Housing and Works Minister Maria Browne says unemployment in St. John's Rural East has fallen dramatically over the past several years, attributing the decline to sustained job placement efforts and targeted education programmes.
According to Antigua News Room, Browne reported that the constituency's unemployment rate dropped from approximately 37% in 2018 to roughly 7% today — a shift she described as one of the most significant achievements of her tenure.
"When I was first elected in 2018, our unemployment rate was at 37%… and I saw that as something that needed to be tackled right away," Browne said.
Browne said her constituency office established a system to connect residents with employers and assist with job placements — an initiative she said has operated continuously since she took office.
"That has never stopped… and we have been able to bring that number down from 37% down to 7%," she said.
Alongside employment support, Browne credited education initiatives as a key driver of the turnaround. She highlighted the "Second Chance" programme, now based in the constituency, which she said has enabled residents who previously struggled academically to re-enter the education system and pursue higher qualifications.
"Now we have people who probably would not have passed… and are now matriculating to UWI because of that Second Chance programme," Browne said.
Browne also noted the distribution of more than 100 scholarships for vocational training and tertiary education, describing them as part of a broader strategy to link educational attainment with employment opportunities.
"These forms of empowerment have been able to make some serious headway in the community and change many lives," she said.
While acknowledging that some residents remain unemployed, Browne said efforts to expand job placement support and training opportunities will continue if she is returned to office in the April 30 general election.
