The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has approved the relocation of the National Archives to the former CIBC building on High Street and Corn Alley in St. John's, a move aimed at providing a more secure and suitable home for the nation's historical records.
Director General of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister, Maurice Merchant, announced the decision at the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing. He confirmed that the Ministry of Works will begin preparing the building for its new purpose immediately.
"Cabinet has agreed that the former CIBC building on High Street and Corn Alley will become the new home of the National Archives of Antigua and Barbuda," Merchant said.
Retrofitting work is expected to begin shortly, with the archives potentially operational at the new location within two months. "The Ministry of Works is moving immediately to make adjustments to that facility to ensure that probably within two months or less the archives at its new location in St. John's could be opened," Merchant said.
The former bank building presents several advantages for document preservation, most notably its existing vault infrastructure. "As you know, that facility was previously a bank, and so there are many vaults in that facility that can store some of these records at moderated temperature," Merchant said, adding that the controlled environment will help extend the life of critical national documents.
The relocation is also being driven by serious concerns about the current archives facility. Officials confirmed the existing building has structural defects that endanger both staff and the records stored within. "The current facility has some structural defects which has resulted in the building being unsafe not only for employees but also for the records that are stored there," Merchant said.
The National Archives holds documents chronicling Antigua and Barbuda's history and development. The government said the move is intended to safeguard those records for future generations.
