A deepening dispute over land ownership and administration in Barbuda has intensified after the Government of Antigua and Barbuda reaffirmed its plans to establish a Barbuda Land Registry and proceed with the sale of Crown lands on the island, drawing sharp opposition from the Barbuda Council.
The matter was taken up during this week's Cabinet meeting, where Attorney General and Minister for Legal Affairs Sir Steadroy Benjamin provided an update on progress toward the establishment and operationalisation of the registry. Cabinet expressed satisfaction with the strides made in developing the legal and administrative framework necessary to facilitate land registration and ownership transactions in Barbuda.
Cabinet also restated its longstanding position that the Barbuda Council holds no legal authority to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of lands on the island. Any purported sale, lease, or transfer of land by the Council, the Government said, would be considered invalid and would not be recognised.
The Government maintains that a functioning land registry will bring greater transparency, certainty, and security to land ownership and development on the island. It also warned that structures erected without the required legal approvals could face enforcement action, including demolition.
The administration says its broader objective is to promote orderly development, protect property rights, and ensure all land-related activities comply with national laws and regulations. Cabinet recently confirmed that the land adjudication process is nearing completion and that the Barbuda Land Registry is expected to become operational by the end of August. Initially, the registry will be administered through the existing Land Registry system in Antigua. The Government has also indicated that more than 200 acres of land could be made available for purchase by Barbudans under its development strategy.
The Barbuda Council has sharply rejected these plans. In a statement issued this week, the Council accused the Gaston Browne administration of attempting to create the impression that a luxury real estate market exists in Barbuda while fundamental questions regarding land ownership remain unresolved before the courts.
The Council said it would oppose any effort to use land adjudication and registration laws to facilitate the sale of what it described as "the people's land." It contends that the Barbuda Local Government Act grants the Council authority over the island's lands and local affairs, and that communal ownership remains a cornerstone of Barbudan identity and self-governance.
Council officials also called on Barbudans to resist attempts to undermine traditional land rights, insisting that all lands on the island belong collectively to its people.
The latest clash comes as court proceedings related to land ownership and administration in Barbuda continue this week. With both sides holding firmly opposing positions and legal proceedings still underway, the future of land ownership in Barbuda remains one of the most contentious issues facing the island.
