Trevor Myke Walker is a Barbudan politician,current member of parliament for Barbuda,and former Cabinet Minister under the Baldwin Spencer administration. He is a member of the Barbuda People's Movement,a party that seeks the independence of Barbuda from Antigua and Barbuda.
Walker was elected to the Barbuda Council in 2001,marking his political debut. After being elected to the House of Representatives three years later,he was given the position of Minister of State in responsible for Barbuda Affairs. After that,in 2009,Walker was named minister of works and transport,where he was in charge of building Antigua's largest supermarket,the Epicurean Supermarket. Walker later lost his position in parliament following the 2014 loss of the United Progressive Party.
Walker lost later made a return to parliament following the 2018 snap election that followed Hurricane Irma and produced a significant victory for the Barbuda People's Movement. Since then,Walker has served as a front-bencher for the opposition in parliament. He also serves as vice chair of the Barbuda Council and chair of the finance committee. Walker's handling of the Barbuda Land Act and Barbuda's 2020 secession request has drawn harsh criticism from the Labour Party,particularly from Gaston Browne and Steadroy Benjamin. Walker's endorsement of the creation of a twin-island federation in Antigua and Barbuda has also drawn strong condemnation from the Labour Party.
In 2001,Trevor Walker was elected to serve on the Barbuda Council,and in 2004,he ran for the seat that would represent Barbuda in the House of Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda. In 2004,he tied for the election,but after a recount,he was declared the winner. Additionally,he was victorious in the elections held in 2009,2018,and 2023,but he was defeated by the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party in 2014.[4]
As a result of the absence of Baldwin Spencer and Harold Lovell,who both typically served in the role of acting prime minister,Trevor Walker became the first Barbudan to be appointed to the position of acting prime minister in the year 2012. This was due to the fact that Baldwin Spencer and Harold Lovell typically filled this role.[5]
While making his contribution to the debate on the 2014 Budget in the Lower House,Walker stated that representatives from the international body will arrive on island on Thursday to conduct assessment meetings with management. He explains that the facility has started putting the previous recommendations into action,but that there is still a great deal of work to be done before any new development can take place.[6]
Post-Irma (2017-2018)
Concerning the matter of Barbuda Land,the central government has been awarded a significant victory by the courts. The application that had been brought before the High Court by a group of Barbudans who wanted to prevent the implementation of the amendment to the Barbuda Land Act was turned down by the court. Claimants in the case,including John Mussington,Trevor Walker,Devon Warner,and Lilrose Burton,sought permission to begin judicial review and an interim injunction restraining the government from proceeding with the passage of the law. In addition,the claimants asked for an injunction to prevent the law from taking effect immediately. They argued that since the Barbuda Land Management Amendment Act 2017 was passed without the consent of the Barbuda Council or the people of Barbuda,it violates the law and is therefore unconstitutional. They had filed the lawsuit against the Hon. Gaston Browne,who was serving as Prime Minister,and the Hon. Steadroy Benjamin,who was serving as Attorney General. However,in a decision handed down by the High Court Justice Clare Henry,it was determined that the applicants did not succeed in presenting an argument that would warrant the court's intervention prior to the law's implementation. The judge referred to a precedent-setting decision made by the Privy Council in the United Kingdom,which held that the court should,to the greatest extent possible,refrain from interfering with the pre-enactment legislative process. Importantly,the court determined that the plan referred to by the Prime Minister is for the people of Barbuda to be given free-hold title and for the government to make arrangements for mortgages for those who want them. The court came to the conclusion that there is no evidence to suggest that the claimants are precluded from receiving relief by challenging the law after it has been enacted.[7]
Five members of Council went to their administrative office to have their first meeting of 2018,but a NODS representative allegedly refused to let them occupy a room,and the representative later called for support from the police and the defense force. In videos that had gone viral on social media,Council member Trevor Walker can be seen engaging in a heated argument with members of the military. An apology was required after it was alleged that residents of Barbuda showed disrespect to a member of the military,and it was promptly provided in response to the demand. The members of the Council got together for their meeting after having a discussion with Major Alando Michael,who is in charge of the NODS operations. Members of the Council who are affiliated with the Barbuda People's Movement have stated that they have no objections to the NODS official using the building as a temporary place of employment and that they have no problem with the arrangement. However,they claimed that their issue is that they are unable to enter the building ever since September 2017,when Hurricane Irma caused widespread destruction on the island.[8][9][10]
