The Leadership, Central Executive and Women’s Forum of the United Progressive Party (UPP) stand in unwavering support of the position taken by the Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM), the Barbuda Council, and the people of Barbuda on the communal ownership of their lands and the primacy of the Council on matters related to the governance of the island.
We condemn the attempts of Prime Minister Gaston Browne and his Administration to deracinate Barbudans, at worst, and to marginalize them geographically and politically, at best, under the guise of “development” and “foreign direct investment.”
Further, the UPP continues to support the tenets enshrined in the Barbuda Land Act, 2007, and we condemn the current attempts to have that legislation expunged.
Such an action would be unconscionable, disrespectful, and utterly contemptuous of the Barbudan people and should be seen as such by all right-thinking Antiguans.
We do not accept that Barbudans’ communal ownership and Antiguans not being allowed to purchase their land as “discrimination;” and we utterly reject every attempt to erase the identity of “Barbudans” and have them subsumed into the collective.
The Kalinago of Dominica; the Maori of New Zealand; and the Native American tribes of the United States of America all enjoy special arrangements of ownership of their ancestral lands and have a say in how they are used.
Why should the Barbudans be treated with less consideration simply to satisfy the objectives of a bankrupt and greedy Administration?
Accordingly, we call upon all persons and organizations – nationally, regionally and internationally – to support and rally around the people of the sister-island at this critical time.
History will judge those who fail to respond to this moral crisis.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
I do hope what I am about to say does not ever happened. I do believed someone is going to be killed over those lands in Barbuda. Then the Country would be shut down. There would be an endless uprising to include lootings,burnings and shootings. Gaston Browne,meet with the people of Barbuda in a respectable way. If not it is going to be hell to pay.Mark my words on this day 04/29/2023.I am not a Born Barbudan.I am Antigua Born.A National of Antigua and Barbuda.
If after having taken the case all the way to the Privy Council and then lost the case. If after all of that, the section of the Barbudans led by the BPM, then we need to start putting people in jail for Insurrection. No one should think that he or she is above the law. It is sad that many for years have been deceived by the BPM. But one should wake up at some point and accept the reality. The lands are Crown Lands, and the government of the day is in charge of Crown Land. And ALL Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda are entitled to purchase Crown Land or lease it, whichever the government desires. Threats about uprising and violence will not deter us to do what is right.
Comments are closed.