton Beach hotel development into an inclusive public-private partnership (PPP) designed to open ownership stakes to domestic citizens and institutions, rather than ceding full control to foreign investors, Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced Saturday.

    Speaking during his regular weekly segment on Pointe FM, Browne outlined that the revised project structure aligns with the administration’s overarching policy goal: expanding local involvement across the nation’s $1.3bn tourism industry, the country’s primary economic driver, by creating clear investment pathways for ordinary citizens and state-backed entities. Unlike the country’s historic approach to tourism development, which sees the government sell land outright to foreign developers, the administration will maintain a permanent equity holding in the Yepton Beach project under the new framework.

    “We’re pursuing a public-private partnership structure,” Browne explained, noting that the model is crafted to guarantee the nation captures multiple layers of benefit from the resort development. Beyond the short-term gains of construction activity and new local jobs, the PPP structure will allow Antiguans and Barbudans to share in the long-term revenue and profits generated by the coastal hotel.

    Under the proposed arrangement, key domestic institutions including the national Social Security Scheme will be invited to take equity positions alongside the selected private developer and international hospitality brand. This structure creates accessible opportunities for Antiguan and Barbudan citizens at all income levels to hold shares in the high-potential resort project, a departure from the country’s long-standing status quo.

    For decades, tourism development in Antigua and Barbuda has followed a template where foreign investors hold full ownership and operational control of major resorts, with local participation restricted almost entirely to low and mid-level employment roles. Browne emphasized that shifting this dynamic is a core priority for his administration. “We want our people to have ownership,” he stated.

    Beyond expanding local economic inclusion, retaining a government equity stake will also unlock long-term fiscal benefits: the public sector will profit from future gains in the property’s value, creating a sustained stream of public revenue instead of a one-time payout from a land sale. Browne added that the balanced strategy supports both inclusion and growth: it enables citizens to build personal wealth through direct participation in profitable tourism assets, while still maintaining the open investment climate that attracts international capital and well-known global hotel brands to the country’s shores.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Seeks High-Level Meeting With EU Over Visa-Free Travel

    Antigua and Barbuda Seeks High-Level Meeting With EU Over Visa-Free Travel

    In a public address on his weekly Pointe FM broadcast Saturday, Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda laid out an aggressive high-level diplomatic strategy to protect the nation’s long-standing visa-free travel access to the European Union, amid growing uncertainty stirred by the EU’s review of global citizenship-by-investment programs.

    Browne emphasized that the Caribbean nation has not abandoned its efforts to convince EU policymakers to reverse proposed rules that could strip Antigua and Barbuda of its visa-free privilege before the close of 2024. While the final EU decision remains unconfirmed, the Browne administration is prioritizing direct, senior-level engagement to change the bloc’s position, the prime minister confirmed.

    At the core of Antigua and Barbuda’s negotiating position is a core argument: security concerns tied to investment migration programs can be mitigated through targeted enhanced safeguards, rather than the extreme measure of revoking visa-free access. Browne outlined that the government is pushing for the adoption of a regional electronic travel authorization system for citizens from nations running investment migration schemes, a reform he says addresses EU security worries without disrupting decades of cross-border travel arrangements.

    “We hold the position that an electronic travel authorization system would be more than sufficient to address any risks,” Browne said during the interview. “This is a sensible middle path that preserves the strong, positive relations we have built with the EU over decades. There is no need to throw the baby out with the bath water.”

    The prime minister added that Antigua and Barbuda has already enacted sweeping reforms to strengthen its own citizenship-by-investment program, and stands ready to implement any additional security measures that EU authorities request, including the pending adoption of mandatory biometric screening for applicants. “We have made a clear commitment to the EU: any safeguards you use in your own investment migration programs, we will put in place here,” Browne noted.

    He pushed back firmly against claims that Antigua and Barbuda’s program poses an unacceptable major security risk to European nations, pointing out that no immigration system in the world can claim to be 100% free from abuse. “We have already reinforced our program’s vetting processes extensively, and we are confident it does not present a meaningful risk to any country,” Browne explained. “We acknowledge that there will always be residual risk — occasionally a bad actor may slip through. But no system is ever completely foolproof.”

    Browne also called out what he described as double standards from larger nations that operate similar investor immigration schemes. He highlighted that even the United States’ well-known EB-5 investor visa program and Canada’s equivalent initiative have both had issues with bad actors infiltrating their systems, yet the EU only targets small Caribbean nations like his. “Larger countries have faced the exact same challenges we have, but they point fingers at us as if their systems are perfect and have never attracted criminal actors,” he said.

    Moving forward, Antigua and Barbuda will maintain sustained diplomatic engagement with EU officials, working to both preserve the visa-free arrangement and prove that the citizenship-by-investment program operates with full transparency and integrity. Browne also highlighted the program’s independent governance as proof of its integrity, noting that he has never overruled a rejection issued by the country’s Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), which operates with full institutional independence. “Our program is run with complete integrity, from start to finish,” he added.

  • Senate of Antigua and Barbuda is scheduled to meet Today

    Senate of Antigua and Barbuda is scheduled to meet Today

    In a plenary sitting held on June 16, 2026, the House of Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda approved a broad slate of legislative proposals, constitutional motions, and international ratifications, advancing five major bills to the Upper House for upcoming debate.

