
by Makeda Mikael
When Antigua & Barbuda initiated its interest in Tourism Development, in order to attract hotels, the Government found it necessary to sell to investors, Antigua beach lands at seriously reduced rates with incentive packages including 25 years tax free, permission to repatriate profits and many other benefits.
It is hard when we consider the US millions which the Half Moon Bay property generated by Government acquisition in the Courts of law, as owing the expatriate and few local owners, as opposed to the mere thousands of dollars charged by the Government, for lands at one of the ten most beautiful beaches in the world.
But, it was worth it at time when Antigua started at the high-end of its Mill Reef neighbors, and had to sell its beach lands for ‘peppercorn’ as its investment in tourism.
Many years later today, the same devaluing of Antigua’s lands continue unabated. Meanwhile as other islands fell into the Tourism mode, mountainous Dominica with its different eco-tourism tastes, sells land higher than Antigua with its white sandy beaches; also land in St. Kitts-Nevis with its black sand and beautiful landscapes sells for more than beautiful Antigua.
The time has come to properly value Antigua’s property and lands, with benefits and discounts exchanged for shares in PPP developments.
Now we recognize that all of our beaches are fronted by hotels and high-end properties, it is has become difficult for people to enjoy beaches which were available to for leisure and fisherfolk earning a living.
There is no doubt that tourism has fed and saved the population, salvaged from the fields of sugarcane and cotton; but again, the time has come for Antiguans to gain higher heights in management and ownership of tourism businesses.
Small business has grown, but breaking into the big time is is made very difficult for black and local aspirants, and the inducement to sell their lands and property to foreigners is government driven.
In English Harbour most of the expatriate businesses are operated in buildings and leased by local owners, whom their passionate businessman Sir Hugh has admonished about selling English Harbour lands.
The entire City of London is on leased land, and this practice is also copied by sensitive countries and some provinces around the world. Small countries like the Caribbean need to develop systems which seek to conserve their lands for future generations.
Whereas development is necessary and immediate, in order to provide work and growth to our thousands of school leavers, and to raise the standard of living of our growing numbers of local poor and migrant poor, our lands must provide the security of their existence, as a people are not a people without land.
Time has come to value our lands in a proper cadastral survey and a pricing structure that does not just give it away to the foreigners without consideration for the people of this country.
If it is not given in cash it must be recognized in kind; lands must be properly valued and zones must establish official priority pricing, so that our lands and not devalued for corrupt and other prejudicial, unreasonable or political enrichment schemes.
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You’re only saying this because the government is about to take all your land
Give it up now Makeda, you never did anything with all that land and simply not the right business person for aviation
You did nothing to help with tourism when you had so many years of opportunities and offers
Hmmmmm! My sentiments!
Check out her work;Royal Antiguan Resort, (now Royalton), Heritage Quay & St John’s Development Corp., ITC Travel Agency, Wadadli Travel & Tours Ltd., Caribbean Tourism Consultants Ltd., Ports Services Ltd., FBO 2000 Antigua Ltd., Nevis FBO Services Ltd. Travel Agencies in St.Kitts, Anguilla & Montserrat, Restaurants Zambuka, Runway Ten Cafe Ltd., Pier 10, Bizjet-to-Yacht Antigua Inc., Antigua Hangars Inc., Second Chance Program/Adopt an Entrepreneur.
You missed the most important position. Lester Bird righthand woman. No one could come close to Lester. You have to pass Makeda. And that was not an easy task. Just like her, that is how Asot controlled Lester. That is why Lester was not a good leader. he was easily controlled.
@sidelines: You are really jealous of Makeda.You are filled with so much hatred towards her.Why is that so?
You see why our people are leaving the country? Why are they saying “me nar guh back dey?”
In reference to the country collapsing, Mp Weston was adamant that collapse would show the world that “we don’t know what we’re doing.”
The only group that shows a clear plan of action over the last 50 years are the refugees that came here… As of right now, Ascot looks like a competent leader…
Although I don’t feel that her article is very timely, I agree with Makeda. If a white person or foreign entity had owned the property, the government wouldn’t be looking to acquire it. Why does Stanford’s receivers still own all the property within the scope of the airport? There is a serious double standard here. It’s like born Antiguans are public enemy number one when it comes to owning any quality land in the country. You have to fight tooth and nail to own a piece of what our forefathers already invested in on our behalf. As far as I’m concerned, with only just over 60,000 acres of land, Antigua should be engaged in preservation measures, which should start with ending the practice of selling hundreds of acres to one person and for that matter all land should be leased to foreign entities. They should not be allowed to own land here. Pretty soon there will be nothing left for us in our own country.
Please be advised that she has submitted several proposals to Government for their absorbing back the lands into the airport- only trouble is their price is too local. Hopefully now that a white Canadian’s land is now involved the price will allow the lands to be returned to the airport.
