Energy Leadership: Antigua and Barbuda appointed veteran engineer Girvan Piggott as Director of Energy, tasked with steering energy efficiency and renewable expansion. Airport Works: Runway 07-25 paving at V.C. Bird International Airport is now completed, moving the US$50m rehabilitation into final testing and approvals. Power Reliability: APUA repaired a damaged Pigotts transmission tower after a widespread outage, with temporary rerouting and reduced water production during the works. Maritime Jobs: Tropical Shipping, PMAC and the Port Authority launched the second Maritime Apprenticeship cohort, placing three young Antiguans/Barbudans into six weeks of hands-on shipping, port and logistics training. Agriculture Access: The Ministry of Agriculture says former ADC agricultural land tenants must regularize their leases or risk losing access, to protect food and nutrition security. Public Policy Pressure: A survey found most Antiguans oppose commercial whaling and many were unaware of government advocacy, as the country faces upcoming International Whaling Commission discussions. Citizenship-by-Investment Risk: The EU has urged Antigua and other Eastern Caribbean states to phase out CBI programmes by June 1, 2028, raising fears of future Schengen visa-free suspension. Tourism & Industry Spotlight: The Verandah Antigua promotes an adults-only, cottage-style resort model, while TTW ranked Antigua and Barbuda among the top beach destinations for 2026.