Rev. Dr. William Thompson was giving his presidential address at the opening of the 71st Annual Session of the Bahamas National Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention.
He was particularly concerned about the residents who were affected by the Bozine Town land dispute, but was guarded in his comments as the matter was in litigation.
“What is abundantly clear is that a large number of Bahamians are faced with tremendous stress and potential serious hardship over this fiasco,” he told the congregation at the Faith United Missionary Baptist Church.
“The church cannot and will not sit idly by while our people, innocent people, suffer indignity, dislocation and financial loss.”
Attorney General Allyson Maynard Gibson reported recently that the court has found, among other things, that none of the Bozine Town residents could establish good documentary land title. The AGﾒs Office is considering the judgment with a view to determining whether to appeal, the minister said.
The New Providence Land Development Company [Landco] had laid claim to the disputed property.
“As many residents of Bozine Town have occupied their property for decades having paid in full for their property, or in some cases still carrying a mortgage, it would be unfair and indeed wrong for them to lose everything,” the Baptist Rev. said.
“We are therefore calling on the government to move expeditiously to assist these unfortunate residents.”
The residentsﾒ attorney Milton Evans told the Journal that his clients are continuing to consider all of their options, including waiting to see if the government intervenes on their behalf. The court had given them six weeks to appeal its decision, leaving the plaintiffs to consider the grounds for such an appeal.
Financial means remains a paramount concern in the matter, Mr. Evans conceded.
Rev. Thompson referred to the Bozine Town situation while asserting that affordable land is in short supply in The Bahamas. He also suggested the implementation of a system of land registration that would enable residents to register their land and even transfer it to another.
Additionally, he also called for the abolishment of the Quieting Act, classifying it as an antiquated system that “provides rogues the opportunity to prey on innocent people.”
He said in the interest of protecting the heritage of Bahamians and preserving the style and quality of life that they are accustomed to, the government should institute land reform policies without delay.
The government has said that it has already begun to implement the most essential provisions of that policy, having already begun the process of land registration in New Providence and Grand Bahama.
By: Tameka Lundy, The Bahama Journal
