The Governments of Antigua and Barbuda and the Dominican Republic have signed an agreement for the construction of a primary school on the sister island of Barbuda.
The agreement was signed by the Antigua and Barbuda Minister of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Trade and Barbuda Affairs, Hon. E.P Chet Greene and the country’s Minister of Education, Creative Industries and Sports, Hon. Daryll Matthew and the Dominican Republic Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Alvarez.
Both countries inked the agreement at the margins of the Fourth International Conference for Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), which Antigua and Barbuda is hosting from May 27 to 30 at the American University of Antigua (AUA). The delegation from the DR is among more than one hundred and thirteen countries attending the major conference organized by the United Nations.
The agreement calls for the construction of a primary school on Barbuda at a cost of US$1.5 million. Now that the agreement has been signed, the next step, is for the completion of architectural drawings to be followed by the selection of a construction company to undertake the project.
The donation of a primary school on Barbuda follows a commitment made by the former government in the DR, but which the current government has agreed to honour.
Immediately following the passage of Hurricane Irma in 2017 that decimated 90 percent of the buildings on Barbuda, including the historic, Holy Trinity School, the replacement of the school was one of the commitments made to Prime Minister Gaston Browne when he reached out to the then president of the DR seeking assistance for the Barbuda recovery efforts. In brief remarks, Foreign Minister Greene said he is particularly pleased that another Caribbean government has reached out to Antigua and Barbuda to offer assistance in a time of need. “The point I wish to emphasise is that this initiative is coming from a friendly Caribbean government. We have been accustomed to assistance coming from the North American or European governments in times of disaster, but to have this support from the Dominican Republic is so very
important. It speaks to the long-standing relationship and the benefits that accrue to our two countries through people to people and trade exchanges,” he remarked.
Education Minister Matthew joined the foreign affairs minister in thanking the government of the DR for the gift of a school for the people of Barbuda. For Minister Matthew the key is the investment that is being made in education. “Supporting the construction of a school on Barbuda is a remarkable step in supporting education in Antigua and Barbuda. It is said when you plant a seed, you invest in the future, building a school is therefore like planting a seed,” he stated.
Foreign Minister Alrarez said the donation strengthens the ties between the peoples of Antigua and Barbuda and the Dominican Republic. “This will also be a symbol of the relationship, but it will also go way beyond that,”
