CABINET NOTES: March 20 2024

HURST REPORTS ON CABINET OF Wednesday 20 March 2024

The Cabinet began its sitting with a prayer and scripture reading by a Minister of religion. There were no invited presenters to Cabinet on this day.

1. The Cabinet decided that the number of officers at His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) will be increased, in order to provide better security and to ensure that the ratio of prisoners to security officers meets a desirable, higher standard. 20 more youthful officers are to be trained to fill the vacancies created by retirement, resignations and need. More than 205 men and 10 women are currently imprisoned at HMP, including those on remand awaiting a trial date, and those who have been convicted of crimes. Since the laws governing the possession of cannabis were changed, the prison population has declined significantly. Crime is also at a new low since employment, especially in the construction sector, has attracted many young males; the opportunities for employment have always been a factor affecting crime, the Cabinet believes.
2. The Prime Minister, the Minister of the Environment, the Minister of Public Utilities and the Minister of Works will welcome a team from Japan in a few days. The Japanese Investment Bank team will sign an Agreement on a Recyclable Water Project, treating gray water. The small recycling plants are to be installed in hotels, government buildings, businesses and homes that will allow water from showers, kitchens and other domestic uses to be treated and used again. The plants would also be very helpful in reducing unwanted malodorous emanations that now affect the air quality in commercial St. John’s, where waste water is discharged in the gutters. Several cities and countries are moving to these small plants rather than having a single large recycling plant that requires underground pipes, pumps and other paraphernalia that can be very costly to operate.
3. The Cabinet took a decision to develop the north side of Rat Island as an extension of the cruise port. The project has not yet been costed, but the return on investment is expected to justify the expenditure. Yachts are expected to make use of the facility, as will small cruise ships. The dredging will take place to allow vessels requiring less deep draughts, than are utilized by the Heritage Quay docks, to be used.
4. The dredging that is taking place at Crabbes and in the northern corridor is intended to deepen the draught so that the larger channel can accommodate the bigger vessels that will bring cement to Antigua . The cement vessel in use is not sufficiently large to provide cement that will last more than one day, at the rate at which cement is consumed. Hence, the dredging is intended to allow for a larger vessel that will bring even more cement than is now available each week. The dredging will be completed in 120 days, the Minister informed the Cabinet.
5. There will be no Parliament on Thursday. Instead, Parliament will convene on Tuesday 26 March 2024. Several amendments to existing legislation are anticipated.

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