Background of the Dispute
On the small Caribbean island of Barbuda, a once popular community spot called Pink Sands Beach Bar was part of daily local life for more than twenty years. People gathered there after church, played dominoes, and enjoyed the beach in a relaxed setting.
The situation changed after Hurricane Irma hit in 2017. Nearly two thousand residents left Barbuda and moved temporarily to Antigua. The storm destroyed homes and businesses, including the beach bar owned by Miranda Beazer. She describes the damage as total loss and says recovery took a long time.
During the rebuilding phase, her husband passed away. Soon after, foreign developers began offering her large sums of money for her land. She refused these offers because she wanted to keep her coastal property.
Rising Pressure from Development
After the storm damage, demolition work removed what remained of the beach bar. Miranda believes this happened through actions linked to foreign development activity. Since then, she has been in a legal battle to regain access to most of her coastal land.
She currently holds a lease for about 30 acres but can only access around eight acres. A legal group supporting her argues that parts of the land are being used without proper permission by development companies involved in large resort projects.
The companies involved deny wrongdoing. One developer states it holds legal leases and has followed all required agreements. Another says it has not occupied land without approval and has respected all conditions since signing its lease in 2017.
How Land Ownership Works in Barbuda
Land rules in Barbuda differ from many other places. Instead of private ownership, land is held collectively. Citizens receive the right to use land through leases, but no one fully owns land in a private sense.
This system developed after the end of slavery in 1834 and was later recognized in law in 2007 through the Barbuda Land Act. It requires community consultation for major development decisions and gives residents shared control over land use.
Community Concerns and Ongoing Legal Battle
Local residents say they are losing access to important coastal areas. Miranda explains that only a small part of her original land remains open to the public. She believes these beaches hold strong cultural and emotional value for the community.
Campaigners argue that growing tourism projects are changing the character of Barbuda. They fear that exclusive resorts could limit local access to beaches that were traditionally shared by everyone.
Despite ongoing legal challenges, residents involved in the campaign say they will continue to fight for land access and protection of community spaces.
