LOOP: The government of Antigua and Barbuda has made a significant concession regarding land ownership in Barbuda, particularly concerning the capital, Codrington. This decision comes amidst ongoing disputes over the island’s traditional communal land ownership system.
According to the post-Cabinet report, the government has agreed that the village of Codrington, the capital of Barbuda, “will be deemed a single Block and that it will not be parcelled, such that those who reside there and would wish to continue to live as ‘tenants in common of the Crown’ can continue to remain in that status.”
Additionally, the report stated, “Those who wish to have a land certificate and to be registered in the Land Registry/Barbuda, shall receive those certificates attesting to ownership of the land on which their houses sit.”
This decision represents a partial victory for Barbudans who have been fighting to protect what they claim as their right to communal land ownership. The Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), on behalf of the Barbuda Land Rights and Resources Committee (BLRRC), has been leading legal efforts to safeguard these rights and prevent potential harm to Barbuda’s land, culture, and environment.
Despite this concession, the government plans to proceed with its land adjudication process. Minister of Information Melford Nicholas provided details on the next steps: “I believe the head of the adjudication team, Claire Roberts, and one of his staff have indicated that they intend to be in Barbuda next week to post the notices of the adjudication process.
Once that process is complete and there are no more issues to be determined in terms of who has some equitable interest in the land, then the land certificate will be issued to persons who would so want to acquire a land and freehold basis in the Louie Hill area and we should see some rapid development in Barbuda.”
Nicholas also emphasized the government’s commitment to managed development, stating that the Development Control Act, Antigua Public Utilities Authority, and other local authorities will work together “to ensure that there is an orderly development and a managed development of the economy of Barbuda.”
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