Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) candidate for Barbuda Kendra Beazer has pledged to establish a Barbuda Wealth Fund designed to channel revenues from large-scale investments into long-term benefits for island residents. According to Antigua.news, Beazer made the announcement at a public rally on the sister island ahead of the April 30 general election.
Beazer is challenging incumbent Barbuda People's Movement (BPM) Member of Parliament Trevor Walker. He has framed his candidacy around what he describes as a "renaissance" for Barbuda, casting the contest as a choice between continued opposition-bench representation and a seat at the Cabinet table.
"I stand before you tonight not just as a candidate but as a son of the soil of Barbuda," Beazer told supporters, adding that he had "walked the streets of Barbuda" and "struggled with you in Barbuda."
Beazer also responded directly to accusations from political rivals that he had switched parties. Rejecting the label "turncoat" as unwarranted, he said he was "standing on principle" and that the ABLP was positioned to create "real opportunities for Barbuda and Barbudans."
The proposed Barbuda Wealth Fund, which Beazer said was developed in consultation with Prime Minister Gaston Browne, would draw on the framework of the Coco Point Trust Fund established in the 1980s. Beazer said the fund would ensure that revenues generated by developments on the island are reinvested into Barbudan development rather than dissipating elsewhere.
"This wealth fund that we're talking about is to bring that wealth into fruition so that your dreams will not go dead with you," he told the rally. "Your dreams will become reality."
Beyond the wealth fund, Beazer pledged investment in resilient road networks, criticising the current condition of Barbudan roads as deplorable. He also outlined plans to prioritise young Barbudans who are not academically inclined, proposing vocational training programmes to provide pathways into skilled trades. He said the broader goal was to transition Barbuda from what he called a dependent society to an independent one.
On the long-running land debate, Beazer argued that the ABLP is actively working to protect land on which Barbudans currently reside, contending that freehold titles represent the strongest form of land ownership available to residents.
Beazer also addressed Barbuda's governance arrangements, describing the current structure as one that leaves the island without meaningful input into Cabinet-level decisions affecting its development. He vowed to engage central government at every level, saying the time had come for genuine dialogue.
"No longer will we be turning the door. No longer will we be turning our heads," he said.