Agreed and well said
So, the Government acquired Half Moon Bay. Was that not owned by a White man/woman? Makeda is trying to play the race card. And believe me, they will never take away her property, except that the land cannot be freehold. No one should own land within the airport. It should be leased. And technically there should be a buffer zone between the airport perimeter and the private property. Airport Security should be able to patrol the entire perimeter whenever they want without trespassing on private property. When Stanford was there, the Airport Security made spot checks every now and then. And they had set rules for him on how they wanted him to operate. Someone lowered the bar and Makeda was able to do as she like.
The government does not value the aspirations of indigenous masses, and only advocate for their votes at election times with pipe dream offerings. Those whom we have put is seats of governance, operate with Insensitivity as an elite clique once enthroned and, advocate for schism of gleeful self enrichment: where “creaming” off the top is a right to passage of accomplishment; while blinded in foresight of vision, which foster and condone that selling-out our patrimony to foreigners without interest in assimilation: as witness by the zone-in, zone-out mantra of governance to facilitate the interlopers posing as investors and, creating birds of a feather exclusive enclaves; design to keep the masses in continued servitude as domestic workers of their sun down exclusive communities, and operating phantom bed & breakfast enterprise under the guise of guests by invitation: charged. for stays, but not taxed. I personally advocate for rational sustainable investment development that is not catering to further exclusive residential development of the practice apartheid mantra of the government, but rather; technology and light manufacture and assembly enterprises which does not further encroach on our shore-lines to the deprivation of our collective recreational needs, and benefit only the well-heeled-few. No Guest shall ever become the Master of our home: Thus, reality proves that those who control the economy, control the masses, with Alms from their table. As so stated: I, Wynham Greenaway.
Well, I was born in Antigua and often dreamt of returning. I was taken to England at the age of 13, but my efforts to investigate and acquire land or an apartment at a reasonable price was met with preference for the US$. When I look at the prices ordinary Antiguans haven’t even been factored in.
I understand that investments to create jobs is necessary, but when I read about locals no longer getting access to the beaches, it totally saddens me, and I get why as a people we are simply seen as footstools for others.
Makeda really needs to let go of all that land that she did nothing with. It’s not Stanfords land anymore and for years it’s been under her ownership and she never did anything with it. She wants big money for the land and had several offers from people that wanted to further develop the airport infrastructure and offerings to enhance tourism. She always got greedy and the deals fell apart. She barely could operate the restaurant she had there. Never paid her workers properly nor treated them well.
Gaston is ready to take on Makeda now
Makeda wants to cash in big time. But sorry, Gaston ain’t no Lovell. He wants value for money, even if it is government money.
The UPP didn’t care when it came to spending government money. Look how much they paid for Food City. Bailing out the Winter’s who sponsored them with election. Then they exchanged land with Dr. Lake, giving him prime land at Fort James, now the property known as Splash Antigua. They had APUA purchase BenCorp Building for $25Million, bailing out the Benjies family. Purchasing the Inland Revenue Building for $25million bailing out Bill Cooper. And then the building next to MBS. I forgot the name of the family that owned it. But they squandered government monies everywhere they could. And I’m sure if Harold was in power, he would have paid whatever Makeda wanted. Cause many don’t know but there is a longstanding relationship between the two.
@sidelines: You always seems to know who are in relationships. Are you in a relationship with Gaston Browne?
You are sounding more and more like GB back door man. You made a fair comment before regarding the way GB planned to take the land from Calvin Ayre & Makeda Mikael and give them 99 year leases. Now you clearly bending down to pick up the soap he dropped in front of you. Come on man the woman done old leave her to F alone and continue your sex change!
Wow wow wow Colonisation is at our door step for those of us who are sleeping when the comment was made by the PM at the ground breaking ceremony at Boby Alley If the Chinese bring their gifts to Colonize Us bring more Soon our Ports we cannot service the Port loan agreement This is not political but facts as reported by the PM we may have to pay by other means our biggest asset is our Lands So we will start at the Airport I was listening to the Parliament when I heard the PM said that Barbuda will rival Jumby Bay are we handing back the Lands to our Slave Master We have seen the introduction of buffer zone apartied is at our door step The fencing of Lands in 😈 Devil’s Bridge Emerald Cove and now Loory Bay they will be removed Soon expect some Threats from owners of locking down the hotels but it will not work they will come to the table and negotiate all that it will take just to block all these entrances and the issue will resolve
As I said, at one time Makeda was preaching that the government should have never sold the lands within the airport as freehold as they did to Stanford. She then wanted to sell the government back the land since she was not making any money with all of the assets anyway. Anyway, her price was much too high for Gaston, and he turned her down. Especially knowing she got the land and building from the receivers through some dubious ways for free. Only Bustany can explain why he as the real-estate agent recommended that to the receiver. And whomever was the surveyor valued the property so low, it made me want to vomit. Knowing the real value was more like US$25million. Anyway, God bless her with that fortune that dropped in her lap. But I have come here and warned about the danger that her property now poses for airport security according to IATA rules. The gate at Runway 10 is not manned with 24/7 security guards and someone at the airport has allowed her to erect a restaurant on the property. Can you imagine in this time of terrorism that someone could park their vehicle on the airport compound close to a jet from a high network individual or even get to a jet. While on the road of Barnacle Point there are signs that say, “No Parking” at the side of the fence. Only now is the government going to do something about it. Well, it’s about time. But Makeda will still be able to cash in. Or she can get land somewhere else in exchange. I have never seen a person with such magnificent airport property, in fact the only one of its kind in the entire Caribbean, yet she cannot make a dime. And that only because of the person she is. As I indicated many many months or perhaps years ago, even her sons ran out the business from her, and prefer to go work for someone else. All waiting for Mama to pass, so they can take their inheritance.
