Residents want greater urgency on Anegada land issues

Residents of Anegada used a constitutional reform consultation meeting to press government officials for faster action on long-standing land issues, arguing that generations of families have waited too long for resolutions relating to land ownership and distribution.

The concerns emerged during a public meeting in Anegada where Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley, Deputy Premier Julian Fraser and other members of the constitutional negotiating team discussed proposals for constitutional advancement and governance reform.

While much of the meeting focused on constitutional changes and proposals for greater local governance, several residents raised concerns about unresolved land matters and the pace of progress in addressing them.

One resident said residents needed to see “a little more urgency” in dealing with land issues and noted that Anegadians had advocated for changes for years without seeing sufficient movement. The resident pointed to repeated requests for a Boundaries Commission and concerns about ancestral lands.

The resident also highlighted the length of time some families have waited for land matters to be settled.

“I have watched my grandmother dead. I watched my grandmother’s sister dead. These are the heirs to the Proctor Estate. From 1991, we have correspondence that we have sent to the ministry trying to settle this estate. To this day, it ain’t settle,” the resident stated.

Premier Wheatley acknowledged the frustration and said the delays weighed heavily on him.

“That is something that plays on my mind. It plays on my conscience,” Dr Wheatley stated. “I have to empathise with the people of Anegada that persons have been waiting for this to take place, and it hasn’t happened in some persons’ lifetime.”

The Premier also linked the issue to concerns about access to basic services.

“I have been very concerned about the fact that we have persons in Anegada who cannot get access to deeds. If they can’t get access to deeds, they can’t get electricity to their homes, they can’t get water, and these are basic rights that people should have,” Premier Wheatley stated.

He said his government intended to ensure residents received deeds that would allow them to access utilities, secure financing and develop their properties. He also pointed to the recently established Crown Lands Management Board, noting that the distribution of land in Anegada was the first matter placed on its agenda.

Ninth District Representative Vincent Wheatley argued that Anegada required a different approach from other districts because of its unique circumstances. He noted that the island maintains its own airport, seaport, clinic, school, fire station and power grid despite its small population.

Another resident warned that the community needed tangible results rather than repeated discussions.

“It can no longer be about come, tell us something, pacify us, leave us go, and nothing happens. And the process starts over,” the resident stated. “I think it is time that we see some serious intention to move things forward in this community.”

Officials indicated that discussions on land distribution and ancestral land claims would continue through the Crown Lands Management Board as the government pursues other constitutional reforms.