Access to HIV Services for Mobile and Migrant Populations in Antigua

1946
1960
1970
1991*
2001*
2011**
41,757
54,060
64,794
60,840
76,886
83,278
19,011
25,230
30,589
29,638
36,109
N/A
22,746
28,830
34,205
31,202
40,777
N/A
83.58
87.51
89.43
94.99
88.55
N/A
11,990
12,303
10,734
-3,954
16,046
6,392
*Adjusted population
Source: 1990-1991 Population and Housing Census of the Commonwealth Caribbean. National
Census Report, Antigua and Barbuda, 2001. CARICOM Secretariat, 1997. Antigua and Barbuda
Summary: 2001. Statistics Division of the Ministry of Finance and the Economy, July 2004. Antigua and
BarbudaCensus 2011 Preliminary Data Release. Statistics Division of the Ministry of Finance, the
Economy and Public Administration. January/February 2012
1.35
1.84
1.81
-0.30
2.34
0.83
Because of the free movement of people to and from the USA, which was restricted in 1921 and
1924, Welland (1974), and certain major agricultural and infrastructure projects in Latin
America, there was a steady outflow of people from Antigua and the wider Caribbean to these
parts of the world. This was seriously restricted in 1921 because of certain laws passed in the
USA (United States Immigration Act, 1924) and the completion of these projects in Latin
America.
In the early 1900’s, a number of Caribbean nationals migrated to Antigua to work on the sugar
plantations. Padilla (2007) states that a number of Antiguans also journeyed to places like
Guyana, Dominican Republic and Dominica and some even started families there. Many of the
offspring of these Antiguans, came to Antigua later on in hopes of finding family, especially as
migration to Antigua was not difficult and getting work permits and permanent status was
simpler than it is now.
In later years, a strong tendency for the return of high level occupational groups, better economic
conditions and higher rates of pay in Antigua, continued to fuel the inflow of persons into the
country from the surrounding Caribbean territories (Planning Institute of Jamaica, 1994 and
1995).
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