Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) candidate for St. Peter Rawdon Turner says targeted, hands-on support for jobseekers has helped reduce unemployment in sections of the constituency, as he campaigns for re-election ahead of the April 30 general election.

Speaking during a candidate interview, Turner said employment has been one of his central priorities since taking office just over a year ago, alongside infrastructure development.

“I focused on getting these people employed,” Turner said, pointing to what he described as “pockets” of unemployment identified during door-to-door engagement across the constituency.

Rather than relying solely on national programmes, Turner said his approach has involved direct intervention at the community level, including assisting residents with resumes, preparing them for interviews and connecting them with job opportunities.

“Helping them with resumes, helping them with interviews, what you should expect… and I’ve been able to chip away significantly on the number of unemployed persons within my constituency,” he said.

Turner said the strategy has been particularly focused on areas where unemployment appeared more concentrated, though he acknowledged that work remains ongoing.

“Still have some work to do,” he said, while maintaining that progress has been made over the past year.

The St. Peter candidate framed the initiative as part of a broader effort to strengthen economic participation at the constituency level, arguing that employment support must go beyond policy announcements to include direct engagement with individuals seeking work.

He said the approach complements other community-based initiatives, including youth development programmes and entrepreneurship efforts, aimed at expanding economic opportunities across St. Peter.

Turner is seeking a renewed mandate in the upcoming election, with employment, housing and infrastructure forming key pillars of his campaign message.