Barbuda crisis

The Barbuda crisis began on 6 September 2017 following the passing of Hurricane Irma directly over the island, destroying over 90% of Barbuda's infrastructure. Following this, all of Barbuda's population was evacuated from the island, and construction on an international airport and a resort in Palmetto Point commenced in 2018. After early elections were called in March 2018, the separatist Barbuda People's Movement (BPM) returned to Parliament, starting a series of political landslides for the party that continued into the 2026 general election and saw the governing Labour Party lose all representation on the Barbuda Council.

For most of Barbudan history, the islands have had a tumultuous relationship. In 1967, the Associated State of Antigua was established, which was composed of the modern territory of Antigua and Barbuda. This associated state was established to aid the islands' impending independence. When independence negotiations eventually began in the early 1980s, Barbudan delegations sought the separation of the island from Antigua, either as an independent sovereign state or as a separate British colony. A revolution on nearby Anguilla resulted in its separation from the associated state of Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, and fears of a similar revolution continued to be discussed on the British side up to the very end of the negotiations. Even following Antigua and Barbuda's independence in 1981, separatism remained an important ideology on the island. From 2004 to 2014, the Barbuda People's Movement was included as part of a national coalition government, during which ties between the islands reached their modern peak and the Barbudan communal land system was enshrined into law.

In 2014, Gaston Browne was elected prime minister as part of the Labour Party, promising to transform Barbuda into the country's "breadbasket". The Labour Party on Barbuda, led by Arthur Nibbs, narrowly held control over the island's local government, winning Barbuda's seat in parliament by one vote in that election. However, following the passing of Irma, the Labour Party changed its development strategy on the island, promising to build "Jumby Bay on steroids". As part of this strategy, several luxury developments have been proposed, including the Barbuda Ocean Club and the Robert De Niro-backed Nobu Beach Club. To encourage investment, the government also announced its intention to abolish the communal land system on the island, that currently restricts land access to people of Barbudan descent with limited exceptions.

Today, this sociopolitical crisis continues to impact all aspects of Barbudan life. Environmental experts have expressed serious concern over new developments that may harm both the landscape and wetlands that help protect the flat island from severe flooding. The crisis has also had economic repercussions: the local government, the island's largest employer, has struggled to pay salaries, and infrastructure continues to be below pre-hurricane standards.