Families Die Waiting For Anegada Lands To Be Settled

Longstanding land matters in Anegada took centre stage during a public consultation on constitutional reform on June 7, with one resident lamenting that generations of families have died while waiting for their land matters to be resolved.

The emotional plea came as residents raised concerns about delays in settling ancestral land claims and estate matters, some of which stretch back decades. The discussion prompted a response from Premier and Minister of Finance Dr Natalio Wheatley, who acknowledged the human toll of the delays and pledged to push for progress through the Crown Lands Advisory Board.

Addressing government officials at the meeting, one resident said the consequences of inaction have been devastating for some families.

“The price we pay for inactivity is death,” the resident said.

The resident referenced his personal experience with his family's efforts to settle the 'Proctor Estate'for more than three decades despite repeated correspondence with government authorities.

“I watched my grandmother dead, I watched my grandmother's sister dead,” the resident stated. “From 1991, we have correspondents that we have sent to the Ministry trying to settle this estate. To this day it has not been settled.”

The resident added that the issue has now affected another generation of the family.

“I sit back, I watch my father dead,” he said, describing the frustration of waiting years for a resolution.

Responding to the concerns, Wheatley said the issue weighs heavily on him and acknowledged that some residents have spent much of their lives waiting for answers.

“In terms of persons passing away before these things are settled, that's something that plays on my mind. It plays on my conscience,” Wheatley said.

“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 said he could not dismiss the experiences shared by residents, noting that many families across Anegada have been affected.

“That is something that's quite significant,” he said. “It's something that I don't take lightly at all.”

Wheatley also revealed that addressing land distribution on Anegada is the first priority for the Crown Lands Advisory Board under the chairmanship of Dirk Walters. Walters was appointed last month following approval from the House of Assembly and following months of delay.

“The first matter on the Crown Lands Management Board's agenda is the distribution of land to the people of Anegada,” Wheatley said.

He credited Deputy Premier Julian Fraser for helping to advance the matter despite setbacks.

“The Deputy Premier worked very hard to ensure that that happened. And of course, it was some delays, regrettable delays, but in the end, we pushed and we fought through to make sure that it happened.”

The Premier said he wished progress had come sooner but maintained that the government remains committed to resolving the issue.

“I would have liked for things to happen more quickly and more urgently,” he said. “My intention, my conviction is to, while I have the authority, see that it happens and to see that it happens within everybody's lifetime.”

Ancestral land claims

More unresolved ancestral land claims surfaced, with a resident raising concerns about claims dating back to the 1880s.

Wheatley said he would need to examine the matter more closely but noted that the Crown Lands Management Act contains provisions dealing with ancestral lands.

“I believe the Crown Lands Management Act does speak to ancestral land,” he said.

The Premier suggested that such claims should be formally presented to the Crown Lands Advisory Board for consideration.

“If they haven't been settled, it would be the responsibility of the Crown Lands Management Board to settle them,” Wheatley stated.

At the same time, he cautioned against allowing older claims to delay the processing of current applications for residential and commercial lots.

“I wouldn't want us to delay that in examining these claims from, as you said, from 1885,” he said.

Wheatley added that once the claims are presented, he expects further discussions with the board and other stakeholders to determine the best path forward.