With general election activity ramping up across Antigua and Barbuda this April, officials insist that preparations for the November Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will not be sidetracked.

Those overseeing the summit say the planning effort has reached a decisive stage, requiring sustained attention even as political campaigning intensifies nationwide.

At a recent meeting of the national Task Force, Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene indicated he will divide his time between campaign duties and oversight of the event, while stressing that the wider team must keep the process moving.

Ambassador Anthony Liverpool has been assigned as Special Advisor to provide continuity, taking on responsibility for leading meetings when Greene is unavailable. He previously played a key role in organizing the 2024 Small Island Developing States Conference.

Day-to-day coordination will continue through the CHOGM Secretariat under Coordinator Celia Roberts-Morgan, with multiple committees advancing logistics and programme planning.

Organisers are preparing for an event described as the largest ever to be staged in the country, with leaders and officials from across the Commonwealth expected to attend from November 1 to 4.

The programme will extend beyond official meetings to include parallel events such as forums focused on youth, women, business and civil society, along with other international engagements.

More than 5,000 participants are projected, and officials say the scale of the gathering leaves no room for delays, even amid the demands of an election season.