ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda — The government of Antigua and Barbuda plans to transition the Home Assistance Programme for the Indigent (HAPI) from primarily wooden structures to more durable concrete homes once a new government-operated block manufacturing plant becomes operational.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne said during the Browne and Browne programme on Pointe FM that the change will allow the programme to provide stronger and longer-lasting housing for vulnerable residents across Antigua and Barbuda.

Browne noted that the government has already delivered homes through the HAPI initiative but said the availability of locally produced blocks will enable the construction of more sustainable housing units.

“My understanding is we’ve got about 140 homes that we have built and have given away,” Browne said, adding that the programme will expand once the block plant begins operating.

He explained that the facility is expected to become operational in the coming weeks, allowing the government to produce building materials that will support both housing construction and home repair initiatives.

Under the HAPI programme, the government provides housing assistance to indigent and vulnerable residents in Antigua and Barbuda, including the construction of new homes and the repair of existing structures.

Browne said the shift to concrete construction is intended to ensure that beneficiaries receive homes that are more resilient and better suited for long-term living conditions.