标签： Antigua and Barbuda

In response to mounting constituent complaints, Antigua’s Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas has committed to restoring continuous water access to eastern communities, including St. Philip’s North, by Saturday evening. The pledge came during a Thursday town hall meeting where Nicholas acknowledged the justified frustrations of residents who have endured weeks without reliable running water.

Minister Nicholas revealed the commitment received formal Cabinet approval earlier that day following strategic resource reallocation to address distribution challenges. While national water production has tripled according to the minister, geographical obstacles continue to hinder efficient water movement to eastern districts due to persistent infrastructure limitations.

The urgency of the situation was emphasized by Nicholas’s disclosure of receiving what he characterized as “an angry” call from Prime Minister Gaston Browne, highlighting the issue’s elevated priority within the administration. As an immediate solution, Cabinet has authorized funding for an automated water switching system to replace manual valve operations at key locations including Cock Pond and Church Pond.

This technological upgrade will enable the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) to manage water redistribution more effectively and maintain consistent supply levels. Nicholas assured residents that once implemented, water would be available on demand regardless of time—whether for early morning showers or evening laundry needs.

The minister personally guaranteed accountability, providing his direct contact information and encouraging community members to report any persistent issues after Saturday’s deadline. Nicholas concluded by affirming that resolving the eastern communities’ water challenges has become the government’s foremost priority as part of broader efforts to stabilize island-wide water distribution.

Antigua and Barbuda is set to host its inaugural National Inter-School Warri Championship on February 28, 2026, marking a significant cultural revival initiative spearheaded by the Department of Culture and Ministry of Education. The event will transform the J. E. St. Luce Building in St. John’s into a vibrant arena where primary and secondary students from across the nation will compete in this traditional African board game, celebrated for its strategic depth and cultural significance.

Scheduled to commence at 10:00 AM with an opening ceremony and preliminary rounds, the championship will progress through semi-finals at 12:30 PM, culminating in finals and an awards presentation by 1:30 PM. The tournament represents a deliberate effort to reconnect younger generations with ancestral heritage, particularly as Black History Month concludes, emphasizing the game’s role as both intellectual exercise and cultural artifact.

The championship transcends mere competition, serving as a dynamic celebration of identity, resilience, and traditional knowledge preservation. Educational officials and cultural experts will attend alongside traditional Warri masters, providing authentic context to this ‘thinking man’s game’ that has long symbolized African intellectual tradition in the Caribbean.

Open to all primary and secondary institutions, the event encourages nationwide participation, with organizers urging parents, educators, and cultural enthusiasts to witness this groundbreaking convergence of youth engagement and historical continuity. The initiative aims to ensure Warri’s legacy remains a living, thriving component of Antiguan and Barbudan culture rather than a relic of the past.

In a significant address to global Anglican leaders, Archbishop Philip Wright of the Church in the Province of the West Indies has issued a powerful challenge to the worldwide communion: move beyond symbolic apologies for historical ties to slavery and embrace tangible reparative justice. The Archbishop’s remarks came during the ‘Breaking the Chains of Injustice’ international consultation, organized by UK charity USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel), which brought together 40 church leaders from 31 nations to examine colonialism’s enduring legacy.

Archbishop Wright positioned the Anglican Church at a ‘moral crossroads,’ acknowledging that while recognition of institutional complicity in the transatlantic slave trade opens doors to transformation, empty rhetoric could ultimately prove more damaging than the original offense. His comments arrive amid ongoing parliamentary scrutiny of the Church of England’s £100 million ‘Project Spire’ initiative, launched in 2023 by the Church Commissioners to address historical links to slavery.

The consultation highlighted how slavery’s abolition in 1834 through the Slavery Abolition Act failed to eliminate its profound consequences. Participants recognized the trade’s enduring impact as a primary driver of intergenerational economic disparity, environmental degradation, and social challenges throughout the Caribbean region.

Archbishop Wright clarified that reparatory justice ‘is not to seek retribution’ but rather represents a necessary recognition of centuries of harm that now ‘demands deliberate and intentional redress.’ He pointed to both Project Spire and USPG’s ‘Renewal and Reconciliation: The Codrington Project’ as promising initial steps toward meaningful reconciliation.

