By Azara Lavia
The government of Antigua and Barbuda has announced that plans are in the pipeline to introduce a team of infrastructure zone inspectors to enhance road maintenance and ensure timely repairs across Antigua and Barbuda.
Minister of Public Works Maria Browne made the announcement during the 2025 Budget Debate, highlighting the initiative’s goal to improve efficiency by closely monitoring roads, bridges, drains and other infrastructure on a zonal basis.
“These zone inspectors will act as our eyes on the ground, proactively identifying problems before they worsen,” Browne explained. “This approach will streamline maintenance efforts and free up engineers to focus on designing and implementing solutions.”
Under the proposed system, the country will be divided into five or six zones, with each zone assigned an inspector. These inspectors will report directly to the Ministry of Works, logging issues such as potholes, damaged bridges and blocked drains. The reports will be prioritized and scheduled for repair based on urgency.
“This structured system ensures no community is overlooked and resources are directed where they’re most needed,” Browne stated. “The inspectors will collaborate with enhanced road repair teams and an upcoming reporting app to create a comprehensive framework for addressing infrastructure issues.”
The minister emphasized the importance of this initiative in modernizing public infrastructure and delivering tangible improvements.
Zone inspectors will also play a key role in supporting ongoing road rehabilitation projects, which aim to address long-neglected community roads and upgrade main transportation routes.
Set to launch in 2025, the program will work in tandem with other infrastructure initiatives, including the introduction of a mobile app for reporting road issues and the procurement of new roadwork equipment.
“This is a forward-thinking strategy to modernize our nation’s infrastructure and better respond to the needs of our citizens,” Browne concluded. “We are committed to finding solutions that make a real difference in the lives of the people of Antigua and Barbuda.”
