Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister for Barbuda Affairs, E.P. Chet Greene, has urged the Barbuda Council to set aside tensions and work with central government for the island’s development.

Speaking on state media, Greene said cooperation between the Gaston Browne administration and the Council is essential to progress.

“The current posture of the Council is not sustainable and undermines development,” he said, stressing the need for dialogue through an already established joint committee, chaired by the Prime Minister.

Though the committee met once, a second planned meeting never occurred. Greene said attempts to reschedule have been ignored, and accused the Council of escalating hostilities.

Among the key unresolved issues are the government’s land ownership initiative, the PLH development project, and the expansion of Barbuda’s airport.

While many Barbudans remain committed to communal land ownership, the government is promoting freehold land access for all—including Barbudans, Antiguans, and others—as part of its broader development strategy.