In May 2018,the Prime Minister stated that any attempts to consult with the people of Barbuda regarding the Land Act issue would be fruitless given the steadfast stance taken by the Barbuda member of Parliament. This statement was made in reference to the issue of the Land Act. Gaston Browne,the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda,responded to calls for consultation with Barbudans before moving forward while he was speaking in Parliament during the debate to repeal the Barbuda Land Act. The invitation to participate in the consultation was extended by Jamale Pringle,the leader of the Opposition,and Trevor Walker,a member of the Parliament for Barbuda. Browne,on the other hand,stated that the government had the ability to consult with Barbudans but chose not to do so because bringing up the issue would have caused contention. "How do you consult in those conditions when you are being threatened? We are not stupid;we know that if we call a consultation about land reform in Barbuda at any time,they will disrupt the meeting in some way." Because of the way that they have brainwashed the people of Barbuda,we are aware of the fact that there is no means by which you can engage Barbudans in an intellectually honest conversation about land reform. He affirmed that it would not have taken place. Browne stated that he and his minister desired to talk about it when they were invited to a meeting at the American University of Antigua campus following Hurricane Irma in the past year. According to him,there were approximately 1,300 people from the island of Barbuda gathered there;however,having a conversation about the land issue was difficult. Browne continued by saying,"Just about a week ago,or within the last two weeks in this honorable house,the member for Barbuda threatened myself and other members here saying that any attempts to make any changes to the Barbuda Land Act can't happen;over his dead body." He predicted that there would be fighting." The Crown Lands Regulation Amendment Bill of 2018 is the legislation that will result in the repeal of the Barbuda Land Act of 2007. It was approved by the House of Representatives,and it was later decided by the Senate. One of the positions taken by the government that is currently in power,which is led by the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP),is that the prohibition on land ownership that was stipulated in the Land Act of 2007 is a barrier to a real estate and property market that could contribute to the economy of the sister isle. Additionally,the ABLP has argued on multiple occasions that freehold ownership is more advantageous for Barbudans because it will allow them to apply for loans to rebuild their homes.[11]
In August 2020 on the island of Barbuda,there was a commotion that involved Walker outside of the Palmetto Point development that was part of the PLH project. Trevor Walker,a member of parliament for the island of Barbuda,was very upset with the project's head of security,and he yelled at him using an expletive. He had a problem with a decision that only elected members of the Barbuda Council would be permitted for a site visit that was approved.[12][13]
It was announced in May 2018 that employees of the Barbuda Council who do not return to the sister island to participate in the reconstruction process will be terminated from their positions after a predetermined amount of time has passed. When the council gathered on Barbuda's sister island,Antigua,on Wednesday morning to select members who will sit on the various committees,Trevor Walker,a member of parliament for Barbuda,made his position perfectly clear. The Council came to the conclusion that workers who remain in Antigua should not be compensated by the Barbuda Council beginning on July 1,2018. Since the Barbuda Council office in Antigua has shut down,there is no point in anyone attempting to remain in that country in order to continue working there. "The Barbuda Council cannot continue to operate in the same manner in which it has been operating,which consists of paying people in Antigua who do not want to come back here to do nothing," warned Walker. In addition to this,he went a step further and announced that the revenue from the sand mining industry,which is currently helping to subsidize Dove Cove operations in Antigua,will soon no longer be available. The member of parliament from Barbuda stated that he just recently came across this information after conducting investigations into the expenditure of the money made from sand mining for a number of months. Sand mining has started up again on Barbuda,in spite of the numerous complaints that have been lodged by environmentalists. "Why should our sand money be used to pay Dove Cove's bill when Council workers are not getting paid? " According to Walker's declaration,"as soon as this Council is established,we are going to make a decision immediately to stop it,and people have to tell us who gave them the authority to send that money to Dove Cove." Clifton Francois,who runs the Barbuda Channel,uploaded a live video of the meeting to Facebook so that viewers could watch it there. Councillors who were present were informed,among other things,that the operation of the Council had been reduced to five committees due to financial constraints,and that the membership on those committees had also been reduced to reflect this change. Walker also disclosed that the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) allowances that were just recently approved will be subject to review by the new council that has been appointed.[14][15]
2019-present
When it was announced that the four candidates fielded by the Barbuda's People Movement (BPM) had prevailed,the large crowd that had gathered outside the Sir McChesney George Secondary School around 10:15 on the evening of March 27,2019,in Barbuda responded with a roar of approval. They were trying to win as many seats as possible on the Barbuda Council,which is the sister island's local governing body. If they were successful,it would have been a resounding victory for the party that is currently led by MP Trevor Walker,who also serves on the council. On election day,the polls opened promptly at seven in the morning at Sir McChesney George Secondary School (SMSS),which is located in the Indigo neighborhood of Codrington.[16]
Samantha Marshall,the former representative for St. Mary's South in Parliament,delivered an impassioned speech in 2021 in the Lower House in which she criticized the work of Trevor Walker,the representative for Barbuda in Parliament.[17]
On 29 March 2023,BPM Leader Trevor Walker has stated that they "will continue to fight," despite the fact that they appear to have exhausted all legal avenues available to them in their attempt to stop the selling of lands in Barbuda. Walker was one of two people who brought a case against the Attorney General arguing that lands on the sister isle are owned in common;however,he and Mackenzie Frank lost their case at the country's final appellate court last June,which paved the way for the central government to proceed with the Barbuda land registry. Walker was one of the two people who brought the case against the Attorney General;Mackenzie Frank was the other.[18]
Antigua and Barbuda is a sovereign island country in the Caribbean. It lies at the conjuncture of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the Leeward Islands part of the Lesser Antilles.
