Senator Lamin Newton has voiced strong support for the establishment of a Faculty of Engineering under the newly approved Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS), calling it a significant step toward educational self-sufficiency and economic retention.

During his presentation in the Senate, Newton said the move signals the government’s long-term commitment to developing local capacity in technical and professional fields.

“You have persons who travel to places like Trinidad and Guyana… but we are now moving in that direction where we are bringing that set of studies right here,” he stated, referencing institutions such as the University of the West Indies St. Augustine campus in Trinidad.

Newton argued that offering tertiary-level engineering programmes locally will reduce the need for students to study abroad, keeping both talent and education-related spending within Antigua and Barbuda.

“It speaks to the vision. It speaks to the foresight of the government, the minister, and his team at the Ministry of Education,” he told fellow senators.

The senator also praised the ABCAS Bill for uniting several local institutions under a single tertiary education framework and expanding access to practical and technical fields such as fabrication. He described the bill as “very timely” and an example of government policy focused on empowering young people with the skills needed for national development.

The ABCAS Bill 2025 received support across party lines in both the Lower House and the Senate.