Caribbean Times 54th Issue - Monday 12th December 2016

4 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g
Monday 12th December 2016
Update on Road Rehabilitation Project
citizens he continues to touch.
The annual wreath laying ceremony
commemorating his life and service to the
people and country of Antigua and Barbuda
brought together citizens from around the
island to pay their respects to the country’s
first National Hero.
Members of the Cabinet, ATLU, Foreign
Official, the Diplomatic Core, the
ABDF and Police laid wreaths at the base
of the V.C. Bird Bust at Market Square.
The proceedings lead by Master of Ceremonies,
Senator Michael Freeland took
many down memory lane as speakers such
as the Honourable Chet Greene Chairman
By Joanna Paris
The Ministry of Health and Environment
and by extension the government of
Antigua and Barbuda is pleased with the
level of response from the public where
the ban on the use of plastic bags in concerned.
The twin island state is the very first
in this hemisphere to have succeeded in
banning plastic shopping bags from supermarkets,
thus decreasing considerably
By Joanna Paris
The Gaston Browne led
administration has plans to
further expand the National
Housing Project.
Last week, Cabinet made
a decision to purchase a huge
plot of land that was once
By Joanna Paris
Plans are progressing
smoothly as they pertain to
the highly anticipated Road
Rehabilitation Project.
Last week, the Direc-
cont’d from pg 3
tor of Public Works Lucien
Hanley, met with the members
of Cabinet to discuss
progress.
Government’s Chief of
Staff, Ambassador Lionel
Royalls Estate to expand the
Housing initiative.
According to information
received by the decision making
body, the family that once
owned the property during the
days of slavery, made so much
money that they endowed the
Hurst reported “the Cabinet
of Antigua and Barbuda
was updated on the plans
being made for the road program
to be funded by the
UK DFID in the amount of
of the ABLP, Donyelle Bird, granddaughter
of Sir V.C. Bird, Chairman of the Antigua
Trades and Labour Union, Wigley George,
and Prime Minister, Honourable Gaston
Browne collectively spoke of his passion
for the people and the many achievements
that were made on behalf of the people giving
them the opportunity to shed the chains
of oppression and start to journey to become
the great people and nation we know
today.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne in his
speech recognized Sir V.C. affectionately
known as “Papa” or the “Father of the Nation”
as the most important National Hero
in the history of Antigua and Barbuda.
Harvard Law School with its
first building, back in the early
1800s. A call has recently
been made for Harvard to
make reparations for the slave
labour that contributed to its
founding.
The land has been lying
£13.9 million Pounds Sterling
(or about US$20 million
dollars)”.
According to the Director,
“the buildings that will
house the crushers and the
cement plant are under construction,
and that important
machinery are at the docks
in the UK ready for shipment
to Antigua”.
Hanley also gave an update
on the plans to improve
the by-pass roads that will
have to be used during the
construction and rehabilitation
stages of the roadways.
It is hoped that this major
development will begin
early next year. The Caribbean
Development Bank is
a major player in the overall
exercise.
Public ban on plastic bags update
the amount of plastic waste, which gets
deposited in the landfill.
The ban became effective as of July
1 this year.
According to reports from the Ministry
of Health and Environment, shoppers
have grown accustomed to the reusable
bags and have shown their appreciation
for the environmental impact which the
new bags have on our island country.
Government’s Chief of Staff, Ambassador
Lionel “Max” Hurst has indicated
that “the next campaign will be aimed
at reducing the use of Styrofoam plates,
cups, and other products seen as harmful
to humans and other living creatures”.
The Minister of Health and Environment,
the Hon. Molwyn Joseph, is expected
to make the announcement soon.
It is anticipated that the above mentioned
items will be replaced by materials
made from biodegradable products.
Plans to expand National Housing project
fallow since sugarcane production
was abandoned in
1972. The area is sufficiently
close to St. John’s and the
government expects that a lot
of people with have an interest
in acquiring the houses
that will be built thereon.