Ministry of Sustainable Development addressing land-related matters

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, 31st October, 2022 – The Government of St Kitts and Nevis is making a commitment to improve the land allocation process and also to expedite land allocation where possible.

Minister of Sustainable Development, Hon. Dr. Joyelle Clarke, says the Ministry has partnered with other relevant Ministries to complete a review of the land allocation and land revocation database so as to create a process of transparency and to broaden the approach to land assignments.

This comes as the Ministry has seen an increase in questions and concerns being raised by ordinary citizens about matters relating to land.

Hon. Dr. Clarke said that while she understands the uneasiness, however, patience must be exercised while the Ministry takes the time to analyze and restructure the programme properly, in order to eliminate the many discrepancies, the Ministry is currently facing.

She said, “A current major problem is land duplication, meaning, more than one person has been assigned to the same Lot. We also have many situations where lands were revoked without notification and in many of the cases persons have already paid in full for their lands.”

In the meantime, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Sherilita “Shez” Dore-Tyson said, far too often many applicants went months with applications not being processed for reasons not readily justifiable.

Dore-Tyson said the Ministry is in the process of doing due diligence and ensuring that the framework that was set up that allows for the processing of land applications and land assignments is functioning as it ought to and that no one will be unjustifiably denied.

She said, “I can confirm that no one will be disadvantaged in this process. However, while we acknowledge that this due diligence process has provided some delay for those waiting to complete or begin payment of land, we can ensure every citizen will maintain their right to the land assigned to them.”

The Ministry of Sustainable Development has used its various departments to undertake a complete review of the land allocation and revocation database.

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