In 1698, the English Parliament passed the Popery Act, a law that stripped Catholics of their right to purchase land and forced estates into the hands of Protestant relatives. It was a deliberate act of exclusion, designed to weaken a community by denying them the foundation of wealth, dignity, and autonomy: land.

Centuries later, Barbuda faces a parallel struggle. For generations, Barbudans have been denied the ability to hold freehold title to their land. Our communal system, while rooted in tradition and identity, has also left us vulnerable, unable to secure loans, invest in housing, or pass down property as generational wealth. Just as the Popery Act ensured Catholics remained economically marginalized, Barbuda’s restrictions have kept our people on the margins of development.

Land is never just soil. It is power, security, and belonging. When a people are denied ownership, they are denied the ability to shape their destiny. The Popery Act was eventually overturned through reform and emancipation, restoring rights to those once excluded. Barbuda now stands at a similar crossroads: do we continue a system that limits opportunity, or do we embrace reform that empowers our people while preserving our identity?

This is not about abandoning tradition, it is about ensuring that tradition does not become a tool of exclusion. Freehold title for Barbudans means dignity. It means resilience against external pressures. It means the ability to build, invest, and thrive on our own terms. Just as Catholics once fought for emancipation, Barbudans must now claim their rightful place as full owners of the land that defines us.

The lesson of history is clear: laws that deny ownership are laws that deny freedom. Barbuda deserves better. Our people deserve the right to belong not only in spirit, but in title.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: OPINION: Land, Power, and the Right to Belong.