Boy you really stuck with the fact you were not even spurned by the woman you had such an itch for. She clearly did not even recognize you, much less know you. Stop crying boy it’s too late anyhow.
Our problem is we got long eyes for other people things. Gaston and the government can tell you the lady paid for those lands cash. She got certain things from the Stanford settlement but the lands wasn’t it. They need to pay her for her land even half of what it’s worth and then a trade off. Why must Antiguans always settle for crumbs but when they negotiate with foreign investors they get the whole feast? Aryu and Gaston to wicked to Antiguans.
That property is prime property, the govt should run not walk and find the money to pay her for it because within two years they can triple what they spent if that place is properly developed. Not only her area but either mouse or Barnacle point area. You know how many yachts would love to be able to pickup their guest directly from the airport to the ship via a properly equipped marina?
That entire area is a gold mine and govt and Makeda acting like kids in a sandbox. Now you can’t get away from how selfish the woman is because she rather she have workers broke and hungry than try and fix the nonsense with her and the airport. I think most of us don’t respect her for that, but respect the fact her property is one of the most valuable properties on Antigua and worth the government investing and uplifting it at this crucial time in tourism.
When you have chaotic people running an airport and a chaotic, simple minded woman owning the surrounding lands, Antigua suffer under their stupidity and lack of sensitivity. Them can’t just take her property and if they try and the entire nation don’t stand with her against them, then we are all worth nothing but a dollar and a bone!
Dear Jean Antigua is no longer the beautiful place I remember from my young days. When you fly in you can see how much the land has been lost. Half Moon and all of the beaches are lost to development. There is no beach or precious place anymore. Antigua has become ugly. Too much crime and devious antics from too many. I cry for the place I once knew.
SLAVERY WAS NOT ABOLISHED. THEY CHANGED THE NAME TO INDEPENDENCE AND REPUBLIC.
THE GOVERNMENT IS A CORPORATION SERVING THE INTERESTS OF THE SAME SLAVE MASTER.
THE FOUR MAIN PILLARS OF PERPETUAL SLAVERY ARE:
1 THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
2 THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM
3 THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM
4 THE HEALTH SYSTEM.
GOVERNMENTS ARE SELECTED NEVER ELECTED. THERE FOCUS IS TO MAKE ASIGNIFICANT PROFIT FROM THE PUBLIC..
BECAUSE MANY HAS TAKEN GENEROUS SERVINGS OF THE THE FOUR PILLARS, THIS BLOG WILL NOT BE COMPREHENDED.
It is disheartening to read that workers and everyday people do not appreciate the argument that the more they are dispossed of their limited resources, the more they are made dependent and consequently are offered up as mere wage slaves, principally to make possible the further accumulation of wealth for those who are permitted to deepen their control of land and influence over the polical institutions. A people who are made dependent lose the ability to shape their own destinity. Private individual and corporate ownership of resources and the the an economy centered on the private accumulation of wealth made possible by those who are employed specifically to enable that process, encourages further the greater disposession of lands in Antigua and soon, Barbuda. It’s a vicious cycle that can end, only when Antiguans and Barbudans say enough is enough and move to assume collective responsibility for the running, organization and development of the economy and the politics upon which that will depend to secure that form of democratic control of Antigua and Barbuda by all, principally the workers and everyday people.
Makeda should be thanked for triggering this conversation. We must begin to talk to one another about what kind of society qe want for ourselves. about us and what we should want for ourselves. And this conversation cannot be limited to economics and politics. We have to begin to ask ourselves the question, what is our place in this world and what role are we going to play in it. So far, we have incorporated into our consciousness development ideas that do not allow us to think that we do not have to be a dependent people. The more diplomas and training we acquire, the more our dependency on others deepens. We reorder our lives but we have to reorder our thinking and begin the process of becoming a liberated people. Thus is what this conversation should be about. That is what Makeda is allowing us to have. And so are Barbudans. Chose you this day whom you will serve. Yourself or the capitalists owners of your economy.
“We must begin to talk to one another about what kind of society we want for ourselves.”
“So far, we have incorporated into our consciousness development ideas that encourages us to think that we have to be dependent on others.” Corrections to the above.
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