Port workers are benefiting from improved wages, expanded benefits and major equipment upgrades as part of reforms at the Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority, Senator Mary Claire Hurst told the Upper House during the 2026 Budget Debate.

Hurst, who chairs the Port Authority, said recent changes were aimed at strengthening working conditions while improving efficiency at one of the country’s most critical economic institutions.

“We now have paternity and maternity benefits for all staff,” Hurst said, adding that port employees are also covered by group health insurance and other workplace benefits.

She said workers have received a 13 percent salary increase, noting that labour relations have improved following the consolidation of unions at the port.

“There was a time when we had two unions at the port,” Hurst said. “Now you have one union, and I must say things are going faster, and it’s easier now.”

Hurst also highlighted significant investment in equipment, pointing to the acquisition of a new crane to replace aging machinery that had become costly to maintain.

“The last crane that we had was 24, 25 years old and cost the same as the crane that we have today,” she said, contrasting the current investment with outdated infrastructure.

She credited port staff for the authority’s strong performance and said management has placed renewed emphasis on supporting workers as cargo volumes and economic activity increase.

“I’m not going too far and leaving my staff, because without them, we are nothing,” Hurst told senators.

The senator said the combination of improved labour conditions and modern equipment is helping to position the Port Authority to meet rising demand tied to construction, tourism and regional trade.