Barbados’ government is gearing up to modernize its land transaction procedures to facilitate easier property purchases and enhance the country’s competitiveness, Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced. Speaking at a colloquium hosted by the Ministry of Housing, Lands, and Maintenance at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Mottley criticized the current system as outdated and obstructive to economic growth, emphasizing the need for urgent reform.
The proposed transformation, centered on digitization, aims to significantly improve efficiency and attract increased foreign investment. Mottley underscored the importance of Barbados adapting to the digital era, warning that failure to do so could leave the country behind.
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“In moving from an analogue to a digital environment, Barbados must enhance its attractiveness and competitiveness,” Mottley stated. “A system devised in the 19th century cannot propel Barbados into the 21st century.”
Highlighting the comparative ease of land transactions in neighboring Caribbean nations, Mottley lamented the prolonged delays in Barbados, which deter potential investors and individuals alike. She cited instances where bureaucratic hurdles, such as delays in obtaining certificates of compliance, caused deals to falter.
“We must simplify the process and make land ownership accessible to all Barbadians,” Mottley insisted, emphasizing the need for efficiency and affordability in property transactions. She stressed that enhancing the real estate sector would also enable the government to bolster public sector wages.
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Echoing Mottley’s concerns, Minister of Housing Dwight Sutherland criticized Barbados’ current land transaction process as burdened by inefficiencies and outdated practices compared to faster processes in other countries.
“The transformation of our land transaction process is crucial to stimulating economic growth,” Sutherland affirmed, highlighting the potential to attract both local and foreign investors and increase tax revenue through a streamlined system.
Former president of the Barbados Bar Association, Rosalind Smith-Millar, outlined various challenges facing the current land transaction system, including delays in processing titles and inconsistencies in official searches. She advocated urgently for the digitization of land registry services to modernize the process and improve accessibility.
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