CoI related scrutiny delaying Anegada land distribution- Hon Fraser
At least this is according to Deputy Premier and Minister for the Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, Honourable Julian Fraser RA (R3), who was at the time responding to a public query on the allocation of Crown Lands by a member of the public during the April 15, 2025 broadcast of Virgin Islands Voice.
NO Laughing Matter!
He did caution, however, that ongoing scrutiny following the Commission of Inquiry (COI) has made the process more complex and sensitive.
Moderating the session, Acting Communications Director, Ms Karia J. Christopher—who relayed the enquiry—related, “...the land is not going anywhere, but generations of Anegadan Guardians are passing on. It is time to get the lands into the hands of the people” before inviting Hon Fraser to address concerns directly.
To this end, Hon Fraser said he fully understood the frustration. “Absolutely. I couldn't agree with them more but you could only do, within a certain period of time, what that time allows you to do,” he said, assuring residents that the administration is working “as diligently as possible” to resolve the matter.
“I don’t want the folks in Anegada to believe that this matter is a laughing matter. It’s by far everything else but a laughing matter.”
Heavy Scrutiny
Qualifying his position further, Hon Fraser recounted examples of residents approaching him over two decades ago with complete documentation in hopes of developing land—efforts that still yielded no results due to administrative bottlenecks.
“I've had folks who had come to me in 2000 and asked for land. Briefcase in hand, documents showing that they're going to make developments and if you go to that particular piece of land, they are just marooned.”
Despite these setbacks, Hon Fraser said there was a new paradigm shift with the introduction of new legislation and reforms triggered by the Commission of Inquiry.
“We just got this new piece of legislation; We had a CoI, a Commission of Inquiry, a few years ago and Crown Lands came in for heavy scrutiny.”
Reason to Take Us Down
He, as such, warned that the government must now exercise extreme caution when distributing land, due to the CoI’s findings and the possibility of allegations of nepotism or corruption. “If I issue a piece of land tomorrow to someone—not me, but Cabinet—they're going to look to see what relationship you had to that person. Was it your girlfriend? Was it your husband? Or something like that. We have to be particular and we have to be very careful.”
He also alluded to wider political challenges stemming from the CoI recommendations, stating bluntly, “...everyone is looking for every reason to take us down. They want to take immigration from him (Premier and Minister for Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley), want to take Customs from him. They want to take the prisons from him. Not that we really want prisons—it’s just an example of what they're saying and what they're doing.”
Matter of Time
On the subject of ancestral land rights, Hon Fraser conceded efforts of local committees in Anegada, tasked with ensuring fairness. “Those guys I know, and whoever females involved, they tried and they worked hard to make sure that they were distributing the land based on ancestral rights. They worked hard. Everybody knows that,” he said.
Despite their efforts, Hon Fraser said that these committees were overwhelmed. “They had a lot of applications that came in to them, which they had not been able to process… they just can't go and say, 250 names on a list, 250 parcels of land has been distributed.”
According to the Third District Representative, “I know that it is true that some people who have made applications have passed on and you might be concerned that it doesn't happen to you. I am concerned as well. I think the Premier is concerned and I think I know he's concerned. Your district representative is concerned; So it's just a matter of time.”
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13 Responses to “CoI related scrutiny delaying Anegada land distribution- Hon Fraser”
The rule of law is paramount to any functioning society. Perhaps that is why ours is functioning so poorly.
I humbly ask that you don't craft any narratives to exclude the discriminatory actions of both the Ministry and Attorney General Chambers against Anegadians! That's the reason Anegadians don't have their land!
I ask you please and thank you.
I speak these words with humility and truth King. Love alone
P.s. On behalf of Anegadians near and far, we would like you to know that we have never stood in line for a fish yet!
For instance, the acquisition of land by individuals who were adopted into the community, such as someone of Jamaican descent, before native-born Anegadians, is particularly troubling. This scenario suggests potential discrepancies in the application of policies governing land allocation.
Given these concerns, I believe that a thorough investigation is warranted to ensure that land distribution aligns with established guidelines and honors the rights of indigenous Anegadians. The Commission of Inquiry (COI) plays a crucial role in examining such matters and promoting equitable governance.
I appreciate your attention to this issue and trust that appropriate measures will be taken to address these concerns.