Gaston Browne defends UWI rental of party-owned facility

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has defended the decision by The University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus to rent space at People’s Place for its new law programme. The arrangement has faced criticism from opposition figures regarding potential conflicts of interest, as the facility is owned by the governing Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party.

Browne stated that the 10,000-square-foot building serves as a commercial venue for weddings, conferences, and private functions, rather than being exclusively a political headquarters. He noted that UWI requires approximately 8,000 square feet to accommodate its initial cohort of roughly 70 students, a number limited by current staffing and space constraints.

The rental period is expected to be a short-to-medium-term engagement, lasting no more than 18 months while lecture facilities are developed at Five Islands. While the full commercial rental value of the space is estimated at approximately EC$64,000 monthly, Browne indicated that the university would receive a significantly reduced rate to support the programme.