Prime Minister Gaston Browne is anticipating a labour shortage next year as a result of his ambitious goal to grow the economy by at least 13 percent in 2018.
In an address at the Sir Novelle Richards Academy on Friday, Browne touted that 2018 would be the most “economically buoyant year” in the history of Antigua and Barbuda.
“We expect to grow the country’s economy next year by at least 12 to 13 percent,” he told the crowd.
Browne said the vast growth would be as a result of a number of projects that will start in 2018.
“For example”, he said, “we will spend approximately 90 million United States dollars to construct a new port facility. That will start in January.”
According to the prime minister, Senator Mary Claire Hurst and Manager of the Antigua Port Authority, Darwin Telemaque have travelled to China to sign off on the construction agreement.
He also spoke of a new hotel to be constructed at Valley Church Beach within the first quarter of next year. The 400-room hotel, Browne said, will require “at least 800 construction workers.”
Notwithstanding the situation in Barbuda, the prime minister also guaranteed that his government would “grow the economy by five percent this year.”
The projected growth Browne said “means that the country is likely to have a labour shortage”, as he called on female construction workers and other labourers to make themselves available to these opportunities.
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Where have I heard this before? Oh, I remember. It was after the ABLP came to power in 2014. People sharpened their tools three years ago, but the tools have rusted and seized up due to inactivity. The PM is desperate to get his hands on “relief” money for Barbuda, so that he can get something going in the economy. He has bankrupted the country, and decimated the CIP cash cow.
What a complete failure Gaston has proved to be. Only thing he has succeeded at is alienating LEGITIMATE investors and cursing his fellow citizens.
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