By Robert Andre Emmanuel
The government will not relent on its mission to bring housing development to the people of Barbuda, according to Attorney General Sir Steadroy Benjamin.
The focus on Barbuda came following an escalating stand-off between the Central Government and the Barbuda Council over the Louis Hill development project—an issue which has its origins stemming from how both the Barbuda Council and the Gaston Browne-led government view land ownership and rights in Barbuda.
The deployment of riot squad officers to Katel Hill, Barbuda on Saturday marked an escalation in the ongoing land dispute between the Central Government and Barbuda Council, as some Barbudans gathered to protest what they described as a “hostile takeover” of their ancestral lands.
Led by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Barbuda, Trevor Walker, the protestors made their voices heard, as the police watched on, silently and unmoving in their duties to protect the development.
“We are here in solidarity for this land. Nobody’s going to come and take it away from us,” exclaimed MP Walker. “Let me send a message to the government that we will stand here for as long as it takes to make sure we don’t disenfranchise our people.”
“This is what we’re fighting for – the future, you understand? Even our youngsters understand right, because they’re born that way, to understand that we as Barbudans have a connection to the land,” said another protesting Barbudan.
The stand-off began on Wednesday after the government received reports during the weekly Cabinet meeting that two government-owned trucks were being used to block the entrance to the Louis Hill development site. The ministers alleged that this was orchestrated by members of the Barbuda Council and a flurry of pronouncements — from the government and the Council over the development — ensued on Thursday.
Speaking with Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Pointe FM over the weekend, Attorney General Sir Steadroy Benjamin remained unequivocal about the government’s stance, declaring that “the entire Cabinet is completely behind the Prime Minister”, and emphasized that “the laws of the land must be complied with”.
He particularly criticized the use of “government trucks to block the roads” by protesters, describing it as inappropriate action that prompted police presence “to preserve the peace and maintain law and order”.
“We have bent over backwards,” Sir Steadroy said. “At every stage of the game, we informed the Council of what we are going to do. We wrote to them, we told them what the procedure was, we went over there, placed notices.”
A letter sent from Solicitor General Martin Camacho to Barbuda Council Chair Devon Warner on January 24 reinforced this position, warning that “any further resistance or action that may be taken to frustrate this development will not be tolerated.”
Parliamentary Secretary for Barbuda Affairs Senator Knacyntar Nedd noted on her Facebook page that the Louis Hill Development Project was first conceived in 2007 under a BPM-led Council.


“The development plans were later elevated and modernized by the now ABLP Government to include more residential homes, a primary school and a cultural centre,” she wrote, questioning the timing of the Council’s opposition.
Notably, both Nedd and Council Chair Warner took part in a January 23 Steve Morgan Foundation Fund Committee meeting, which allocated US $1 million for hurricane-resilient homes in the Louis Hill area – just days before the confrontation.
“We convened a very fruitful meeting on Thursday 23rd January 2025,” Nedd pointed out, “and you said absolutely nothing in that meeting about not supporting this project in the Louis Hill area.”
The meeting, which included Permanent Secretary of Barbuda Affairs, Ambassador Clarence Pilgrim and representatives from the Ministry of Finance and the Central Housing and Planning Authority, focused on vetting a needs assessment list for post-Hurricane Irma recovery and exploring collaborative approaches between CHAPA, National Housing, and Roberts’ Construction.
The construction company had been awarded the contract for the Barbuda Housing Recovery Project in 2019.
The committee emphasized the significance of constructing homes that are resilient to hurricanes, noting Barbuda’s increased vulnerability compared to Antigua. They also discussed a proposed consultation with Barbudans about their preferences between condominium-style homes versus single-family homes.
The development of the Louis Hill project has been otherwise documented, including an August 2020 report of the Economic Recovery Committee.
According to its technical report, various representatives from key sectors including tourism, banking, the Employers’ Federation, trade unions, and religious bodies took part in the initial planning stages.
The document noted Louis Hill was selected for its 15-foot elevation above sea level, resistance to flooding, proximity to existing communities and easy access to existing utility services.
The Barbuda Council, however, maintained its position under Section 3(3) of the Barbuda Local Government Act.
“We don’t want your freaking jobs, take that back to wherever you come from … this is our land,” one protestor declared during the standoff.
Council officials argued the development could fundamentally alter Barbuda’s character, potentially creating an exclusive luxury real estate market.
“We have paid [and] looked after this soil … we have died on this soil, our children are born on this soil, we are not giving up this land,” protesters insisted.
Meanwhile, the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) has called for de-escalation of the standoff. Political Leader Jamale Pringle reasoned that “instead of a show of force, what is needed at this time is dialogue with the Barbudans and sensitivity to their feelings and their lifestyle”.
“”What is happening on the sister island with the riot squad in a standoff against the people of Barbuda is an example of how not to govern,” Pringle stated.
He also criticized the prime minister’s lack of consultation and respect for the Barbuda Council while questioning the transparency of the housing development scheme.
However, Browne has rejected those allegations of lack of transparency and consultation, noting during the radio interview that the government has briefed the Council on its approach months ago.
The Prime Minister, pointing to September 2024 when some members of the Council met with Cabinet to discuss a Joint Consultative Committee, noted that government told the councillors about their plans.
“They came to Cabinet, you know, to start the consultations and the consultation started—not necessarily within the ambit of the Joint Consultative Committee, but it started, and we explained to them what our intentions were … we told them about the housing.
“So you’re telling me, by us sitting down in a room and the government explaining their full programme … also documenting our budget statement as a formal government document, and you have a heart to go and tell the Barbudan people, we didn’t consult?” the prime minister queried.
The PM further stated that the Council “picked up the phone, called me, wrote to us and said look, we want to cooperate. This relationship is too acrimonious.” He maintained that these consultations were documented in official Cabinet records.
Neither the Council nor the government has made any suggestions that the consultative committee moved beyond those first talks since both sides were subsequently unable to agree on a timeline for the committee to hold its first meeting.