Member of Parliament for St. John's Rural West, Richard Lewis, says he has repeatedly dipped into his own finances to carry out basic infrastructure work in his constituency, claiming that government inaction left him no choice. According to Antigua News Room, Lewis made the remarks during an appearance on Observer AM this week.
Lewis outlined a range of projects he says were funded from his personal resources, including repairs to public facilities, road patching and drainage improvements — work he stressed falls outside his responsibilities as an opposition MP.
"One time I had to purchase… large buckets of sealants to seal the roof of the clinic to prevent leaking. That's not my job. That's the government's job. But I had to step in to do that," Lewis said.
He also pointed to shortages of medical supplies at community clinics, saying he has occasionally intervened to ensure residents are not left without essentials. "I step in from time to time using my personal resources to make sure that there are supplies available," he added.
Beyond healthcare, Lewis said road conditions and drainage problems across the constituency have demanded his personal attention and money. "There are numerous temporary road patchings that I had to do in many areas, amounting to tens of thousands of dollars of personal resources — things that I'm not supposed to do as an opposition MP," he said.
Lewis was clear about where he believes responsibility lies. "Fixing drainage issues in several areas… that is not my job. My job is to advocate on behalf of my people and to get the authorities to do the work that government is supposed to do," he said.
He attributed these repeated interventions to what he described as longstanding neglect of the constituency by successive administrations. "But because of the neglect, I had to step in and use personal resources to do that," Lewis said.
Lewis also highlighted the financial constraints he operates under as an opposition representative, contrasting his position with that of government MPs who have access to state resources. "I get $2,000… and when you go down the list, you'll realize that it's a significant personal investment by Richard Lewis just to make sure that his people get something that they can feel good about," he said.
He argued that the situation raises serious questions about governance and accountability, warning that elected officials with access to public funds should be bearing these responsibilities.
The remarks come as political parties intensify campaigning ahead of general elections expected within months, with infrastructure, healthcare access and public services emerging as key issues for voters.
