Less mess!

As the padlocks were placed on the doors of the Liquidation Centre yesterday, Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley is adamant the process of compulsorily acquiring land must become “less messy”.

In an interview with The Barbados Advocate, the leader of the People’s Party for Development and Democracy insisted that successive governments have kept too many landowners waiting in some cases for years, for compensation after compulsorily acquiring various plots of land around the country.

“When we are acquiring people’s land compulsorily, we need to ensure that we compensate them fairly and as quickly as possible,” Atherley stated.

He therefore pointed out as no agreement appeared to have yet been reached on the sale price of the Lower Bay Street property, government must ensure the process going forward was a smooth one.

In March of this year, government compulsorily acquired the property, which is owned by businesswoman Ram Mirchandani, to make way for the development of a multi-storey Hyatt hotel.

“Let me be clear. I am not defending Mrs. (Mirchandani). I am talking about democratic rights and privilege and the application the law in a fair manner so that if you are going to compulsorily acquire, then compensate as quickly as you can, as fairly as is possible when considering the market and be clear as to the use of which the land is to be put,” he stated.

Atherley also said several questions remained unanswered on the government’s decision to compulsorily acquire the land.

“We are acquiring the land it seems to facilitate alternative private ownership. I want to know what was the process through which the persons who now get the benefit of the land acquired, allowed them to be the persons facilitated,” he said.

In addition, he again raised the question as to why the state had acquired the property as opposed to letting the developers and owners negotiate privately.