Walker says Council Elections Will Be A Referendum on Land and Autonomy in Barbuda

Barbudans Ready to Send a Message: Council Elections Seen as Referendum on Land and Autonomy

Barbuda – As Barbuda prepares for its 2025 Council elections, residents and political leaders alike are framing the vote as more than a routine democratic exercise. Many Barbudans see it as a defining moment—a referendum on land, autonomy, and the survival of a way of life increasingly under threat.

With five seats up for grabs, the Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM), which currently holds all positions on the Council, is urging voters to reaffirm their support amid what they describe as mounting pressure from the central government to alter the island’s development model and strip the Council of its authority.

“This election is about defending Barbuda—our culture, our land, and our right to decide our future,” said Trevor Walker, Member of Parliament for Barbuda and political leader of the BPM. “The administration in Antigua is aggressively pushing a model based on luxury real estate sales that does not benefit our people. That model threatens our communal land system and our environment.”

At the heart of the tension is the issue of land ownership. Barbudans have long lived under a system of communal land tenure, a practice protected by the Barbuda Land Act and entrenched in the island’s constitutionally recognized local government framework. The BPM and its supporters argue that recent developments—such as concession agreements granted to foreign investors, land takeovers at Cattle Hill, and efforts to bypass the Council—undermine these rights.

“The central government is acting like a real estate agent for Barbuda, carving up the island and offering it to the highest bidder,” said John Mussington, Chairman of the BPM. “This isn’t tourism—it’s displacement. Our land is our culture, our security, our independence.”

Mussington also warned that replacing wetlands and farmlands with gated luxury compounds would increase Barbuda’s vulnerability to climate disasters. “We survived Hurricane Irma because of our healthy environment. If they destroy that for profit, they’re putting all of us at risk,” he said.

The Council elections, held biennially with staggered terms, offer voters an opportunity to select representatives who will directly influence the island’s governance on matters such as agriculture, forestry, and health—areas where the Barbuda Council has exclusive authority under the Barbuda Local Government Act.

Despite legal protections, BPM leaders say they’ve witnessed an erosion of these powers. Concession agreements that override Council leases, the use of law enforcement to remove Council members from disputed lands, and the blocking of infrastructure development led by the BPM have all fueled growing resentment among Barbudans.

“This administration is trying to make the Council redundant,” said Walker. “But our constitution says otherwise. Only the Council can approve changes to the Barbuda Local Government Act. And as long as we hold the majority, we will protect that mandate.”

On the ground, candidates like Jacqueline Frank are calling on voters across political lines to participate. “Everyone here knows what’s at stake,” said Frank. “This is not about party. This is about preserving Barbuda for future generations.”

With just days to go before the polls open, BPM leaders are confident but not complacent. “The people of Barbuda are alert, they are watching, and they are ready to send a message,” Walker said. “A message that Barbuda is not for sale.”

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]