Focus – Barbuda’s fight for land: Developers move forward despite community pushback

Barbuda has long remained isolated from mass tourism. Its 1,600 inhabitants have been able to protect their Caribbean island because land ownership does not exist there.

All land belongs to the community. But the island’s white sandy beaches and turquoise waters attract foreign investors, who would like to build hotels for wealthy tourists.

Since 2017, the government of Antigua and Barbuda has been trying to change the law to introduce private property, despite community pushback. Our team reports.