More than 60 employees in Antigua and Barbuda’s Department of Culture are expected to return to office work within weeks. The move follows government retrofitting work on a building approved for occupancy.

Officials shared the update during Thursday’s post-Cabinet briefing. They also discussed an ongoing audit of government buildings across the country.

Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said many public servants have faced workplace disruptions because of building problems. As a result, some employees worked from home while others left work early.

“You will be shocked or probably not surprised that many government employees either go home at 12 o’clock or work from home due to building issues,” Merchant said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Works continues inspections and repairs on several public buildings. In addition, officials are preparing final audit reports for Cabinet review.

Merchant said the Department of Culture was among the divisions most affected by unsafe building conditions. “The Department of Culture has been operating at home for a while,” he explained.

However, the government has now completed retrofitting work on a designated facility. Therefore, officials expect employees to resume regular office operations soon.

The Cabinet briefing also included an update on the Office of National Drug Control Policy building. According to Merchant, technical assessments confirmed the building is safe for occupancy.

Furthermore, the government recently created a deep-cleaning division within the Ministry of Works. The division will help maintain cleaner and safer public buildings across Antigua and Barbuda.

Officials believe the new measures will improve working conditions for public servants. At the same time, the government plans to continue assessing other state buildings needing repairs or upgrades.

The latest developments signal a broader effort to restore normal operations within the public sector. Moreover, authorities hope the repairs will create safer and more productive work environments for employees nationwide.