A development has emerged in the ongoing legal dispute over land rights in Barbuda, as Justice Jan Drysdale unexpectedly stepped down from presiding over the case between the Barbuda Council and the Attorney General.

During Tuesday’s court proceedings, Justice Drysdale announced her recusal without providing specific reasons, leaving the case to be reassigned to another judge.

Lawyers Carla Brookes-Harris, representing the Attorney General’s office, and Leslie Thomas, representing the Barbuda Council, were present when the unexpected change was made.

The case centres on a controversial land adjudication process that challenges Barbuda’s 300-year tradition of communal land ownership. Government-appointed adjudicator Sir Clare Roberts is overseeing a process that could potentially allow land to be sold for the first time, a move that has sparked intense debate.

Last year, the government amended legislation allowing Barbudans to purchase occupied land for a nominal $1.

Critics, including Barbuda Council members, have accused the government of attempting a land grab and potentially selling land to wealthy foreign investors under the guise of post-disaster recovery efforts.

A 2022 Privy Council ruling dismissed a case brought by two Barbudans challenging community land ownership, effectively paving the way for the government’s current land policy.

While opponents see the initiative as a threat to Barbuda’s cultural heritage, the government argues that the process will resolve longstanding land disputes and modernize land management on the island.