The Codrington Project, launched this year, represents a £7 million initiative to atone for USPG’s specific historical involvement in slavery. The project addresses the legacy of the Codrington Estates in Barbados, which operated as a slave plantation between 1712 and 1838 after being bequeathed to the society in 1710. Key initiatives include transferring property ownership to descendants of enslaved people, identifying burial sites, and ensuring proper memorialization.

USPG General Secretary Duncan Dormor emphasized the moral imperative for the Church of England to take Caribbean reparative justice claims seriously, noting the institution’s deep involvement in ‘brutal, inhumane, and shameful activities.’ He characterized reparative justice as central to contemporary Christian mission.

When questioned about practical support for Caribbean communities, Archbishop Wright emphasized that solutions extend beyond financial compensation. He called for assistance in building new schools and hospitals to help people ‘step out of the legacy of this horrendous period of history,’ while acknowledging the positive contributions the Church has made in the region over centuries.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd Sarah Mullally, sent encouraging words to the consultation, praising USPG’s ‘commitment to partnership, justice, and the flourishing of local churches’ that continues to bless the Anglican Communion in profound ways.

In honor of International Tourist Guide Day (February 21), the Antigua & Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association (ABHTA) has showcased veteran tourism professional Cleo Henry in the latest installment of its “Unveiling Hospitality Professionals” series. With over 24 years of dedicated service, Ms. Henry has been recognized for her exceptional contributions to tour guiding and destination excellence.

Hailing from Bolans, Cleo Henry was immersed in values of service and professionalism from a young age. Her mother, a kindergarten teacher for 37 years, emphasized education and articulate expression, while her father, a chauffeur in hospitality for five decades, modeled commitment and pride in service. Ms. Henry’s early exposure to tourism came through assisting her father with guest transportation at Jolly Beach, where she learned the importance of presentation and customer care.

After secondary school, she enrolled at the Hotel Training Centre under the mentorship of industry leader Muriel Omarde. She began her career in 2002 as a tour guide with Tropical Adventures and later expanded her expertise through regional and international training programs, including a Train-the-Trainer course in Dominica and accreditation in Cyprus.

As the only WFTGA-accredited trainer in Antigua and Barbuda, Ms. Henry has trained hundreds of tourism professionals in tour planning, guiding, and operations. She collaborated with the Ministry of Tourism to pilot a Certified On-Site Tourist Guide Training Programme in 2018 and recently earned a Global Executive Master’s in Hospitality Leadership in Paris.

Today, she leads the Service Ambassador Training programme in partnership with the Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board and the Muriel O’Marde Campus, equipping taxi drivers, vendors, and frontline workers with essential customer service skills.

Committed to mentoring the next generation, Ms. Henry encourages young professionals to pursue continuous training and uphold excellence in representing the nation’s tourism industry. Her story embodies resilience, dedication, and a profound commitment to elevating Antigua and Barbuda’s global tourism standing.

The ABHTA continues to promote and advocate for the hospitality sector, supporting members and stakeholders in strengthening the islands’ tourism product.

A high-profile murder trial opened under stringent security protocols as three defendants faced charges for the abduction and killing of senior Customs official Nigel Christian. The proceedings commenced before Justice Rajiv Persaud with the selection of an eleven-member jury panel, comprising five men and six women, plus two alternates, following extensive vetting by both prosecution and defense teams.

The accused—Lasean Bully, Wayne Thomas, and Saleim Harrigan—each entered not guilty pleas. The prosecution is led by Director of Public Prosecutions Clement Joseph and Curtis Cornelius, while the defense is represented by attorneys Sherfield Bowen, Michael Archibald, and Wendel Alexander.

In an unusual security measure, all members of the public were subjected to searches before being permitted entry into the courtroom. Prosecutors outlined their case, alleging that on July 10, 2020, the defendants—wearing camouflage attire and impersonating police officers—forcibly took the 44-year-old Christian from his residence in McKinnons. His body was subsequently discovered in Thibou’s with fatal gunshot wounds.

The trial is anticipated to extend over six weeks, with more than fifty witnesses scheduled to provide testimony. The case has drawn significant public attention due to the victim’s senior government role and the brazen nature of the crime.