Former Barbuda MP and Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party minister Arthur Nibbs is among the first five recipients to be granted a freehold land certificate in Barbuda, as the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda approved the inaugural titles under its landmark “EC$1 an Acre for Barbudans” Land Empowerment Programme.
The historic move marks the first time since Barbuda’s settlement that Barbudans will hold legal freehold title to land, paving the way for the establishment of the Barbuda Land Registry and what the Government describes as a transformative new era in land ownership on the sister island.
Joining Nibbs as the first recipients are Attienne Davis, Chaz Askie, Evamay Askie George and the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force Coast Guard.
Cabinet ratified the certificates during its meeting on Wednesday, describing the initiative as a defining moment that will provide Barbudans with secure legal ownership of land that can be transferred, inherited, or used as collateral to create economic opportunities.
Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant, speaking during Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, said the certificates represent far more than a change in ownership status.
“The certificates provide recipients with legal freehold ownership and allow the land to be transferred, inherited or used as an economic asset,” Merchant said.
He added that the first approvals will also lay the foundation for the establishment of the Barbuda Land Registry, creating a modern system of land administration that offers greater transparency, certainty and security of tenure.
Under the programme, eligible Barbudans can obtain up to one acre of land for the nominal sum of EC$1. Individuals occupying parcels larger than one acre will have the additional land professionally surveyed and independently valued as part of the process to regularise ownership.
Cabinet said the initiative is intended to promote homeownership, encourage investment, support business development and enable Barbudans to build generational wealth while maintaining their connection to the island.
Merchant also addressed questions about whether any further legal proceedings could delay implementation of the programme.
He said the issue of land ownership had already been conclusively determined following decisions by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and the completion of the land adjudication process.
“There is no further case that can be brought in relation to land ownership in Barbuda,” Merchant stated.
The Government’s land ownership reforms stem from amendments to the Barbuda Land Act passed in 2017 following the devastation of Hurricane Irma. Those amendments introduced provisions for individual freehold ownership while preserving access to communal lands.
Although the reforms faced legal challenges from the Barbuda Council and other claimants, those matters have since been resolved through the courts, clearing the way for the implementation of the programme.
Cabinet said additional parcels across Barbuda are already being identified and prepared for survey, with more freehold certificates expected to be issued in the coming weeks and months as the programme expands.
