By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Attorney General Ryan Pinder said the Land Adjudication Bill and Land Registration Bill should be tabled in Parliament this fall with the new land registry to be established in 2025.

Mr Pinder said the “long-anticipated” land reforms are currently under consultation and a website has been launched to garner feedback.

Speaking in the Senate yesterday, he said the legislation will establish the framework for registered land and create a land registry run by a standalone land registrar.

He said: “The public consultation and the agreements and all the background information on land reform and land registration can be found at Bahamas land reform.gov.bs.

“We have a consultation website similar to what we did for IP, similar to what we did for cannabis, we now have one for land reform. We look to pass this legislation in the fall and by the beginning of 2025, we look to have active land adjudication panels processing title to be registered on a newly established land registry.

“So, our goal is to start that process in 2025. That’s four registries with four distinct areas under their supervision, creating expertise and the efficiencies to deliver the service.”

Mr Pinder said the compendium of bills will also include a Land of Property bill and a Planning and Subdivision bill which should increase the efficiency of land transactions and reduce the associated costs.

He said: “In the second phase of land reform, we will include a new Law of Property bill, and a new Planning and Subdivision bill to further advance the ease of land transactions in the Bahamas. This is fundamental to bringing the cost of land transactions down, increasing the efficiencies and time for completion of a transaction and bringing clarity to disputed title in The Bahamas.

“We serve the Bahamian people and we will do what is necessary to fix the problems of yesteryear and deliver the service and reliability that’s important.”

He said the land adjudication panel comprised of private sector experts will resolve tittle issues and once a property is placed on the registry it will have a “guaranteed good title”

He said: “Imagine an adjudication panel that finally solves and adjudicate all the clouded title that exists in The Bahamas and puts it on a register because remember when it goes on that land register it is deemed good title. It’s already been adjudicated and determined to be good title. And once it goes on that land registry, no more 30-year roots title, studies and opinions and oh, somebody forgot to probate this and then the cloud in the gaps. All that will be gone. Gone, guaranteed good title if it makes it on the land registry.

“And that’s why we formulate these adjudication panels of private sector experts, not government experts, private sector lawyers, and surveyors. We get all the technical components in on that adjudication panel, and title by title property by property, they adjudicate the title.”

He explained while it will be easy to determine the title on new developments and properties in New Providence and Freeport, the Family Islands will be more challenging.

He said: “Now some title is going to be easy, especially new developments. New developments will be easy in the last 12 years, since the planning and subdivision bill. Established communities will be easy. Nassau generally for the most part, except for certain parts will be able to be done. Freeport should be able to be done like that.

“The Family Islands will have a little bit more challenges. We understand the title issues and the property issues in the Family Islands. But we will solve this problem and frankly, the adjudication panels will be running concurrently with the current system for a couple of years at least to be able to meet to build and develop the registry.”