The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has approved plans to relocate the country’s National Archives to the former CIBC building on High Street and Corn Alley, a move officials say will provide a more secure and suitable facility for preserving the nation’s historical records.
The decision was announced during the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing, where Director General of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister, Maurice Merchant, said the Ministry of Works will begin preparing the building for its new role.
“Cabinet has agreed that the former CIBC building on High Street and Corn Alley will become the new home of the National Archives of Antigua and Barbuda,” Merchant said.
Work to retrofit the facility is expected to begin shortly, with officials indicating that the archives could be operational at the new location within about two months.
“The Ministry of Works is moving immediately to make adjustments to that facility to ensure that probably within two months or less the archives at its new location in St. John’s could be opened,” Merchant said.
The government believes the former bank building offers several advantages for preserving historical documents, including existing vaults designed for secure storage.
“As you know, that facility was previously a bank, and so there are many vaults in that facility that can store some of these records at moderated temperature,” Merchant said, noting that the space will help ensure the longevity of important national documents.
Officials also said the relocation is necessary because the current archives building has structural problems that pose risks to both staff and the records housed there.
“The current facility has some structural defects which has resulted in the building being unsafe not only for employees but also for the records that are stored there,” Merchant said.
The National Archives houses documents that chronicle Antigua and Barbuda’s history and development, and the government said the move is intended to safeguard those records for future generations.