Barbados has unveiled an infrastructure plan that includes revamping roads, electrification of the bus network, the GAIA airport expansion and enhancing hurricane preparedness

The tough years of runaway debt Barbados endured brought capital works investment to a standstill. But after a decade of neglect, the new administration has embarked on the road of development and modernization with a comprehensive plan to overhaul the island’s aging infrastructure.

Revamping the road and bridge network and modernizing the public transport system are the first major priorities for William F. Duguid, Minister of Transport, Works and Maintenance. The Inter-American Development Bank has put forward funding to support the road building program, while the purchase of 33 electric buses will ensure Barbados has one of the world’s greenest bus networks. Grantley Adams International Airport will also undergo major expansion under a landmark public-private partnership scheme that has been a major draw for foreign investors.

“We are trying to use capital works as a means to grow the economy, and to this end this ministry has become extremely important,” explains Minister Duguid. “Not only are we spending major amounts of money in capital works as a percentage of our GDP, but we are also improving our infrastructure, which had not been touched for 10 years.”