Council maintains Barbuda lands are not for sale

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The Barbuda Council is remaining steadfast in its effort to retain the system of communal land ownership on the sister island.

The local governing body says that the land sale matter, which is currently being litigated, remains unsettled and anyone expressing interest in lands without the consent of the people and the council will not be entertained.

Council Secretary Paul Nedd penned the news release in response to ongoing efforts by government to make it lawful for Antiguans to purchase lands on the sister isle.

Barbuda’s Member of Parliament Trevor Walker and founding member of the Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM) Mackenzie Frank are spearheading the legal challenge.

In October, they were granted leave to take the matter to the Privy Council, the final appellate court for the nation.

Nedd maintains that until the matter is heard at this level, the Barbuda Council will continue to manage and utilise lands and other resources as outlined in the Barbuda Local Government Act and the Barbuda Land Act.

“For the Prime Minister [Gaston Browne] to make such an assertion, it is very dangerous and very vexing without consultation with the Barbudan people. If we knew that he was going to go to Parliament with such assertion, we would have probably looked at a different legal option,” Nedd said.

“Until the Privy Council would have made the case and heard the judgement the lands of Barbuda belong to the Barbuda people.”

Explaining the process for obtaining a lease on the sister island, Nedd stated that a letter has to be submitted to the body through the lands department.

He said the council is the main negotiator in the process to determine what the potential investor is entitled to and whether or not the lease will be granted.

Nedd said the Barbuda Council is not hard and fast against Antiguans or any other citizens, the body just wants things managed in such a way that members are aware of decisions being made relating to land.

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4 COMMENTS

  1. I support Barbuda

    The PM Gaston Browne I suspect was given a mandated by the the owner of Coperate Antigua to take the lands of Barbuda by way of legislation similar to what was done when they took the Waladli lands from the Indians and called it Antigua.

    The Rothschilds should not be allowed to steal these lands. Stand firm Barbudans.

    The Rothschilds are behind this I suspect.

  2. Why is Gaston so obsessed with the lands in Barbuda? The average Antiguan would not be acquiring land in Barbuda and moving there as there are no job opportunities. The only people interested in Barbuda lands are the people in Gaston’s government and their friends. They are hoping to acquire all the prime beach front lands for pepper corn prices. Gaston should concentrate on getting industries in Barbuda to provide employment. When Gaston has sold off all the lands in Antigua, Antiguans in the future may have to move to Barbuda. Leave the people in Barbuda alone with their land. They don’t make more of it. Tap bullying Walker.

  3. Someone need to let these people of the BPM know that the laws of Antigua are the laws of Barbuda as well. And they cannot decide unilaterally what laws in Antigua they will obey and which one not. They are heading straight to 1735 if they think they can break the laws of the land.
    The fact that they have brought a challenge against a law doesn’t put the law aside. There is no stay issued by any court. These stupid people are annoying. And Darren ascertain their stupidity and ignorance every week without properly questioning them. I guess they are looking for public support to keep their myth alive that Barbuda land is hold in common. A myth expose already in the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda. The Landlord is the Crown is the Government. And that is final. They can only be considered tenants. And that not for the entire Island only for the lands they live on for dwelling. They cannot even sign a lease as they have no such power under any law to do so. So how can they tell the Landlord that he cannot sell his property. Pure stupidity.

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