Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle has questioned the government’s decision to pursue plans for a new government complex, arguing that existing state-owned buildings in St. John’s should be refurbished first.
Speaking on Observer Radio, Pringle said, “Before we even consider building a new complex, the government owns several buildings in St. John’s that would take way less to get them retrofitted, upgraded, than to build a whole new complex.”
Pringle pointed to buildings such as the old Parliament building and the former CIBC building on High Street, both of which he said have been left unused for years.
“Look at the old Parliament. Certain aspects of the walls are still good. Why they can’t reinforce that building and even if they go up another floor to house a government office?” he asked.
He also noted that despite the availability of these government-owned properties, the administration continues to spend heavily on renting private office spaces.
“They’re paying rent throughout the country. Even when the buildings are not being used, they’re still paying rent,” Pringle said, citing the example of a government building on Market Street that was reportedly rented long after it had been vacated.
Pringle said the government’s approach represented poor financial management at a time when taxpayers should be seeing savings.
“Any way they can save money for taxpayers, they avoid those but look to put taxpayers in a greater expense,” he said.
He further criticized the lack of transparency surrounding the proposed government complex, noting that the public has not been shown any building plans, cost estimates, or a timeline.
“We have not seen any rendering. We haven’t seen any plan as it relates to where, how, when, approximately what timeline, and more so how much it’s going to cost the people of Antigua and Barbuda to construct that complex,” he said.
Pringle called for a greater focus on maintaining and utilizing existing government infrastructure to reduce waste and improve efficiency.
