On Thursday, 11th December 2025, Cabinet reportedly agreed that Permanent Secretaries throughout the Public Service of Antigua and Barbuda should provide detailed reports concerning officers whose salaries and wages were discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These reports were expected to identify the period during which each employee was unpaid and the circumstances surrounding the non-payment.

I recall the urgency with which this information was requested. Departments worked diligently to compile and submit the required information, and in some instances, officers even worked overtime to ensure that the necessary documentation was prepared and forwarded to the Treasury within the stipulated timeframe. If memory serves me right, a promise was made during elections to grant these payments. The current ruling party won the elections fulfill ALL promises.

We are now in October 2026, and a very important question remains:

COVID-19 payments—where are you?

What is the current status of these payments? Have all the reports been reviewed and verified? Has a payment schedule been established? Most importantly, when can the affected public officers expect to receive the monies owed to them?

For some individuals, this represents several months of income lost during an already difficult period. These are not insignificant sums, particularly for public officers who continue to face the rising cost of living and their everyday financial obligations.

I am fully aware that CHOGM is currently receiving significant national attention, and understandably so. However, while the country prepares for and focuses on major national and international events, longstanding matters affecting ordinary public officers should not be forgotten.

The officers who submitted their information deserve an update. Even if payments cannot be made immediately, clear communication regarding the progress of the process, any outstanding issues and an anticipated timeframe for payment would provide much-needed clarity.

This is not simply about money. It is also about accountability, communication and following through on commitments made to public officers.

The information was requested. The departments responded. The documentation was submitted.

Now, nearly ten months after the December 2025 decision, public officers affected by the COVID-19 salary interruptions deserve to know:

What is the update, and when will they receive their monies?

As CHOGM takes the spotlight, please do not allow the COVID-19 payments to disappear into the shadows.

Public officers are waiting. An official update is needed.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: LETTER: COVID-19 Payments: Where Are They?.