China helps expand Five Islands Secondary School into University of West Indies (linked to #54706 and #71086)

On March 21, 2012, the governments of China and Antigua and Barbuda signed an economic and technical cooperation agreement (ETCA) granting $30 million RMB for the construction of the Five Islands Secondary School. They also signed three other ETCAs, one of which was a $6.4 million RMB grant for maintenance of the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium (See: project ID #39786). On November 17, 2013, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for the Five Islands Secondary School. China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) was responsible for the construction. In August 2014, Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who was on an official visit to Beijing, officially informed the principals of CCECC of his Government's desire that China will provide 18 million USD to convert the Five Islands Secondary School now under construction into Antigua State College. He noted that the new proposal will include student dorms, an expanded library, expanded ICT facility, Olympic size swimming pool and tennis courts. During a ground-truthing trip to Antigua, AidData found that the project construction is 95% complete and the school was set to open in September 2016. However, it was unclear whether Chinese only funded the buildings or whether they planned to be involved in running the school/university or funded part of the start up for said school. Ultimately, the intent ended up not mattering, as the building changed hands again in 2017. Antigua State College, under a franchise agreement, ceded the building for the creation of the fourth campus of the University of the West Indies, which sought expansion into Five Islands. China provided 27 million XCD for the funding of this project, which is highlighted in linked project (#54706).

Number of official sources

13

Number of total sources

20