St. John’s Antigua – Efforts to register land ownership in Barbuda are progressing, with government officials working to involve residents in this process. The initiative is part of a broader plan to address centuries-old land management issues and establish a formal land registry on the sister island.
The government’s push follows the passage of the Registered Land Amendment Bill 2023 in the Lower House, which allows Barbudans to claim ownership of their land for a nominal fee of $1. Under the proposed amendments, each Barbudan adult will also have the option to purchase up to one acre of land for the same token price. These changes mark a significant shift from Barbuda’s communal land ownership system to an individualized framework.
To ensure full participation, members of the Adjudication Committee have traveled to Barbuda to personally distribute Section 5 and 6 notices and registration forms, as required under the Land Adjudication Act. The documents are also available at several public locations, including schools, government offices, and community centers, making them easily accessible to residents.
- Public Utilities Office
- Barbuda Police and Fire Stations
- Antigua Commercial Bank
- Sir McChesney George Secondary School
- Holy Trinity Primary School
- Barbuda Electoral Office
- Radio Light House
Residents are encouraged to review the notices and submit their land claims at designated locations, such as the Antigua Public Utilities Authority, the Police Station, or the Fire Station in Barbuda, or at the Land Registry and the Ministry of Legal Affairs in Antigua. Claims can also be submitted via email for added convenience.
Deputy Governor General Sir Clare Roberts, who has been appointed as Barbuda’s adjudicator, will oversee the process. This step is critical to determining individual land claims and boundaries before they can be formally registered.
The push for land registration comes in the wake of a 2022 Privy Council ruling that overturned Barbuda’s long-standing communal land ownership tradition, declaring that the land is owned by the state, with Barbudans acting as custodians. This ruling has enabled the government to pursue reforms aimed at modernizing land management and facilitating private land ownership.
While the government sees the changes as a way to resolve inefficiencies and promote development on the sister island, the initiative has faced strong opposition. Barbuda MP Trevor Walker has criticized the government’s approach, arguing that it undermines the island’s communal heritage and imposes unwanted changes.
With physical and technical groundwork for the process complete, the focus is now on adjudication. Once finalised, the land registry will incorporate Barbuda lands into the framework established by the Registered Land Act, which had previously applied only to Antigua following a 1976 cadastral survey.
To further educate residents, the adjudication team will appear on the Barbuda Channel on Wednesday, January 8, at 4:15 PM to provide updates and answer questions about the process. Residents are encouraged to participate actively and stay informed as this historic transition unfolds.
