Land ownership issues at Richmond dominated a constituency consultation in North Leeward in which constituents called for representational justice.
A constituent stated that the inability of locals to own the land they farm is a continuation of historical wrongs. He explicitly used the term “reparational“, stating that the lands should belong to the people as compensation for the atrocities of the “middle passage in slavery”. He contended that the land was taken from them and given to foreigners, and that the current system where locals work the land without title deeds is akin to “walking like slaves”.
The core demand for rectifying this injustice was the issuance of legal title deeds (“papers”) rather than just leases.
One farmer noted the previous administration (under Mr. Mitchell) allowed them to lease land and argued that the lease system should be “quashed” in favor of an opportunity to purchase the lands.
The constituents emphasized that without ownership (“papers”), they cannot secure their children’s future or defend their rights against the government or wealthy buyers. One elderly speaker, approaching 70, lamented working for 44 years “without no paper” and declared, “Time enough… We want paper”,.
Jill Edwards added another layer to this systemic injustice, citing the 1773 treaty which she claimed establishes the indigenous people’s right to the land at Richmond. She argued that the land does not belong to the government and described the establishment of a quarry on 100 acres of prime farmland as an “abomination” and an “absolute travesty” that ignores these historical rights.
MP for North Leeward Kishore Shallow acknowledged the neglect of Richmond and promised a “comprehensive assessment” of the area.
He stated that the Ministries of Agriculture, Tourism, and Housing/Land Management would work together to determine how to optimize Richmond for the benefit of the North Leeward people and agreed that the quarry was established in a “shortsighted” manner in an area with tourism potential and promised to address the issue, including engaging with the operator, Mr. Rayneau.
