https://www.voice-online.co.uk/: BARBUDANS CLAIM they are being “ethnically cleansed” by developers seeking to turn their Caribbean island paradise into a playground for multi-millionaires.
Around two dozen Barbudans packed out a London court recently to challenge an East Caribbean supreme court ruling that effectively no one on the island had the right to challenge the destruction.
Lawyers believe this is a test case with the potential to swing the balance in favour of locals across the Caribbean being denied access to their own beaches, including in Jamaica. Five law lords, representing the Crown’s Privy Council, heard claims that Barbudans were being unfairly denied the right to challenge the construction of a private airport to serve the super-rich.
John Mussington, a local marine biologist, was visited by police after asking whether there was a permit which allowed for the destruction of 300 acres of previously untouched forest on the island the court heard.
Intimidation
UK lawyers for the Barbudans, working pro bono, reported inintimidation from private security and police on a fact-finding visit to the island earlier this year.
Dr David Dorsett, representing the Barbudan Development Control Authority, the Antigua and Barbuda Airports Authority and the islands’ Attorney General, admitted there was no public consultation, but insisted this was lawful.
Lord Leggatt expressed exasperation that Mussington, from the Codrington village situated two miles away from the airport, was being denied the legal right to challenge the airport construction on grounds he did not have “sufficient interest” in the development.
Billions of US dollars-worth of development is said to have been invested, with around 400 luxury properties retailing at up to US$10 million each. Former boxer Mike Tyson is believed to have pulled out of buying a property on the island over sympathy with Barbudans struggling against the developers.
Planning permission for the airport was granted retrospectively after work had already begun, and an environmental impact assessment has never been seen by locals or their lawyers, the court heard. Barbudans fear they will be kicked off their island altogether as building work on luxury houses and mansions continues apace beside beaches with pristine white sand.
Dr Dorsett said: “Having an interest in the matter is not sufficient; it is about having ‘sufficient interest’ in the matter.”
But Lord Leggatt countered: “If someone living two miles away doesn’t have sufficient interest, who does? You seem to be arguing no-one [on the island] has a right to challenge.”
Dr Dorsett avoided the question, but asked the Lords: “Has the [East Caribbean Supreme] court got it so wrong that it warrants the intervention of this court [the Privy Council]?”
The Voice has heard supermodel Cindy Crawford has bought property on the island. Much of the land belongs to the Crown, and a lawyer for the appellants told The Voice a multi-millionaire has claimed he is building a property for Prince Harry and Meghan. The claim is yet to be verified.
Speaking outside the Supreme Court, Mussington said Barbudans were being “ethnically cleansed” off their land, and he feared locals might be pushed off the island permanently. The Privy Council decision is expected early in 2024.
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If multimillionaire s want to own these islands could they at least give us citizenship and a bit of land in the countryside in their countries in exchange? It’s very difficult to survive on a tiny island and even harder when all the valuable resources are owned by persons who barely live there. At this point, I personally don’t mind exiting these lands but only in exchange for the opportunity to thrive elsewhere… Good luck to the Barbudans.
@ Fair Exchange – for God’s sake the one thing that you don’t need in your life is american citizenship. My wife and I are in the the 11th hour in making the decision to begin the process of expatriation and becoming Antiguan citizens.
@ Fair Exchange – the one thing you don’t need in your life is american citizenship. This country has become so vile, amoral and corrupt my wife and I are very close to expatriating and becoming Antiguan citizens.
Trust me, you’re richly blessed with what you have.
@Fair Exchange – the one thing that you don’t need is american citizenship. This country has become so corrupt and utterly vile that my wife and I are nearing the decision to expatriate and to become Antiguan citizens.
Trust me, you and all Antiguans are richly blessed with what you have.
