Barbuda Land Ownership Initiative Gains Pace

Soon, persons will own a piece of the rock in Barbuda.

“Very shortly, Barbuda will start to get their certificates of ownership and that changes the dynamic”, Barbuda Affairs Minister EP Chet Minister mentioned.

It’s been no secret of the dispute over land between central government and the Barbuda Council; this matter has reached to the courts where the most recent Privy Council ruling gave way for the Gaston Browne-led administration to proceed with this program or any other development.

That land program will see Barbudans be given the chance to own their occupied plots for $1 has been getting off the ground.

It will also offer Antiguans a chance to own land in the sister isle.

A move Minister Greene is welcoming.

“It is not right, to put it bluntly, that on Antigua, everybody can own a plot of land once you can pay for it but on Barbuda, Barbudans in the same state are told that they cannot own the land.

“It makes it even a bigger joke when Barbudans can own land in Antigua, but Antiguans can’t own land on Barbuda in a one nation, a one state and so I think the fact that we’ve gone to the parliament, the fact that the matter has been prosecuted in court and settled is enough for us to now move on,” Greene mentioned.

He added that it has been proven that central government’s interests are to uplift Barbuda and Barbudans.

“When you look at the level of development in Barbuda now, it is clear that the government’s mission, the government’s plan for Barbuda is not about taking land. It’s about developing land. It’s about developing the people, the opportunities for people and so if we had a common view and approach towards the development of Antigua and Barbuda, I think there’s so much more that we could have accomplished right now,” Greene declared.