By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE government will debate and pass the Land Adjudication Bill And Registered Land Bill after the 2025/2026 Budget exercise, according to Attorney General Ryan Pinder, who said implementation of the country’s long-awaited land reform will begin as soon as the bills are enacted.

“Right after we finish with the budget we will debate and pass these bills and begin our implementation of the land registry and conduct active land adjudication panels processing title to be registered on the newly established land registry,” Mr Pinder said during his budget contribution.

He explained that once a property is registered under the new system, its title will be considered good and marketable, eliminating the need for lengthy and costly title verification.

“A properly constituted land registry will be a fundamental change to the approach, cost and ease of doing business when it comes to property transactions,” said Mr Pinder. “This is a revolutionary change that will be felt by all bahamians, and lift the country – as they say, all boats float in a rising tide.”

The two bills will form the legal foundation for a shift from the current deeds-based land system to a title-based registry. An independent land registrar will oversee the new system, supported by adjudication panels and a land tribunal to resolve disputes and formally register titles.

The consultation process on the draft bills has been ongoing, with widespread calls for reform from legal professionals, landowners, and business stakeholders who say the existing land system is outdated and unreliable.

In May, Prime Minister Philip "Brave" Davis said the country’s land system has long failed its citizens. Speaking at a parliamentary land reform consultation, he said unresolved ownership disputes, limited access to credit, and generational land transfer barriers have persisted for decades.

“These reforms unlock real potential,” Mr Davis said. “Families can pass land on to their children with confidence. Businesses can expand. Developers can build. And ordinary Bahamians will finally have access to credit using land they rightfully own.”

Mr Davis noted that the problems have been acknowledged since the 1960s but little action had been taken. He said each land parcel will receive a unique identification number under the new system, and legal certificates will serve as definitive proof of ownership. Field teams will visit communities to assess claims, and an independent land tribunal will resolve any disputes.

The Land Adjudication Bill proposes the appointment of an adjudicator with at least seven years’ experience in conveyancing, along with two others to serve on the tribunal. The Registered Land Bill would establish a centralised land registry, replacing the current system operated by the registrar general’s department.

While the government has not yet confirmed how adjudication zones will be selected or how long the full rollout will take, Mr Pinder said the legislative process will move forward immediately after the budget concludes.