By Val Matthias. Updated 6:15 p.m., Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Housing Minister Andrew John has sought to reassure people who received state land offer letters under the former administration, saying the government is not attempting to take lands away from citizens while a review process is underway.
Speaking on NBC radio face-to-face radio program, John addressed growing public concern following reports that more than 215 people were considering legal action against the government over delays involving land allocations issued before the 2025 general election.
“We are not saying that we are taking your land from you,” the minister said. “All we are asking is for some time to review.”
The dispute centres on parcels of state land allocated during the final period of the former Unity Labour Party administration. Concerns escalated after an opinion piece was published on One News SVG where a lawyer claimed that 215 Vincentians were preparing to sue the government over the issue.
John defended the government’s decision to pause parts of the process while officials examine how the allocations were handled.
According to the minister, some constituencies received large numbers of land allocations during the election cycle, including dozens of lots in Langley Park in the North Windward constituency.
He questioned whether the distribution process had been conducted fairly and said the government had a duty to ensure state resources were allocated equitably.
“As citizens of this country, which belongs to all of us, we have a responsibility to ensure that things are distributed equitably,” he said.
John also said the government inherited an incomplete system, claiming that when he took office, officials were unable to locate a comprehensive list of people who had previously applied for land.
“There are still people who keep coming forward saying, ‘I applied for years and I’ve not had a response from anybody,’” he said.
The minister stressed that no letters had been issued informing recipients that they had lost their lands and insisted the review was being carried out responsibly. “The process is almost finished,” he added.
John also pointed to longstanding issues involving unpaid balances on state lands distributed over many years, noting that some recipients had reportedly built homes without fully paying for the properties within the stipulated timeframe.
He warned that pursuing court action could potentially trigger broader scrutiny of past land agreements and contract breaches.
The controversy has become a major political issue since the New Democratic Party assumed office after the 2025 general election.
Opposition Leader Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has criticised the government’s handling of the matter and previously declared he was prepared to “go to jail” over the land dispute.
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