Antigua and Barbuda

Key facts:

POPULATION (2019 estimate): 97,000
AREA (UN 2006): 442 sq km
CAPITAL: St John’s
CURRENCY: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
HEAD OF STATE: HM Queen Elizabeth II
GOVERNOR-GENERAL: Sir Rodney Williams
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Prime Minister Gaston Browne
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: constitutional monarchy
PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM: bicameral
STATE STRUCTURE: unitary
LANGUAGES: English (official), Antiguan Creole (recognised)
NATIONAL ELECTIONS: last: March 2018, turnout: 90%; next: 2022
WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT (2018): representatives 11.1%; senators 52.9%
LOCAL ELECTIONS: Barbuda last: March 2019 turnout: 75%; next: 2021
WOMEN COUNCILLORS - BARBUDA: 45.5% (2019)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE as a percentage of total government expenditure 2019: 2.8%

Summary

Antigua and Barbuda is a bicameral parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy with two levels of government, central and local. Local government consists of a single local authority, the Barbuda Council, which governs the affairs of the Barbuda dependency. There is no constitutional provision for local government across Antigua; however the Barbuda Council is enshrined in the constitution. The Ministry of Social Transformation and Human Resource Development in Antigua is responsible for oversight of the local government department. The Barbuda Council reports to the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs. Elections for the 11 Barbuda councillors are held every two years for half the council (five and six alternately) for a four-year term; following the 2019 election 45.5% (5/11) were women. In 2019, local government expenditure (Barbuda Council) accounted for 2.8% of total government expenditure. Barbuda Council is empowered to make by-laws, collect taxes and deliver goods and services, as well as to administer and regulate agriculture, forestry, public health, public utilities and roads for the island.

There are no local government associations in Antigua and Barbuda.

Read the profile of the local government system in Antigua and Barbuda.

CLGF activities in Antigua and Barbuda

CLGF will continue to work with The Ministry of Social Transformation & Human Resource Development in Antigua, The Barbuda Council, and the Ministry of Barbuda Affairs as it takes forward the EC funded project “Strengthening local government’s role as a partner in development” focused on strengthening the role for local government and other local and national actors in localising and implementing the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).