DeFreitas says nationals must preserve and protect cultural sites against take-over by foreign monied interests

Franz deFreitas, the United Progressive Party (UPP) caretaker for St.
John’s City South, says Antiguans and Barbudans must seek to
preserve their cultural sites and land and prevent them from being
taken over by foreign forces with money.

DeFreitas recounts, regretfully, the many locations that already have
been taken from the people in order to benefit politicians. And he
notes that other countries are now reeling from issues related to the
sale of their lands to non-indigenous persons.

Meanwhile, deFreitas references the land-grab now apparently
taking place on Barbuda.  Once lands on the sister-island go up for
sale, he warns, the people of Barbuda will never be able to get them
back.

In his opinion, deFreitas says, the Browne Administration wishes to
turn Barbuda into another Jumby Bay.

Land ownership has become a hot-button issue for Antiguans and
Barbudans these past several years, with many nationals accusing
the Labour Party Government of stripping the people of their
patrimony in exchange for the mighty dollar.