Efforts to set up a national Land Registry for Antigua and Barbuda are being frustrated by an unwillingness of many Barbudans to come forward and have their lands registered.
Addressing the issue in parliament on Wednesday, Technology Minister Melford Nicholas, revealed that his ministry had placed much efforts into digitizing the land registry of both Antigua and Barbuda in order to have a single land registry of the country.
However, he told parliament that a request to the people of Barbuda to come forward and have their individual plots registered has been met with much resistance and a lack of participation from residents of the island.
According to the minister rather than cooperate with the appeal, the Barbuda Council has sought court action to block the process. Minister Nicholas addressed the Barbuda representative, Trevor Walker, across the aisle, asking him to use his influence on the island to bring an end to their non-cooperative posture.
“I’m tired of it!” he exclaimed.
He noted that Antigua and Barbuda is among a hand-full of nations in the western hemisphere with a comprehensive land registry that is fully digitized. He revealed that the land mass of Antigua has been fully digitized at the land registry and it is now time to bring Barbuda in line with what is happening in Antigua.
This, he noted forms part of the government’s policy to have Barbudans owning title to their lands so that they can use these titles to secure loans for mortgages etc.
“I am disappointed that even now I am hearing about adjudication process that continues to stymie progress on this matter. So I am appealing to you Mr. Walker, because it’s disheartening to me, who have put in more than two years of work with my team, to ensure that Barbuda can get t the next level, that their efforts are being frustrated. So I appeal to you, that whatever leadership or influence you have in Barbuda, to ask them to allow for the process to be completed,” he urged.
