The warden of Barbuda was the primary government official on the island from 1904 to 1976 with the passing of the Barbuda Ordinance (now entitled the Barbuda Act).[1] The warden was appointed by the colonial government, and later by the associated state's government. The warden had the authority to levy taxes, divide lands within the village, manage public resources and highways, and many other local governance tasks now exercised by its successors: the Barbuda Council and its chairperson.[2] The warden resided at the Government House in Codrington.[3]
The position was created after the failure of two business ventures that were primarily intended to turn the island into an agricultural powerhouse. The warden was supposed to run the island in the fashion of an estate rather than like a colony. While the Antigua Labour Party government which consolidated power starting in the 1950s initially tolerated the office, the party's stance eventually became one of discontent, viewing it as a remnant of colonialism. The office was eventually abolished by the Barbuda Local Government Act in 1976.[1][4]
References
edit- 1 2 Coram, Robert (1989-01-30). "Ancient Rights". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2026-03-15.
- ↑ "Barbuda Ordinance". dloc.com. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
- ↑ "historical sites". Barbudaful. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
- ↑ Henry, Paget (Summer 2019). "After the Storms: Barbuda and Antigua Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" (PDF). Antigua and Barbuda Review of Books. 12 (1): 11–36.