Anglicans say Administration is Missing the Opportunity to Complete and Showcase the Cathedral at CHOGM Service

Some members of the Anglican community say they are disappointed and hurt by what they see as the Browne Administration’s snub of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

It is alleged that the official church service for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and the 45th anniversary of Independence is to be held at the St. John’s Pentecostal Church House of Restoration.

Modifications or improvements to the church's premises might be necessary to  accommodate the event, which is expected to see high-level international and local dignitaries in attendance.

According to sources, such enhancements are the financial responsibility of the Antigua and Barbuda Government, as host, while some level of contribution is expected from other, friendly governments through negotiations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This is the source of grief for the aggrieved Anglicans, who point to the sidelining of the Cathedral at this time, when financial aid from the United Kingdom, Commonwealth contributors, and the Browne Administration could have completed its years-long restoration.

The Administration has repeatedly boasted that King Charles – the Head of the Commonwealth – will attend the CHOGM. The king is also the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and wears the title of “Defender of the Faith.”  Accordingly, the Anglicans believe this would have been the perfect opportunity for the Government to complete the restoration of the church to its former glory for welcoming the king.

They note, too, that the Cathedral of St. John the Divine is not only a national landmark but a unique feat of engineering, as it features a complete wooden-framed church within its stone exterior – all in all, worthy of receiving the king and the Commonwealth Heads.

Further, they argue that the financial investment would have redounded to the benefit of the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda, as the Cathedral is also a major tourist attraction and sits on land owned by the Crown.

For more than a decade, Anglicans at home and abroad have raised millions of dollars to repair, restore, and refurbish what locals have lovingly called “Big Church;” but the work remains incomplete as funds have been exhausted.

Meanwhile, government sources claim that final decisions have not yet been made by the Administration and approved by the Commonwealth Secretariat; therefore, venues are still able to make bids for hosting CHOGM events.  

But since there are only three months left before the Meeting – and given the Administration’s lag on road repairs and the incomplete conversion of the former Deluxe Cinema – the Anglicans are not optimistic that any change will be considered or made.