A group known as The Faithful Nationals is set to stage a protest against the government’s recent policy regarding the use of lands at Dunbars Agricultural Station.
The group is aiming to pressure the Ministry of Agriculture to reverse its decision to allocate lands for private and commercial use, as well as to relocate Dunbars.
This will be the second protest in days, indicating the strong opposition to the government’s move to establish a housing project on the site .
However, despite the pushback, Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced that his administration is moving ahead with the project.
On Saturday, he shared further details about the development, stating that 20 acres of land will be cleared initially for this purpose.
Moreover, he revealed that many residents have already expressed interest in securing a spot within the new development, and a local bank will establish its headquarters at Dunbars, together with the housing and commercial areas.
“We are looking at just about 20 acres of land. Twenty acres cannot undermine our food security. All the commercial lots have gone already. A local bank is putting their headquarters there. There are several other Antiguans…The land is not even properly demarcated, and if you see the rush for the land there,” Browne said.
The government’s latest policy has sparked pushback from residents, workers, and members of the opposition.
The Dunbars site has five different soil types, making it an ideal location for testing the resilience of crops against diseases and climate change.
However, Browne said the land has not been farmed significantly for over 50 years, a point he emphasised in support of the decision to relocate.
Despite this explanation, some critics argue that the government’s decision to clear the land for housing development goes against a Memorandum of Understanding signed in March 2022 with the founder of the #SaveSoil international campaign, which promotes government policies for soil revitalization.
The United Progressive Party (UPP) has also expressed its disapproval of the land-clearing decision.
UPP Leader, Jamale Pringle criticised the government’s choice to use arable land for housing instead of promoting agricultural growth, citing the need for diversification.
Pringle suggested exploring hillside areas for housing development and preserving flat and arable land for agriculture.
In response, the government maintained that the area was ideal for housing due to its proximity to St John’s, which has seen businesses move out of the city to locations such as Friars Hill Road.
Additionally, Chief of Staff Lionel Max Hurst proposed relocating the agricultural station to Christian Valley or exploring unused lands at Diamonds Estate and surrounding areas for agricultural experimentation.