ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda — Kiz Johnson says improving infrastructure and expanding opportunities for young people will be immediate priorities for St. Philip South, while outlining a longer-term plan to transform education in the constituency.

Johnson identified roads, sporting facilities and youth engagement among the most urgent needs, pointing to gaps in basic infrastructure and community spaces.

“We need the roads… we want to see our basketball courts and sporting facilities developed. Young people are relying on us,” she said.

She also stressed that youth development must go beyond physical upgrades, focusing on empowerment and engagement within communities.

“Everything starts from mindset,” Johnson said. “We could run in and have all sorts of fancy programs… but if the mind is not where it is supposed to be, then how can we achieve that?”

Her approach includes direct engagement with young people through discussions and mentorship aimed at helping them identify purpose and direction.

“We’re going to be talking… we’re going to flesh out life,” she said, adding that meaningful connection at the community level is key to long-term progress.

Alongside these immediate priorities, Johnson outlined an ambitious vision for education, describing it as central to the constituency’s future.

“My first priority… is to boost the educational capacity of the people in my constituency,” she said. “Ten, fifteen, twenty years from now people should be able to look back and say… Kiz Johnson caused an educational revolution in St. Philip South.”

Johnson said her plans are rooted in consistent community engagement, noting that leadership must be visible and accessible beyond election cycles.

“We are creating options… to be found, to be reached, and to be contacted,” she said.

She also pointed to efforts to unify supporters following a competitive primary, emphasizing that cohesion will be necessary to advance development goals.

“We have a bigger goal… and if we’re divided, it’s not going to function,” Johnson said.

Her remarks come as political activity intensifies ahead of the general election, with candidates outlining priorities for infrastructure, youth development and long-term social investment across constituencies.