Thorne raises concern over ‘free’ land deal with Afreximbank

Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne has raised “serious concerns” over the recent vesting of 2.037 hectares of prime state-owned land at the corner of Bay Street and Jemmott’s Lane to the Afro African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), free of cost.

Speaking in Parliament Thursday night during the debate on the Bill to Vest the lands, Thorne questioned the transparency of the deal, expressing doubts over whether the government had acted in the best interests of the people.

Thorne, in his speech, asked whether the Barbados government is a member or shareholder of Afreximbank, and whether that relationship influenced the decision to grant the land for free. He also noted that Barbados is a founding member of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)  — an entity which benefitted from a similar arrangement — and then questioned why this deal, in contrast, had not been disclosed.

“I don’t know if the Barbados government is a member of that bank. So, if it is a member of that bank, if it is a shareholder, part owner, whichever term you use,” he queried.

Thorne’s comments come amid public protests over various projects across Barbados, including those on the East and West Coasts and in the capital, Bridgetown. Thorne emphasised that these protests are legitimate and must be taken seriously by the government, especially as this land deal could spark further protest.

“There are protests on the East Coast, protests on the West Coast, protests in the whole town, and the promise of the garrison protests. The heritage area is also involved, and there are plans for Oistins as well. These planned developments are not going to be smooth — they are already meeting with protests,” Thorne said. 

The opposition leader urged the government to listen to public concerns, noting that protests often arise from moral and legal rights. He stressed that the government has a responsibility to preserve lands in a manner that meets the approval of the local population.

“People have a moral right — there is a moral entitlement among the local population to preserve the lands in a manner that meets their approval. Ultimately, the government is the trustee of the interests of the people.”

The political leader expressed his dissatisfaction with the land deal, stating that if the land were being transferred to a charity, church, or nonprofit organisation, he would not have an issue. However, he criticised the decision to hand it over to a profit-driven entity like Afreximbank.

“If the lands are going to a charity, to an NGO, or to a church, I would have no difficulty. But if it’s a private entity motivated by profit — unless the people of this country can now be told that the government is going to get some very substantial financial return—it must be held accountable.”

Thorne further criticised the nature of the development, which he argued primarily serves commercial interests. Afreximbank is planning to build a hotel and a headquarters on the land, which Thorne questioned as being a valuable commodity for the people of Barbados.

The Christ Church South MP also raised concerns about the lack of transparency regarding the financial benefits of the deal. He suggested that if there were any substantial returns from the land’s transfer, the government would have shared that information by now.

“Since the honourable member for St George South has been unable to tell us that there is some generous financial stake, this one — this one is very difficult to defend,” Thorne pointed out. 

(IMC)