PM Challenges Opposition to Submit Names of Unemployed Skilled Workers as New Wave of Foreign Labour Set to Arrive

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has challenged the opposition to produce the names of any unemployed skilled workers in Antigua and Barbuda, as government prepares to bring in additional foreign tradesmen to meet rising construction demands.

The Prime Minister issued the call on Pointe FM while discussing national development and labour shortages, saying the administration is moving ahead with plans to expand the workforce for housing and infrastructure projects. Government has signaled that a new round of foreign workers will be recruited to accelerate major builds scheduled for 2026.

Browne said the opposition has repeatedly claimed that local tradesmen—including carpenters, masons, electricians and plumbers—are out of work, but he insisted that no evidence has been presented to support those claims. He invited opposition figures to compile and submit names so they can be employed immediately.

The government has argued that ongoing housing developments and reconstruction initiatives require more labour than is currently available locally, prompting the decision to import additional workers.

The administration maintains that once verifiable lists of unemployed skilled citizens are provided, those individuals will be prioritized for placement ahead of foreign recruits.

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