Technical team says first phase of mapping Barbuda should wrap in three days; house plots still on offer to residents for $1

While the Barbuda Council is concerned that the Government’s technical team is undertaking the registration of lands on the sister-island, the team is reporting that its work went well on the first day.
 
The team was transported to Barbuda on Wednesday, November 16, by the Coast Guard – but without prior knowledge of the Council.
 
Reports say the team is utilizing the most modern technology available to surveyors, and it has set itself three days to complete the first phase of the geographical mapping of Barbuda.
 
When the work is completed, officials say that every piece of leased land on the sister-island will be shown on a cadastral map. 
 
Following this exercise, the Government says, residents of Codrington who prefer to proceed without a certificate will be allowed to remain on the land they have occupied for generations.
 
However, “those who wish to have a certificate of ownership will be allowed to do so for the consideration of $1, payable to the Treasury,” this week’s Cabinet Notes say.
 
Several months ago, the Privy Council ruled that all land not privately owned in the state of Antigua and Barbuda is the property of the Crown.
 
However, Barbudans remain suspicious of this move by the Government to establish a land registry on the sister-isle.
 
And Harold Lovell, Political Leader of the United Progressive Party, believes that it is meant to facilitate the granting of title to certain lands now controlled by the Prime Minister’s family.
 
Lands around the defunct Dulcina Hotel, which sits in proximity to the Peace Love and Happiness (PLH) development, have been cut up and parceled out; and Lovell says this clearly is not to facilitate the construction of a hotel.