Prime Minister Gaston Browne says his administration will move forward with a proposed housing development in Barbuda despite opposition from the Barbuda Council and members of the Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM).
Browne has rejected suggestions that the council was unaware of the planned project, arguing that the proposal has been publicly discussed for several years.
He accused the council of routinely resisting major development initiatives on the sister island and made it clear that the objections would not derail the government’s plans.
The Prime Minister also singled out BPM leader Trevor Walker, telling Barbudans that neither Walker nor other members of the council have the authority to prevent the development from proceeding.
Browne compared the latest disagreement to previous resistance surrounding the Peace, Love and Happiness development at Palmetto Point, another project that became a major source of contention between the central government and the council.
The latest dispute again highlights the longstanding divide over development and land ownership in Barbuda, with the Browne administration promoting private property ownership while the BPM continues to advocate for the preservation of the island’s communal land system.
Meanwhile, the government is preparing to issue the first freehold land certificates to Barbudans under its EC$1 land initiative.
Browne said about six parcels are approaching the title stage and certificates could be issued within the next several weeks.
Two of the lots, however, reportedly require new surveys because they exceeded the maximum one-acre allocation permitted under the policy.
The initiative allows eligible Barbudans to acquire freehold title to as much as one acre of land for a nominal EC$1.
Browne has also dismissed expected resistance from the Barbuda Council over the issuance of the titles. He maintains that Barbuda’s land is legally vested in the Crown and that the central government therefore has the authority to grant freehold ownership.
The policy remains strongly opposed by the BPM, which maintains that Barbuda’s traditional communal land ownership system should be protected.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: ‘It Will Be Built’: Browne Says Council Cannot Stop Barbuda Housing Project.