John Musstington, a marine biologist and local secondary school principal on Barbuda, helped the lagoon get that recognition. The 2005 designation was vital to protect the wetlands, a delicate ecosystem home to large nesting sites and endangered marine flora and fauna.
In 2007, the Barbuda land act was passed codifying Barbuda’s unique communal land ownership system, requiring major development projects to obtain council-approved land leases.
In February 2017, a company called peace love and happiness signed a lease for land on palmetto point to build a luxury beach and golf community. The idea is to rejuvenate the land previously dug up by the sand mining while creating a sustainable space to sell hundreds of luxury homes.
The Ramsar site in Barbuda is being redeveloped to provide homes to the ultra wealthy. However, many Barbudans are concerned about what this development will mean for the historic dunes at the site, which create a buffer protecting the island’s one town during major storms. Seven months after the lease was signed, a major storm hit the island, resulting in a two-year-old being killed and over 90 percent of the buildings being destroyed or severely damaged. In response, the developer submitted their master plan documents to Antigua and Barbuda’s government, which received conditional approval from the nation’s development control authority and department of environment.
This has blindsided many barbudans, who are the owners of the resource and have gone through the proper steps for approval. The Barbuda council approved a project in November 2016, but 86 people voted to approve it and two voted against it. After the hurricane, Antigua’s central government amended the 2007 land act to allow barbudans to claim individual ownership over their land, leading to the acceleration of development at palmetto peninsula and weakening of Barbuda’s unique land laws, prompting dual concerns.
Barbuda pushed back, claiming insufficient details were provided, and the vote certification wasn’t signed by the correct council member.
This dispute could both impact Barbuda’s defense to storms and undermine global efforts to protect vulnerable environments.
The island of Barbuda is one half of the two island nation of Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean, and is facing a dispute between the central government and local communities over the development of luxury resorts and a proposed private residence.
Residents want to protect Codrington lagoon national park, a wetland protected by an international treaty, and the entire area of the lagoon was classified as a Ramsar protected wetland in 2005.
The Ramsar convention on wetlands is an international treaty signed by 172 countries to conserve key ecosystems in combating climate change.
Showcasing stories of Caribbean organizations at the foreground of the struggle against disaster capitalism in the Caribbean. Our network of participants in the Greater Caribbean region connect, learn, share their hands on responses to the impacts of the twin threats of the climate crisis and disaster capitalism in our region.
Bernard Lodge Farmers Group
WAVE (Progressive Reform Movement)
Tèt Kole
Global Challenges Research Fund
Open Society Foundations
All Rights Reserved – strongercaribbeantogether.org 2022
All Rights Reserved – strongercaribbeantogether.org 2022
In the tumultuous aftermath of disasters, it is easy to feel isolated and alone, but you are not.
We, a network of Caribbean-wide community organizers who stand in solidarity with those affected the twin threats of the climate crises and disaster capitalism, a phenomenon that exacerbates the suffering of vulnerable communities.
We want you to know that your stories matter. We are here to listen, to support, and to amplify your voices.
We believe that together, we can challenge the forces of disaster capitalism and advocate for more sustainable, inclusive and equitable decision-making.
Join us in solidarity. Share your experiences and let’s build strong communities that thrive together.
As the wider world braces for the climate change, Caribbean communities are already struggling with its effects. Small local communities, small scale farmers and coastal communities are disproportionately affected. Political decisions, power dynamics and laws often compound the catastrophes and silence bottom up solutions.
There are ways in which you can help.