Union asks Browne to make good on his concern for hotel workers by granting land for a housing project

The Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU) is making a call to Prime
Minister Gaston Browne and his Administration to entrust about 10 acres of
land to the Union for a housing project, specifically for hotel workers.
 
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Union – in partnership with the Antigua
and Barbuda Hotels and Tourist Association (ABHTA) and the Bau Panel
company – had been making significant progress in developing an affordable
housing programme for hotel workers.
 
And, had it not been for the pandemic, says General Secretary David Massiah,
this project would have been a reality already.
 
Nonetheless, he says, the Union remains committed to seeing this project
through to fruition with the ABHTA’s involvement.

If his Administration truly cares about hotel workers, as Prime Minister
Browne has been claiming for the past two weekends, then he should make
available the several acres of land required for their housing project, Massiah
states.

However, Massiah admits he is not holding his breath in the expectation that
this is a prospect at which the prime minister would jump; rather, he expects
Browne to come up with some excuse.
 
He reiterates that Browne has already shown his disdain for hotel workers by
failing to offer them any meaningful assistance during the pandemic.

That was General Secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union
David Massiah.
 
The Government operates the National Housing scheme, which reportedly
offers subsidized housing for mostly government workers.

The housing minister has claimed that, due to the shortage of labour,
especially skilled workers, the scheme has had to reduce its output.