Land reform will drive controversies in Barbuda

Subject

Land reform.

Significance

On January 2, the government of Antigua and Barbuda pushed through parliament a controversial land reform that ended Barbuda’s long-standing communal land system and established private land ownership. The government argued that the change was necessary to assist Barbuda’s recovery after Hurricane Irma, but there were broad issues of concern relating to the balance of power between the two islands, the means of enactment of the reforms and the government's priorities for the future economic development of both Barbuda and Antigua.

Impacts

• The land reform will face legal challenges that will likely prove successful.
• Efforts to strengthen the unitary nature of Antigua and Barbuda may backfire, although secession is currently unlikely.
• Development options are limited, and rising dependency on tourism will be a real risk.