Independent Member of Parliament for St. Margaret, Pierre Dupuch, has called attention to the fact that thousands of acres of Crown land are being sold either “illegally” or “immorally” in Andros and other islands of The Bahamas by people abusing the legal system.
Of course, land scams have been perpetrated in The Bahamas for years, even before the country gained independence from England. But, since Independence, disreputable business persons have gotten fabulously wealthy by finaggling land from foreigners and widows in land deals “just this side of the law”. Now that much of that land, especially in New Providence, is accounted for, crooked lawyers and real estate agents are working with corrupt members of the government to enrich themselves using Crown land, at the expense of law abiding, tax paying Bahamians.
Mr. Dupuch said that it was incumbant on the Government to do something urgently to deal with the matter.
“I understand that thousands of acres of Crown land are being sold by a particular person in the legal profession and that this person told me that if you walk into the registry and register a piece of land as yours and let it sit there for thirty years, you no longer have to prove that there has been a Crown grant to you”. Mr. Dupuch did not name the member of the legal community who is committing these acts.
Attorney General Alfred Sears, said such behaviour would amount to stealing because it was someone filing documents for ownership with the intention of aquiring Crown land illegally.
“There is no limitation period which relates to chattel that is stolen.” Mr. Sears said in relation to the filing of documents that was done with the intention of mis-appropriation.
Mr. Sears made no indication that he would investigate the matter further. Of course, this behaviour comes from an Attorney General who refuses to do anything about criminal activity in the legal profession which is well documented yet ignored by both Mr. Sears and the Bahamas Bar Association.
