Newfield Infrastructure – By Jeressa Jeremy
Newfield Infrastructure Labeled Substandard
Nicholas, speaking to residents in Newfield, labeled recent upgrades to the local basketball court as “substandard” and “hurried”.
The critique comes as the constituency prepares for the March 16th by-election, triggered by the departure of long-standing representative Sir Robin Yearwood.
Nicholas alleged that the improvements seen in recent weeks are not intended for long-term community benefit but are instead “last-minute” attempts to influence the electorate.
Addressing a crowd gathered on the very court in question, Nicholas provided a technical breakdown of the perceived failures of the project.
He stated that the haste of the application resulted in an uneven surface that prevents competitive use.
“Newfield people, no recognized game can be played on this court because the asphalt is so thick and wavy,” Nicholas told the audience. “And the basketball rim is not at the regulation height. So, they’re just coming to mama-guy.”
The term “mama-guy”, a colloquialism for deceiving or making a fool of someone, was used by Nicholas to describe the administration’s approach to constituency development.
He argued that after 50 years of representation under the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party, the sudden flurry of activity on the eve of an election should be viewed with skepticism by the voters.
Nicholas further suggested that the timing of these projects is part of a recurring pattern. He pointed to similar works currently taking place in Willikies and Glanvilles—including reports of 24-hour water supply promises and rapid road paving—as evidence of what he described as “election-cycle infrastructure”.
“We’ve seen this movie before,” Nicholas remarked. “I have lived it; you can’t tell me about it. In the past three or four weeks, we’ve seen them hurrying to do things as if they’re trying to impress a girl you meet for the first time.”
Nicholas concluded by urging residents to look beyond the immediate “sweetening” of the constituency and evaluate the long-term intent behind the works.
He characterized the recent efforts not as genuine progress, but as a “masquerade” and a “bluff” designed to mask decades of alleged systemic neglect.
As the March 16th poll approaches, the quality of these infrastructure projects remains a central point of debate between the United Progressive Party and the incumbent administration, with voters being asked to decide if these works represent a new day or a temporary election-time fix.