Welcome home 🇦🇬 @ Caustic 🤝🏽
Barbudans were warned by the “Visionary” that their island would be turned into a high-a resort. Barbudans do not want this but it was stuffed down their throats nevertheless. Ethnic cleansing is just about the right term for this type of development and so long as the pockets of those in charge of granting permission for these so-called developments are well and truly filled and their palms sufficiently greased, then, and I hate to say this, Barbudans should start seriously to think of taking affirmative action to address their concerns. Antigua’s popular beaches as we all know are now almost fenced off thereby denying access to the local population. Is there a law against this blatant disregard of our patrimony? Yes, there is. Why then is it not enforced? Because those creative enrichers simply do not care, their pockets are stuffed and their palms well greased, so why bother with the the poor ordinary man or woman when a monetary handout will make them happy. Add to that a free concert or jam-up thrown at the masses will dampen any idea of rebellion. Some day, the masses are going to rebel when the enrichers least expect it and all hell will be let loose. There is only so much someone whose toes are repeatedly trodden on can take. Patience is not infinite. Anyone seen a jackass with short ears and a Charlie Chaplin hairy upper lip recently? No? Then wake up and you will soon see.
This. 100%. Well said.
Gaston Browne and his ABLP ADMINISTRATION is the EPITOME, of SOUTH AFRICA’S APARTHEID DESIGNER, DEVELOPER, INSTALLER
P.W. BOTHA and his APARTHEID REGIME!
GASTON BROWNE = PW BOTHA to BARBUDA
GASTON BROWNE = PW BOTHA to BARBUDA!
GASTON BROWNE = PW BOTHA to BARBUDA!
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
I support the Barbudan’s in their stance in protecting their land rights. Gaston Browne is being spiteful because he hasn’t got a foothold – or votes – in Barbuda.
He’s like a dawg with a bone that won’t let go.
Furthermore, once the super rich controls the island, and fence off the beaches, the only thing that Barbudan’s will be left to do serve them.
Fight the good fight my Barbudan patriots.
PROTECT YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR LAND!
Barbuda for Barbudan’s … ✊🏾
I do not agree with ABLP’s methodology for developing Barbuda not one bit! However, it would appear that the complete lack of leadership from Barbuda is catching up to them quickly.
Barbuda enjoyed unfair constitutional advantage, A UPP government that would have instituted visa requirements for Antiguans if they were left to their own devices. Free checks from central government to hire all Barbudans under the council.
The situation went right to the privy council Barbudans were asked to vote for and they lost. What was their response? Emotion over strategy.
Did the Barbudans say hmm… we lost the battle, soo lets play the long game now. Let us:
1) Try to double our population over the next generation
2) Institute mandatory finance and economic subjects in secondary school. (Economics, Money, Investing, etc)
3) Lets work yes… take the funds from the jobs around here and approach the bank in groups to build our own guest houses and secure a larger portion of the pie.
NO
According to a 2022 census, just around 6.3% of the population Syrian / Lebanese and Chinese yet they control a significant portion of the wealth. They didn’t come here crying about being out numbered and had no money etc. No, they recognised which part of the game they were and strategised.
What is the Barbudan leadership strategy given the current deck of cards in their hands?
You should have asked Lester Bird, Hugh Marshall, Robin Yearwood and their partners. When they should’ve been empowering the Barbudans, they were fleecing them of more than US.$300mil through sand deals but how can they have effective leadership when they have been bullied, extorted and threatened with arrest whenever they tried to take control of their affairs! This money hawk is not really aware of how close he is to crashing; we all await the day when he is humbled.
Gaston Browne and the ABLP wants to pick and choose which law they want to follow and ignore.
Watch out for the Privy Council ruling in the next 30 days
Gaston uses Cutie and The Solicitor General to issue threatening letters to John Mussington and The Barbuda Council when Mr. Mussington speaks out and educate us of our rights.
In as much as what the naysayers have to say about us we know the law and we know our rights. We will continue to fight for those rights
Barbudans are faced with security guards (many of whom are our Caribbean brothers) when we attempt to enter the areas where we looked for wilks and crabs for generations.
When we start challenging the guards with our rights and our traditions before we can finish making our case the Police is on the way. Of course when they arrive we are threatened with arrest and possibly a beatdown to go with it.
We have been victimized for generations. Unlike life on the mainland (of Antigua) we are not easily intimidated.
The law says we have access up to the high-water mark; as well as our traditional route to the beach front.
