Concerns Raised Over Anegada Land Allocations
Former Anegada Land Development Advisory Committee Chairman Darrell Ruan Jr revealed that non-Anegadians, including former government figures, acquired land on the island while ancestral residents struggled for titles. He explained that corporate entities were historically used to conceal ownership identities. Ruan emphasized the urgent need for robust safeguards to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Land ownership on Anegada remains one of the Virgin Islands' most deeply contentious and enduring issues. While generations of native Anegadians have faced decades of bureaucratic hurdles trying to secure legal titles to their ancestral lands, non-Anegadians have historically managed to acquire property and leases on the island.
Darrell Ruan Jr, the former Chairman of the Anegada Land Development Advisory Committee, shed light on the issue during a recent appearance on the Honestly Speaking radio programme with host Claude Skelton Cline. When asked directly whether individuals in government who are non-Anegadians had received land through official processes, Ruan confirmed that this had indeed happened in the past.
Ruan explained that for decades, local residents have questioned how individuals without ancestral ties to the island were able to secure land, leases, and even expired leases. He noted that some recipients had served in government and pointed out that corporate entities within the financial services sector were utilized to obscure the real identities of the property owners, making independent tracking difficult.
While discussing these transactions, Ruan clarified that the patterns he referred to predated the current elected leadership. He stated that he could not confirm whether the practice continues today, but stressed that the focus should be on systemic reform rather than retribution over past actions.
The formal land allocation process involves multiple tiers of administrative review, typically passing through the relevant ministry, the Permanent Secretary, and the Attorney General’s Chambers before reaching Cabinet and ultimately the Governor for final execution. Ruan called for permanent safeguards within these mechanisms to ensure total transparency and protect the rights of Anegadians awaiting resolution on their ancestral claims.
Primary source: BVI News