    The five bills heading to Upper House deliberation cover a wide range of policy priorities, from legal modernization to border security and immigration reform. The first, the Fatal Accidents Bill 2026, is designed to update the country’s outdated legal framework for damage claims stemming from fatal incidents, and will fully repeal the decades-old existing law, Fatal Accidents Act, Cap 166, replacing it with updated regulatory language. The Magistrate’s Code of Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2026 targets Section 38 of the existing Magistrate’s Code of Procedure Act, CAP 255, refining the statutory rules governing how search warrants are issued by judicial authorities. The Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill 2026 revises Section 18 of the 2018 Electronic Crimes Act, with changes focused on strengthening provisions related to production orders for digital evidence and updating penalties for entities or individuals that fail to comply with court-ordered information requests.

    On immigration and border management, two bills address longstanding policy gaps and bring domestic rules in line with global standards. The Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Bill 2026 establishes a formal amnesty program that allows undocumented residents to apply to have their immigration status formalized, creating a pathway to legal residency for eligible individuals. The Advanced Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record Bill 2026 introduces formal regulatory frameworks for the collection, transmittal, sharing, and secure storage of passenger data for people entering, departing from, or transiting through Antigua and Barbuda, aligning the country’s border security protocols with current international best practices.

    In addition to the five bills bound for the Upper House, the sitting also approved two procedural motions that will be taken up by the upper chamber. One motion authorizes the compulsory acquisition of land for public use, specifically to build a secure entry and exit corridor and supporting public infrastructure for the planned National Performing Arts Centre. The second motion sets procedural arrangements for the Governor General’s official opening of Parliament scheduled for May 26, 2026, including the delivery of the traditional Throne Speech outlining the government’s upcoming policy agenda.

    Beyond the legislation moving to the Upper House, the House of Representatives approved a series of additional resolutions during the same sitting, including four international treaty ratifications that strengthen Antigua and Barbuda’s global engagement. These include ratification of an addendum to the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information, a global transparency agreement designed to combat cross-border tax evasion. Members also approved ratification of the 1986 amendment to the Constitution of the International Labour Organization, updating the institutional framework of the global labor standard-setting body. A reciprocal visa exemption agreement between the governments of Antigua and Barbuda and the United Arab Emirates was also ratified, allowing citizens of both nations to travel visa-free between the two countries, a move expected to boost tourism, trade, and people-to-people ties. The final ratification approved by members was a 2016 protocol amending Articles 50(a) and 56 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, signed in Montreal, which updates global civil aviation governance rules.

    The sitting also concluded the formal appointment of a new Public Accounts Committee, required under Section 98 of Antigua and Barbuda’s Constitution, which exercises legislative oversight of government spending to ensure public funds are used appropriately and transparently. The committee will be chaired by Hon. Jamale Pringle, MP for All Saints East and St Luke, with other members including Hon. Trevor Walker, MP for Barbuda; Hon. Anthony Smith Jr, MP for All Saints West; Hon. Michael Freeland, MP for St George; and Hon. Melford Nicholas, MP for St John’s City East.

    Official multimedia coverage of the full June 16 sitting has been released by the Government Information Service of Antigua and Barbuda.

  • LISTEN: PM Browne Says Some Homes In China-Funded Projects in Bolans and Barbuda Will Be Offered Under Rent-to-Own Programme

    LISTEN: PM Browne Says Some Homes In China-Funded Projects in Bolans and Barbuda Will Be Offered Under Rent-to-Own Programme

    During an announcement made Saturday, Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda unveiled a potential new policy to expand access to affordable homeownership for the nation’s most vulnerable residents. Under the country’s ongoing Chinese-funded national housing development scheme, a portion of newly constructed residences could be allocated to a flexible rent-to-own framework, designed to address rising unmet demand for accessible housing across the twin-island nation.

    Browne explained that the government is actively evaluating plans to reserve a subset of the upcoming new builds as rental units, with a built-in option for tenants to purchase the property after a set rental period. The units in question are standalone, single-story concrete structures fitted with two or three bedrooms, engineered to withstand extreme weather conditions common to the Caribbean region — a critical design feature for small island nations facing growing climate risks. “More and more people are asking for rental homes that can lead to ownership,” Browne noted, adding that he hopes the adjusted allocation will help satisfy this unmet need.

    The prime minister used the occasion to extend formal gratitude to the People’s Republic of China for its sustained investment in Antigua and Barbuda’s housing sector, emphasizing that the bilateral development partnership has been instrumental in cutting national poverty rates and expanding access to stable housing for low-income households. “You can’t aspire to be a nation with a high quality of life and leave any segment of your population trapped in abject poverty,” Browne stated. “We are working systematically to eliminate remaining pockets of extreme poverty, and we have made meaningful progress thanks to this partnership.”

    To date, China has supported the construction of roughly 250 residential units across two phases of the programme, Browne confirmed. Around 150 of these homes are already finished or in the final stages of completion. A new $20 million USD grant agreement signed just this week will fund the construction of an additional 100 climate-resilient units: 50 will be built in Bolans on the island of Antigua, and another 50 will be constructed on the sister island of Barbuda. Each unit will sit on a plot of land ranging up to three hectares, providing residents with ample space. All told, China’s total investment in the multi-phase housing initiative amounts to roughly $50 million USD, equivalent to around 135 million Eastern Caribbean dollars.

    Browne stressed that the entire programme is intentionally targeted to support “the most vulnerable, some of the poorest people among us.” He went on to praise China’s “shared prosperity” development philosophy, noting that China’s support for infrastructure and social development projects across Antigua and Barbuda and other small developing states is consistently focused on lifting living standards for local communities.

    In closing, Browne called for enhanced cooperation between China and the United States, framing both nations as key strategic partners for Antigua and Barbuda. He noted that the U.S. remains the country’s largest source of tourism arrivals and top trading partner, while China continues to deliver transformative investment in critical public infrastructure and affordable housing. “We would want to see greater cooperation between China and the United States, our two most important partners,” Browne said.