Hundreds of millions were stolen from the sand mining industry on Barbuda during the period the VC Bird era; from which we have not seen a penny.
It’s unfortunate that many of the people on the mainland are not aware of the history and the facts surrounding our claim to our way of life. There is constant ranting and raving about Barbuda only because of the misinformation they are fed.
Rather than helping us to preserve that history; one that can be beneficial to us all; it’s the prevailing cry as if Barbudans want their cake an eat it too.
Lord Leggatt literally sneezed at attorney Dorsett arguments which had no merit; as well as attorney Marshall’s reaching for straws to make their case.
It’s it ironic that among the legal team representing GOAB interest is sn attorney whose university fees were paid for with income derived from the Barbuda sand mining operations.
Gaston may try to intimidate us, but we won’t back down.
@Brixtonian.
” What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul”. Over to you. Will creative enrichment help? Barbudans, stand fast. Fight the good fight and when, as it surely will or already has, push comes to shove then all options should be on the table. Antigua and Barbuda is led by an unstable cretin with a cowering cabal of yes-men. They are a spineless bunch of flotsam who also have their snouts in the feeding trough. They cannot say ‘no’ to their leader, or else. They are neutered cats who must do as they are told.
The Barbudan’s definitely have a fight on their hands @ oversee, they are in for a long battle with the ABLP, simply because this government is out to make them suffer for not voting for them.
That’s how I see it.
The only comparison I can think of where a sitting party, governed by part of the country that didn’t vote for them, was in the United Kingdom (UK) when leaving the lucrative European Union (better known as Brexit).
Scotland 🏴, Ireland 🇮🇪 and even London voted to remain in the EU (and against the current government), however, the English 🏴 and the Welsh 🏴 voted to leave, and since then, the UK have lost out on £ Billions of income and the normal freedom of movement throughout the European Union they use to enjoy and take for granted.
Using the above analogy, I fear for the future of Barbudan’s, unless they’ve got strong legal representatives backing them all the way, so they can thwart the removal of their rightful land, and land rights.
@Brixtonian.
England and Wales voted to leave the EU while Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain. Note (Northern). The crucial point is that in grown up adult administrations like in UK, you dare not victimize any person for their political preferences; you will know that. Even the king has to be careful what he utters politically; he may be head of the realm but like other heads of state he is not elected by the people, Members of Parliament are elected by their constituents are sent to Parliament to address their concerns. The namesake of the present king over three centuries ago had his head chopped off (literally) for overstepping the mark with Parliament. Antiguans and Barbudans have long endured political victimization chiefly under ALP/ABLP. It is the weapon of revenge on those who do not support or wish to be subservient to their party. Good luck to the Barbudans. You refuse to be bought for a nice dinner and a broad smile. Good on you. If only we spineless, bark like hell and no bite Antiguans had the same grit and determination as you I reckon we would be a lot better off in every respect. Ham and turkey anyone? No pushing or shoving, just run like hell behind the handout trucks. Keep them begging, eh?
and sent
to
What we have is a greedy, narcissistic dunce who thinks Antigua and Barbuda belongs to him and his cronies. Gaston Browne has no regards for the rule of law and is really nothing but a whimp. Listen to the clown in parliament when questioned. It’s like two children trading blows because no one wants to get last lick. He never answers any question, just spurts some nonsensical BS ,then pulls some dirt, any dirt he can make up, cook up or invent about the person asking the questions. Take heed all you who are entangled in the corruption. If this idiot has dirt on you, you are not safe.
Fight on Barbudans. There is a new massa who is of our race that thinks will be in power forever.
Chances are, with Fats Benjamin as his legal advisor, you can bet there is some loophole the size of the Grand Canyon to enable the rescinding of his mess.
You should have asked Lester Bird, Hugh Marshall, Robin Yearwood and their partners. When they should’ve been empowering the Barbudans, they were fleecing them of more than US.$300mil through sand deals but how can they have effective leadership when they have been bullied, extorted and threatened with arrest whenever they tried to take control of their affairs! This money hawk is not really aware of how close he is to crashing; we all await the day when he is humbled.
Sorry for the duplications…:(
all the reasons to secede.
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