(RealNews)The Barbuda Council will be hosting a very important village meeting this afternoon, November 14, at 4 p.m., to address matters pertaining to the issuance of land certificates, and Barbudans are urged to attend.
Former Senator Linton Thomas says this meeting is important to all Barbudans, whether they are home-owners or not, and the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions. He declares that Barbuda belongs to the people and any plans being considered should be discussed with them first.
Meanwhile, Attorney-General Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin is warning the Council against going ahead with its plans to issue Certificates of Allotment, claiming the body has no legal authority to take such an action.
Benjamin brands this move as “wholly unlawful and unconstitutional,” and says it would make the certificates void.
In a November 4 public notice, the Council’s Land Department indicated that the certificate is a “Collective Title,” conferring the ownership of lands on the sister-island, as it seeks to upgrade the land registration and distribution process.
However, Benjamin says that any allotment of land on Barbuda has to be done through the sanction and approval of the Cabinet, since Antigua and Barbuda is a unitary state.
Despite the Attorney-General’s pronouncement, the Council’s land officers have been going through the small community to obtain the required information from persons occupying land. This is to expedite the registration process in order to distribute the Certificates of Allotment.
Registration is also possible through the lands office with the relevant documentation.
