By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis emphasised yesterday that The Bahamas’ land system has long failed its citizens, citing unresolved ownership disputes, barriers to generational land transfer, and limited access to credit as persistent challenges administrations have yet to resolve.

Speaking at a Parliamentary Land Reform Consultation held at Breezes Resort, Mr Davis said the problems are not new and have been formally recognised since the country’s first White Paper on land reform in the 1960s. He described the situation as “unacceptable”, noting that little progress has been made despite decades of discussion.

The government is proposing two pieces of legislation — the Land Adjudication Bill, 2025 and the Registered Land Bill, 2025 — which it says are intended to address long-standing flaws in land administration by creating a system that offers clarity and legal certainty to landowners.

The bills would transition the country from a deeds-based system to a title-based registry. Mr Davis said every land parcel would receive a unique identification number and owners would be issued certificates that serve as definitive proof of ownership.

The adjudication process, as described, would involve field teams visiting communities to assess claims. An independent Land Tribunal would resolve disputed ownership. Once settled, titles would be formally registered under the new system.

“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.”

He added: “Colleagues, the status quo is indefensible. These reforms are a necessary step toward fairness and national development. And while we cannot undo the decades of inaction, we can — and must — act now with purpose and unity.”

While the consultation was closed to media after the Prime Minister’s remarks, the agenda included presentations from Sharlyn Smith, co-chair of the Land Reform Committee; Law Reform Commissioner Dame Anita Allen; and consultant Lanysha Cox.

The Land Adjudication Bill proposes the appointment of an adjudicator — an attorney with a minimum of seven years’ experience in conveyancing — and two others to serve on a tribunal. The tribunal would be responsible for assessing land claims in designated areas.

The Registered Land Bill, if enacted, would establish a centralised registry intended to replace the existing system of recording deeds at the Registrar General’s Department. The government has said this is intended to reduce fraud, eliminate overlapping claims, and streamline property transactions.

Critics of the current system, including landowners and legal professionals, have for years cited the lack of definitive proof of title as a major barrier to development and financial security. In the past, legal challenges and overlapping claims have contributed to costly and prolonged disputes over land, particularly in generational communities.

The government has not indicated how long implementation of the new system might take if the bills are passed or how adjudication areas will be selected. The bills are currently before Parliament and await debate.