The politics of Antigua and Barbuda takes place in a framework of a unitary parliamentary representative democratic monarchy,wherein the sovereign of Antigua and Barbuda is the head of state,appointing a governor-general to act as vice-regal representative in the nation. A prime minister is appointed by the governor-general as the head of government,and of a multi-party system;the prime minister advises the governor-general on the appointment of a Council of Ministers. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the Parliament. The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The history of Antigua and Barbuda covers the period from the arrival of the Archaic peoples thousands of years ago to the present day. Prior to European colonization,the lands encompassing present-day Antigua and Barbuda were inhabited by three successive Amerindian societies. The island was claimed by England,who settled the islands in 1632. Under English/British control,the islands witnessed an influx of both Britons and African slaves migrate to the island. In 1981,the islands were granted independence as the modern state of Antigua and Barbuda.
Barbuda is an island located in the eastern Caribbean forming part of the twin-island state of Antigua and Barbuda as an autonomous entity. Barbuda is located approximately 30 miles (48 km) north of Antigua. The sole settlements on the island are Codrington and its surrounding localities. Barbuda is a flat island with the western portion being dominated by Codrington Lagoon,and the eastern portion being dominated by the low-lying Barbuda Highlands,with salty ponds and scrubland spread throughout the island. The climate is classified as tropical marine.
The Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) is a political party in Antigua and Barbuda. The current leader of the party is Gaston Browne,who serves as the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. The party had previously been led by Lester Bird,who was chairman of the party since 1971,and was Prime Minister and political leader in 1994.
The Barbuda People's Movement is a centre-left Barbudan nationalist political party in Antigua and Barbuda active only on the island of Barbuda. The party's symbol is the European fallow deer,national animal of Barbuda. The party seeks the secession of Barbuda from Antigua and Barbuda.
Codrington is the only village on the island of Barbuda,which is part of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Codrington coincides with the Codrington major division,one of the two major divisions on Barbuda. Situated on the Codrington Lagoon,Codrington is the country's northernmost settlement. The population of Codrington was 796 in 2011.
The Barbuda People's Movement for Change is a political party in Barbuda,part of Antigua and Barbuda.
The monarchy of Antigua and Barbuda is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Antigua and Barbuda. The current Antiguan and Barbudan monarch and head of state,since 8 September 2022,is King Charles III. As sovereign,he is the personal embodiment of the Crown of Antigua and Barbuda. Although the person of the sovereign is equally shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations,each country's monarchy is separate and legally distinct. As a result,the current monarch is officially titled King of Antigua and Barbuda and,in this capacity,he and other members of the Royal Family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of Antigua and Barbuda. However,the King is the only member of the Royal Family with any constitutional role.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and introduction to Antigua and Barbuda:
Gaston Alfonso Browne is an Antiguan politician serving as the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda and leader of the Labour Party since 2014. Before entering politics,he was a banker and businessman.
The Barbuda Land Acts establishes that the citizens of Barbuda communally own the land. The act specifies that residents must provide consent for major development projects on the island. The Government of Antigua and Barbuda passed the act on January 17,2008.
General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on 21 March 2018 to elect members to House of Representatives of the 15th Antigua and Barbuda Parliament. Each of the 17 constituencies elected one Member of Parliament (MP).
Daryll Sylvester Matthew is an Antiguan and Barbudan politician,representing St. John's Rural South in the Antigua and Barbuda House of Representatives.
Squatting in the island country of Antigua and Barbuda in the West Indies is the occupation of unused land or derelict buildings without the permission of the owner. Historically,native Barbudans were seen as squatters and after Hurricane Irma in 2017,Prime Minister Gaston Browne offered people he termed squatters the chance to buy their land.
General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on 18 January 2023 to elect members of the House of Representatives. The Labour Party (ABLP) has held an absolute majority of 15 seats in the House of Representatives after the 2018 general election,with Gaston Browne remaining as prime minister. Browne initiated a constitutional referendum after the 2018 election,which was rejected by voters,and following the death of Elizabeth II in 2022,he announced his intention to organise a referendum for the transition of Antigua and Barbuda to a republican system. Besides ABLP,the United Progressive Party (UPP),Democratic National Alliance,Barbuda People's Movement (BPM),and three independent politicians filed candidacies for the 2023 general election.
Osbert Richard Frederick is an Antiguan and Barbudan politician. He was appointed senator by Prime Minister Gaston Browne. After his appointment,he was elected the Deputy senate president in the Upper House of Parliament in Antigua and Barbuda.
Gail Christian is an Antiguan and Barbudan politician and senator. She is a senator of the Upper House of Parliament in Antigua and Barbuda. She was appointed senator by Prime Minister Gaston Browne.
Royal tours of Antigua and Barbuda by its royal family have been taking place since the 20th century. Elizabeth II,Queen of Antigua and Barbuda,visited the country thrice:1966,1977,and 1985.
Coco Point is a peninsula on the island of Barbuda and is home to a luxury resort called the Coco Point Lodge. Coco Point Lodge Airstrip,owned by the lodge,is located on the peninsula.
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