The long-awaited decision from the country’s final appellate court on the processes followed for the construction of Barbuda’s controversial international airport is due within days.
The Privy Council in London will hand down its decision on Tuesday.
Residents will be able to watch the proceedings live at 7am local time, via the court’s website jcpc.uk
A debriefing session will take place later on at 2pm local time via Zoom with non-profit legal group GLAN. Barbudans across the world are invited to take part and pose questions on the judgement, its implications and any future steps.
Campaigners say, whatever the decision is, they plan to celebrate the resilience of applicants John Mussington and Jackie Frank, along with the support from GLAN and Garden Court Chambers whose attorneys represented Mussington and Frank.
They also say they hope to inspire other communities to challenge unwanted and potentially ecologically destructive developments.
The case was brought to court amid fears that the airport’s construction destroyed critical habitat for wildlife including the red-footed tortoise and Barbuda fallow deer while riding roughshod over Barbudans’ unique culture.
Many remain bitterly opposed to the sale of land to foreign developers after a legal change abolished a centuries-old system of communal land ownership.
Questions about the integrity of the process through which approval was granted to build the airport dominated much of November’s hearing.
The Privy Council is being asked whether Frank and Mussington have legal standing to challenge decisions by the government. But the case’s implications go far deeper, striking at the heart of many residents’ fears that their way of life, history and human rights are being eradicated along with their environment.
For its part, government maintains the airport is critical to the sister isle’s economy and development, making it easier for wealthy visitors to travel there. It previously said it was confident the Barbudan applicants’ case would not hinder its plans.
On Thursday, the prime minister told Parliament that the opening of the airport – which will be able to accommodate jets – is just weeks away.
Gaston Browne said there were some final approvals still required from the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority.